In modern warfare, Rules of Engagement (ROE) often call for a new definition of “winning”. There are times however, when the obvious, old fashioned meaning still prevails. Fighting is NOT the same as winning.
My point is this; there is a difference between fighting and fighting to win. Most of us think we are fighting to win (otherwise why fight?), but are we really?
In a closely contested fight, the winner is often said to be the one who prepares the best. Prepares for what? To fight? Or to WIN?
If we look at the definitions of the words “fight” and “win” we see there is a huge difference. Basically, you can fight without winning, but you can’t win without a fight.
To fight means to engage in a contest or struggle, to merely participate. To win means your participation resulted in you conquering, overcoming, persuading, influencing or defeating your opponent. He fought, but you won.
For years, the Washington Generals “fought” against the Harlem Globetrotters in exhibition basketball. The Globetrotters almost always won. It was scripted. The Generals played, but they did not play to win. They competed, but they did not win.
At Pearl Harbor, the United States military was the victim of a surprise attack. The men and women there fought back, but they were not prepared and even though they fought, they did not win. On islands and shores across the world, later in the war, both sides prepared to fight.
One side was trying to defend their territory and the other side was trying to conquer that same territory. The territory went to those who were prepared to win, not just fight.
If you are not prepared, your fighting will be defensive. If you are prepared just to fight, you will be “trading punches” and holding your ground, inflicting about as much damage as you suffer.
Kind of like the old western movie bar fights, with two (or more) guys trading blows in a “my turn your turn” fashion, with no clear winner (until somebody picks up a stool or goes for a gun). That guy was the first to decide winning was the goal, not just participating.
Fighting to win means that you are prepared to take territory or you are preparing to dominate your opponent so that he cannot or will not continue or resume the fight.
Muhammed Ali in his prime would just humiliate his opponents. Beating them physically, mentally and emotionally so that they did not ever believe they could defeat him.
The spiritual war is a battle for the territory of your mind and soul. Are you prepared to win? Or just to fight?
As Christians, we must prepare for spiritual warfare as if we are preparing to win. We should be perfecting tactics to overcome our opponent’s weaknesses. Identify and develop strategies to strengthen or conceal our own weaknesses, and defend against specific attacks and strategies of the enemy.
Recognize that you are in a fight. How goes the battle, and what is the definition of victory?
Don’t just fight…fight to win!
Everyday God... 