Slugfest
Pt. 1 - Fix the Fight
I. Introduction
I grew up in the era of great fights. Boxing had the corner on the fight market. There was no MMA, UFC, or Bellator. Boxing reigned supreme. This led to great spectacles and huge matches. These matches not only had great fighters involved but the marketing matched the level of the fights. This led to event titles like "The Thrilla in Manila" Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier, October 1, 1975. "The Rumble in the Jungle" Muhammad Ali vs. George Foreman, October 30, 1974 Roberto Duran vs Sugar Ray Leonard, June 20, 1980: "The Brawl in Montreal." Unforgettable moments in fight history. We would gather around the tv to watch these warriors duke it out in the center of the ring to decide who was the world champion.
However, long before Jack Dempsey, Evander "The Real Deal" Holyfield, Marvelous Marvin Hagler, Iron Mike Tyson, Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao, Floyd "Money" Mayweather, or Tyson "The Gypsy King" Fury the real and ultimate undisputed champion of the universe was crowned. A challenger descended from the heavenlies. He fell like lightening. He inaccurately accessed his power and strength. He thought he could defeat the undefeatable. He thought he could take the crown. However, Jesus shows up on the fight scene. Unassuming. Humble. Meek. The enemy smiled as he sees an easy victory. He sends this weak opponent to a criminal's cross to strike the final and ultimate knockout punch. But Jesus could take a punch. He gets up off the canvas and by His sacrifice on the cross and the resurrection that we celebrated last week Jesus won the unquestionable victory over the schemes and plans of the enemy. Jesus is the undisputed champion. The outcome is not in question. The result has been established. Jesus counterpunches the enemy, He comes off the ropes and strikes a knockout blow. The 10 count is given. The enemy stays down. The hands of the victor are raised in triumph. You can fast forward to the end and discover that the win was never in doubt. From the foundation of the world The Lamb was slain, and victory was won. The belt had already been draped around the waist of the winner. In other words, . . . The fight was fixed.
However, now we are experiencing some disconcerting and certainly concerning tremors. Values are shifting under our feet. Once secure territory seems to be at risk. Social, political, civil freedom seems to be threatened. The result is that we find ourselves in unprecedented times with heightened, renewed and perhaps even new attacks on every front. No area is left unscathed . . . physical, mental and spiritual. Which should help us to recognize that we are still in a war zone. It is assumed in Scripture that we will recognize this fact. This is why Scripture addresses this fight and identifies clearly our opponent. We learned Ephesians 6:12 like this . . . For we wrestle not against flesh and blood . . . but hear it again like this . . .
Ephesians 6:12
Your hand-to-hand combat is not with human beings, but with the highest principalities and authorities operating in rebellion under the heavenly realms. For they are a powerful class of demon-gods and evil spirits that hold this dark world in bondage.
We must conclude then that the physical and mental aspects of the attack we are experiencing can be attributed to the manifestations of the spiritual. We are in a fight. Although the war is over and victory is confirmed and sure, there is an abundance of subsequent attacks, skirmishes and confrontations as a soundly and completely defeated foe tries to inflict as much damage, pain and carnage as possible as he retreats to eternal defeat. It is for this reason that I must challenge you today to fix the fight. The fight is fixed, but we must fix the fight.
I want to draw your attention back to one of the most famous passages found in Scripture but hone in on a missed or perhaps under scrutinized aspect of the account.
Text: 1 Samuel 17:22-24, 28 (NIV), 29 (KJV)
David left his things with the keeper of supplies, ran to the battle lines and asked his brothers how they were. As he was talking with them, Goliath, the Philistine champion from Gath, stepped out from his lines and shouted his usual defiance, and David heard it. Whenever the Israelites saw the man, they all fled from him in great fear.
When Eliab, David’s oldest brother, heard him speaking with the men, he burned with anger at him and asked, “Why have you come down here? And with whom did you leave those few sheep in the wilderness? I know how conceited you are and how wicked your heart is; you came down only to watch the battle.”
And David said, What have I now done? Is there not a cause?
You never win a fight if you won't get in one!
Go back to the account and what you discover is that God was willing to intervene so that the Israelites could defeat the Philistines. However, you also notice that He didn't intervene until someone was willing to get in the fight. Day after day. Week after week so called "fighting men" refused to get in the fight. So, there was no divine interruption or intervention. No miracle. No supernatural.
I want to assure you this morning that God is willing to intervene on your behalf. However, He can't bail you out if you won't jump in! He won't defend you if you never provoke an attack.
The truth is to many of us are laying down! Perhaps we need to be reminded that the primary purpose of the record of all the Old Testament battles wasn't to get us distracted by blood, gore, slaughter but rather they are there to fix the fight in us. They are there to teach us that God's people are a people who battle. We are warriors. We are "fighting men!" Our hands have been trained for war! We are not battling for victory. We fight from victory. The primary purpose of church is to teach us not just to serve or give, but to teach us and to motivate us to fight for what is ours. If peace belongs to us, then we must fight for it. If contentment is our inheritance, then we must fight for it. If joy is ours, then we can't willing give it up we must fight for it. If healing is ours, then we must fight for it! Faith shows up and is revealed in our fight. Lack of faith results in lack of fight. All the promises of God are occupied by opponents. We are fighting people. We are people of war. This isn’t a rest home. This is a barrack for warriors.
So, let me challenge you with the question Joshua asked. Joshua 18:3 - Joshua said to the Israelites, “How long will you avoid going to take over the land that the Lord, the God of your ancestors, has given you?
How long will you wait to get in the fight? Or perhaps I will challenge you with the question David asked his fellow church members . . .
Is there not a cause? Isn’t there cause to believe? Isn’t there a cause to have faith? Isn’t there a cause to try? Isn’t there a cause to reach out? Isn’t there a cause to worship? Isn’t there a cause to gather? Fix the fight. Fight for your kids. Fight for your marriage. Fight for your friends. Fight for your family. Fight to worship. Fight for faith. Fight for healing. Fight for souls!
The enemy won't just willingly give up territory. Enemy isn’t going to just get bored and leave. He will stand and challenge - send out someone. Will you fix the fight today?
Like Paul, I challenge you like he challenged Timothy. "Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands. For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
Like Jude, I challenge you . . . "Dearly loved friend, I was fully intending to write to you about our amazing salvation we all participate in, but felt the need instead to challenge you to vigorously defend and contend for the beliefs that we cherish. For God, through the apostles, has once for all entrusted these truths to his holy believers."
Fix the fight! Trained for battle. The gift is in you. Prepared for battle. We have been entrusted! God trusts us to fight for these things. Quit shadow boxing! On the sidelines wasting your energy on efforts on things that don't matter.
We must fix the Fight! You won't win until you get in!
Mike Tyson famously and correctly said, "Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth."
I submit to you that . . .
We have been punched in the mouth . . . now what?
So, you have been punched in the mouth . . . what's your plan. It may have been a sucker punch. Unexpected. If we are honest, then we can admit that we had grown apathetic. We dropped our guard. We believed nothing would upset our apple cart. Our life was comfortable. Our life was perfect. Our world was like we wanted. And out of nowhere we get hit in the mouth. Now what?
Do we have a glass chin? Too many of us are too easy to knock out. We have a choice to make. Lay down? Take it? Stay on the canvas? Throw in the towel? Are we going to be like the people in the book of Ezra? The people were tasked with rebuilding the house of God after it had been demolished by their enemies. The people laid the new foundation and then their adversaries oppressed them. The people folded under the pressure and QUIT the work. FOR 25 YEARS NOT ANOTHER STONE OR BRICK WAS LAID. 25 years of quit. 25 years of defeat. 25 years of apathy. 25 years of do nothing. 25 years of yawning. 25 years of accepting. 25 years of no growth. 25 years of no healings. 25 years of no salvations. 25 years of no impact. We are tasked with rebuilding, repopulating the House and the Kingdom of God!
In 1 Samuel God raised up a shepherd boy. In Ezra, God raised up two prophets who boldly declared the WORD OF THE LORD. These prophets fixed the fight in the people. The people were spiritually awakened and finished the work. In 2021, God is raising up the people of Passion as prophets! People who will declare Not on my watch. People who are willing to stand and fight when others give up. When others would throw in the towel, we will pick it up and serve. When others would opt out, we sign up. When others would run away, we run in. When others would sleep, we will rise up and strike back! We will fix the fight in us!
Who is keeping you out of the fight and why?
David's own brother. David's family. David's support system. David's blood tries to talk him into submission. David's brother tries to get him to settle into the defeat that he was comfortable in. I have a question . . . Who is talking you out of taking a stand? Who are you? Look how insignificant you are? What difference can you make? You are a nobody. You are a nothing? You are too old. Too young. Too sick. Too unworthy. Too untalented.
Who is questioning your motives? You are just proud. You are just trying to make a name for yourself. You are just glory seeking! If they can't silence you, then they will try to sideline you, keep you from coming out of the corner by questioning you until you question yourself. You need to ask yourself an important question . . . why? Why are they trying to keep you out of the fight? Maybe it so because misery loves company. Maybe it is because they have become comfortable in bondage and if you stand up it will force them to come to grips with their own chains. Or could it be that those spirits we are wrestling with realize that if you ever get your dander up, they are doomed? Could it be that those spirits know that if you ever get fighting mad, they have no fighting chance? Could it be that those spirits know that if you ever step up, they will have to step off? Maybe just maybe they are working overtime to intimidate, silence, sideline you because if you ever fix the fight in you, they know the fight is fixed!!! Let their objections, belittling statements fuel your fights. I need someone to prove the doctor wrong. I need someone to prove the banker wrong. I need someone to prove the ex wrong. I need someone to prove the teacher wrong. I need someone to prove the hurt wrong. I need someone to prove the heartbreak wrong. I need someone to prove the devil wrong today!
God fix the fight in us! We have been punched in the mouth but we have a plan! We will get up and fight from victory!
