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I have never gotten the appeal of boxing. Two guys hitting each other into a bloody pulp. Yeah, it’s not for me. But I will take advantage of a boxing analogy today to illustrate an important aspect of victory.
Boxers are trained to keep their hands up to protect their face, to keep their feet moving so they cannot be caught off guard. They are also trained to take a hit.
It’s boxing! So, they are guaranteed to get more than a few times in each fight. But there are good ways to take a hit and bad ways.
Spiritually speaking, we need to be prepared to take a hit. Are we promised a life of health and wealth? Quite the opposite! (See Matt. 5:10-12, John 15:20, 1 Cor. 4:12, 2 Cor. 4:9)
In John 16:33, Jesus tells us to take heart—the world will attack, but he has overcome the world. In other words, we may take a hit, we may lose a battle, but he has already won the war and ultimate victory is ours with him!
So, how do we train to take a hit?
• Don’t be surprised by the hit (John 15:20).
• Don’t be defeated by the hit (John 16:33).
• Don’t lose sight of the trainer (Heb. 12:2).
• Consider it as pure joy and a growth opportunity (James 1:2-4).
We are in a spiritual battle (Eph. 6:10-18) and it is important to prepare ourselves for battle, which includes preparing to take a hit.