God Will Provide: You Just Have to Throw the Punches

“Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable that they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life” (Matthew 6:26, 27).

The Christ-Judo Master used an analogy from nature to help explain prosperity to his students. Some Fighters interpret this passage to mean that, since God is going to give them a championship, they do not need to do anything themselves. Therefore, they just stand around in the dojo and wait for God to act.

How does God feed birds? He provides for them, but He does not personally hand-deliver food to their nests! The birds do not just sit around and wait for God to stop by with their meals. When the Master said the heavenly Father feeds the birds, he meant that everything they need is available for them, but they have to step inside the ring of life and fight for it.

God does not throw the punches for you. He provides you with arms. God does not put you in the ring of life against fighters who keep their hands down.

The ultimate goal for every Fighter should be to develop a “good faith fighting” style that builds Godly character. Our Master wants us to mature spiritually and become like Christ. Christ-likeness is all about transforming your character, not your unique personality. Fighters must submit. They must allow God to develop in them the kind of character described in the Beatitudes of Jesus, the fruits of the Spirit, Paul’s powerful chapter on love, and Peter’s list of the characteristics of an effective and productive life (Matthew 5:1-12, Galatians 5:22-23, I Corinthians 13, II Peter 1:5-8).

It is important during the championship rounds of the “good fight”, when we are being punched and kicked by the adversary, to remember that our Master is trying to build our character to be more like His. However, we know that in the end, our championship in heaven will be worth all the blood, sweat and tears suffered while inside the cage of life.

Remember, it is called a fight for a reason. However, we fight from victory, not for victory. Keep Fighting!

Prayer: Heavenly Father in the name of Jesus Christ please let your will be done in my life. Lord I pray that your character becomes part of everything I am. Thank you for your perfect will in Christ Jesus. Amen