Not Ready to Fight!

Suppose a boxing trainer took his fighter to an isolated training camp and then
spent the whole training session psyching up his man for the big fight. He tells
him, “I will be with you at ringside—I will never leave your side. Here is a
list of great boxers of the past, so study their every move. You do not have to
suffer through hard workouts. I told you that you are a winner and my word is
all you need! I will give you some diagrams on how to defeat Monster Man when
you step into the ring with him!”

What kind of trainer is this? Absolutely foolish! What would a good trainer do?
He would find the best boxer he could, put his man in the ring with him, and let
them have it out!

Beloved, how many Christians call themselves warriors without ever being tested
or trained? We hear so much about the many prayer warriors in this nation. But
the sad truth is, the vast majority of them have never been in battle! They
have not been trained and they are not ready to fight!

Recently I asked the Lord why so many true believers are going through such
heavy, hard times. Why such deep suffering? I asked, “Why are so many being
tested to their limits?”

God knows that Satan is going to be loosed on the earth for his last hour of
warfare. And the Lord is going to need well-trained warriors who will prevail
over all the powers of hell. Right now He is doing a quick work in His
remnant—it is called crisis training!

These suffering, deeply tested saints are becoming the captains of His
last-days army. God is putting Holy Spirit fight in them and He is bringing
forth warriors who are tested and tried, because they have wrestled with God.
The more they suffer and the more intense the trial, the greater the work He
has for them to do!

This kind of training calls for physical discipline as well as spiritual. Jacob
threw his whole body into the battle, all his human ability. A fighting spirit
had risen up in him and Scripture says, “In his strength he struggled with
God” (Hosea 12:3).

This verse has great meaning for all who want to prevail in prayer. It says
Jacob won the battle “in his strength.” Dearly beloved, if you are going to
prevail in these last days, you are going to have to put all your body and
strength into it!