There are roughly 12 rounds in a boxing match. The start of each round gives both fighters another opportunity to score, another opportunity to win.

In the case of a knockout, the one standing wins automatically, assuming their opponent is unable to get up within a certain amount of seconds. A good boxer has quick hands but a great boxer has quick reflexes. The opponent can have enough strength to perform a knockout, but not if the fighter is quick enough to dodge it. To dodge it, they have to see it coming.

As someone who was a 5’0 band kid/science nerd, I never considered myself to be a fighter. Out of the numerous fights I witnessed on the playground, in the school courtyard, on the bus, at the bus stop, in the neighborhood, I was never in any of them. But as much as I’d love to say I’m a lover not a fighter, the truth is that I am a fighter. We all are.

In this ring, we are the fighter and Satan is the opponent. He is not playing fair and his one wish is to perform a knockout. If he can keep us down, he wins. Because regardless of how many rounds there have been, or how many rounds remaining, a knockout appoints the winner.

If Satan knows he can’t steal our salvation he instead wants to sabotage our purpose. He performs every scheme in hopes that if we’re knocked down, we’ll stay down. That the sickness will cease our mobility. That the rejection will discourage our vision. That the seemingly unanswered prayer will weaken our faith. Whatever the hit is, he hopes it will ruin our calling.

In boxing the hits are not based on a 1:1 ratio. As long as they are open, the opponent will continue to hit. It’s not based on impartiality but on opportunity. 1 Peter 5:8 says “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” At the start of each round, your enemy is looking for an opportunity. Because if he can get you, he can hit you. When can he get you? Whenever you’re open.

The likelihood of you entering a boxing match is, well, guaranteed. You entered it when you entered the world. Jesus promised trouble. But He also promised peace and He also promised victory. To promise victory is to concurrently promise a fight. We’re in the ring.

The winner of each round can toss between both fighters but when the points add up, one must be declared a winner. You might not win each round but at the start of the next one, you have to tell yourself, “not this round”. This round is not going to end the way last round did. Don’t let him win. In Ephesians 6:11, Paul tells us to “put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.” When we fight, we’re not fighting with our hands, we’re fighting with our stance. Our defense it to defend against the attacks of Satan. But our offense is the faith built up from the word of God which we stand on.

If I’m being honest, the only boxing matches I’ve seen are from the movie ‘Rocky’. In the end, Rocky loses. I remember watching and thinking ‘That was a terrible movie.’ Then I remember thinking ‘That can’t be it. The main character never loses.’ So I watched Rocky 2. After another 2 hours I was relieved to see that this time, he did not lose. (He did get beat up pretty bad though). At the end of Rocky, Balboa knew there would be a Rocky 2. He knew there’d be another fight. He also knew he was determined to win. And he did.

The reason Satan’s first scheme is to attack the mind is because he knows if you can believe you’re a loser, you’ll perform like a loser.

They say the casualties of a fight affect you more mentally than it does physically. The exact phrase is 90% is mental, 10% is physical. Meaning that the physical has very little influence on the mental? Loosely. More accurately, the mental has such great influence on the physical. Your body will follow whatever your mind is telling it to. Fill your mental with the things of God and begin every round knowing you’re a winner. Your body will follow.

Even if you’ve lost every previous round, this time tell yourself,

“Not this round.”

For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.

-1 John 5:4