Are you ready for a fight?

As I shared once before, I have taken up Taekwondo classes after not having so much as  thrown a kick in over 30 years.

It's an interesting experience, to say the least.

The other night I faced off for some light sparring with a black belt.  The instructor gave the command, and we began.

I was rather surprised at how I quickly got into sparring mode after so many years.  My mind remembered to tell my body what to do, throwing kick after kick.

My opponent  simply kept backing up, moving, side-stepping.  After about 45 seconds of this, I was doubled over sucking in air.

My brain may have remembered many of the moves, but my body was in no condition to spar.  Had this been a real fight, he could have just kept side-stepping me and waited until I was doubled over and ended it right there with one kick.  Fortunately for my sake, he was instructing me, not fighting me.

Have you felt like that in your life?  Your day goes on, all is fine, then the enemy comes along and the battle begins.  You get frustrated and start beating the air with your fist.  It doesn't take long for you to feel ready to give up.  Tired, doubled over, sucking air, you run to some old habits that you had long left behind when you decided to follow Christ.

Then comes the guilt of what you have done, the enemy gives you the final blow (he is the accuser of the brethren after all) and you are defeated.  Battle lost.

What is the answer?

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.  Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes.  For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand." Ephesians 6:10-13 (NIV)

Notice it says here when the day of evil comes, not if, when.

Paul is saying the battle is inevitable because we are at war and, we'd better prepare for it.

Taekwondo is a fun way for me to get into shape and sure there are some self defense aspect of this.  But it is useless in the battle that Paul is talking about.  A spiritual battle needs spiritual defenses and weapons.

We may live in a free country, but spiritually this is enemy occupied territory.

We'll take a look at that armor tomorrow.  But for now, let's take an honest inventory of what we do, each day, to prepare for this battle.

By the way, Refuel tonight is a great way to prepare.  Coming to church midweek can often give us the strength we need to walk in victory.