Unlikely FighterSample

The Poor Tradesman

From where we sit—2,000+ years down the road—Jesus seems to be the most likely of fighters. He was God in the flesh, after all.

But almost no one who lived in Jesus’s day expected Him to save the Jewish people, let alone be the way to God for every human who ever lived.

The Bible puts it bluntly: Although Jesus was “in very nature God…He made Himself nothing.” The Creator came in the form of a creature. To become fully man, He temporarily set aside many divine attributes. He could no longer be everywhere at once but was confined to one place at one time. He no longer knew everything—He now had to rely on the Holy Spirit to teach, direct, and reveal things. Once all-powerful, He now had to ask the Father to wield power through Him.

Not only that, but God went out of His way to present His divine Son as humbly as possible. Jesus had no human father, so He was considered “illegitimate”—an insult and a curse in that society. He was born in a barn. He grew up poor. He became an average-looking (Isaiah 53:2) tradesman from an out-of-the-way town with a sketchy reputation.

What Jesus did have—what made all the difference—was something that’s available to anyone who trusts Christ: a constant connection to God the Father through God the Spirit. Through that connection, and through the powerful weapon of God’s Word (Ephesians 6:17), Jesus became the mightiest conqueror of all time. Through His glorious resurrection, He defeated for all time anyone and anything that would set themselves up against God.

Although the script of this world is still playing out, we know the end of the story: Jesus wins! If you haven’t put your full trust in Him alone, do so today. If you have, make it your No. 1 mission to spread His message of salvation and eternal life.

For inspiration, check out the list of unlikely fighters in what many call the Bible’s “Hall of Faith” (Hebrews 11:1-40). The men and women mentioned here trusted in God, setting aside their own comforts and plans and pleasures to gain a heavenly Kingdom and eternal rewards, glorious beyond anything we can imagine. Don’t let your circumstances, insecurities, past mistakes, or anything else hold you back. Join the battle today!

Reflect:

What comforts, pleasures, or insecurities keep you from living for God? What can you commit to today to change that?

What battlefield or mission is God placing on your heart?

We hope this plan encourages you. For a modern-day look at how God does great things through people you wouldn’t expect, check out Greg Stier’s new book, Unlikely Fighter.