Leeeeeets get ready to Ruuummmmble!

I remember when I was a kid the ring announcer was one of my favorite parts of a boxing match. In fact it usually took the announcer more time make his introductions than it did for Mike Tyson to knock out his opponent. I would try to mimic the announcer and say, "Leeeeeets get ready to Ruuummmmble!", like the ring announcer did. Today I don’t watch much boxing, but I love the UFC and they have a great ring announcer. It still pumps me up to hear a good announcer just before a big fight.

This very familiar saying popped into my mind the other day as I fought a battle inside of myself. A few days ago God gave me a thought that I wanted to study and develop. I wrote a blog a week or so ago about the thought of “darkness”. This is something that has my attention and I know that God wants me to study up on it.

So, there I am, knowing that God wants me to study this thought, but finding myself putting it off. “I will start on that tomorrow.” “I would start on that now, but I’ve got other things to do.” “I will start on that, but let me check Facebook and twitter first.” I’m sure that you have never been like this, but I still have to fight this fight.

When this takes place I feel terrible. I wonder why I have such a hard time doing what I love to do. I know God wants me to do, and I want to do it.  So, why is it so hard to get started? As I’m beating myself up for being this way, I am reminded of the fight one of my heroes fought daily.

The apostle Paul, one of the greatest men to ever live, said that every day he was in a fight with his flesh. Paul tells us in Romans 7:14-24 that every time he desires to do good evil is present with him. He tells us that the things he does not want to do, are the things that he winds up doing. Paul finishes Romans 7 by saying “O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?”

So, if a great man like Paul has trouble fighting his flesh and doing the right thing, maybe I shouldn’t be so hard on myself. This also tells me that no matter how much I grow in the Lord, and how much I study the Bible I am always going to have to fight with myself to do right. I wish I could say that once you are saved all your problems go away, and you become a saint who never does wrong. If I said that though, I would be lying. It’s a Biblical fact that we will continue to war with our flesh until the day we die.

A couple days ago I finally stepped into the ring with my flesh and decided that I was going to begin to study this thought God had laid on my heart. You know, once I opened my Bible, broke out my laptop, and began to study I got into a zone. I had a blast studying the word of God. Before I knew it I had been studying for almost two hours. I couldn’t wait to finish up my study the next day. I won that fight, but I’m sure it won’t be the last time we step into the ring.

What is it that you are fighting with? Maybe you are putting something off. You know that God wants you to do it, but just can’t bring yourself to get started. I bet if you would just do whatever it is that God keeps telling you to do; you will be glad you did. It’s time to say:

Leeeeet’s get ready to Ruuuuumble!