"Getting You Ready For Your Fight With Life"

Scripture: "Praise be to the LORD my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle." -Psalms 144:1, NIV

On this past Saturday night, the World Boxing Council (WBC) heavyweight title was on the line at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. It pitted the Ring Magazine's #1 contender and two-time WBC champion, Vitali Klitschko, against the WBC's #1 heavyweight contender, Cristobal Arreola. The pre-fight hype was built on Arreola's weight and conditioning. Within his last three fights, Arreola has been weighing in the high 250's and had to shed a lot of weight because he received this title shot sooner rather than later. With this in mind, Arreola changed up his meal plan, training regimen and everything else. When the weigh-in took place, the scales said Arreola weighed 277 lbs.; however, that was because he had on a twenty-something pound vest. Once the vest came off of him, he weighed in at 251 lbs. According to reports, Arreola really worked hard in training and hired a new conditioning coach specifically for this fight. As the story goes, though his people trained him for this title fight, Arreola could not deliver the goods as he was punished, hit at will, and eventually stopped by the advice of his corner in the 10th round. If truth be told, we, as believers, must train for this fight with life. This fight is not just a one-day affair, it is an everyday affair. If you handle your business well with life, it can be the best thing ever. On the other hand, if you let life deal its blows to you, then you are in it for a rough time. I'm blessed to know that someone is there to get us ready for this fight with life. The someone is the Almighty God! Today's text explains how God trains you and I for our fight with life.

Today, our journey has landed us in the book of Psalms. This particular psalm was written by David. Scholars state that when David was composing this song, he was acknowledging the greatness of God and praying for help (verses 1 - 8). Also, we find out that David prayed for the prosperity of his kingdom (verses 9 - 15). One thing we must do and always remember is before we ask God for anything, praise Him for the things He has done in your life. Praise Him for just being God and being God all by Himself! Praise Him for waking you up in the morning, closed in your right mind, and giving you the ability to move your limbs. Once we praise Him and thank Him, then approach Him with the desires of your heart.

David illustrates the last point that was just made by starting the text with "Praise be to the LORD my Rock". If truth were told, many of us need to lean on the rock known as the Father! Many of us get burned out with life and we are looking for help from our brothers and sisters. God will use them to help you, but you must lean on Him and depend on Him to give you direction and help! You must stand on the Rock when money is funny and change is strange! You must stand on the Rock when the world has hurt your feelings and no one cares! You must stand on the Rock when the enemy tries to rush you like a flood! Just stand on the Rock! Just lean on the Rock! Just depend on the Rock! Just trust God!

In the midst of David praising God in today's main scripture, he reveals to us how God trains us for our fight with life. David said that God trained "my hands for war, my fingers for battle". In the days of David, the way he won battles and defeated his foes was with his hands and fingers. If truth were told on today, we still defeat the foes of life with those same body parts! Think about it, when you lock hands and fingers with another brother/sister, you establish agreement and if their faith connects with your faith, your battles are won! God loves agreement! He tells us in His Word that out of the two or three, everything is established! Not some things! Not half of the things! Not three quarters of the things, but EVERYTHING is established! When you lock your hands and fingers together to pray to God by yourself with faith knowing He will do what you need, your battles are won! Yes, He trained your hands and your fingers not only for prayer, but also to work and make a living, to write your brothers and sisters and tell about the goodness of Jesus, call your brothers and sisters to minister to them in their time of need, to anoint your hands with oil and pray for circumstances and situations to dissolve, and other things.

In closing, do not take your hands or fingers for granted. They serve a tremendous purpose in your life! You are meant to win life's battles with them. Just in case you haven't learned how to use them, there's a God ready and capable to train you in the art of using them properly. Don't you want to win your fight with life?