Wrestling

We war not with flesh

But destroy speculations.

Take captive each thought.

-2 Corinthians 10:3-5

Ephesians 6:12 says, "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." My older brothers wrestled in high school, so that was my frame of reference for understanding Ephesians 6:12. However, I learned something new about ancient Greek wrestling.  It was a deadly sport. Imagine UFC fighting with no rules to prevent permanent damage and no rounds. Choking, breaking fingers or ribs, gashing the face and gouging out the eyes were all acceptable practices. Most wrestlers fought to the death. Paul chose this brutal sport to describe the Christian's conflict with the devil.

Another faith battle?? That's how we feel sometimes. The answer is, YES! Always. One of our instructors says it this way: "When you become a Christian you're no longer floating along with the current of the world. We're still in the world, but we're paddling upstream UNTIL YOU DIE!" She adds the emphasis almost exactly that way. All the students chuckle, but it was an exhausting thought. Then God gave me a UFC analogy. Trained fighters enjoy fighting. They don't complain. Oh great! Another fight. Why does this always happen to me? Can you imagine? No way. UFC fighters look forward to getting into the octagon. They are confident in their training. 

Christians need to be as equipped for our conflict as the trained fighters that get into the octagon. Satan is real and he's not after a glitzy belt or bragging rights. He wants to kill and destroy every person he can. One thing we can do is strengthen and renew our minds with God's word. Read it and speak it every day. As you do, your mind will begin to side with God's word instead of  your flesh or the world. Ephesians 6:10-20