Are You Ready to Rumble?

For some reason, the month of August is just flat out hard for me and my family. It’s hard schedule-wise, work-wise, and financially. There’s ministry ramp up time, back to school prep, juggling schedules, higher utility bills and overall more irons in the fire. I won’t get into details but I believe many others can relate with me on this. August is just crazy!

For some reason, the month of August is just flat out hard for me and my family. It’s hard schedule-wise, work-wise, and financially. There’s ministry ramp up time, back to school prep, juggling schedules, higher utility bills and overall more irons in the fire. I won’t get into details but I believe many others can relate with me on this. August is just crazy!

Here’s the deal it’s awful hot in Texas in August too and I do mean it’s just awful! I would even say it’s hot as Hell for lack of better terms. So considering that August is so very hard and so very hot, I’ll go ahead and call it my family’s “Hell Month”. That’s when we go to into a full scale battle with the devil. I know this sounds far-fetched and a bit over reactive but to my family it seems real. If war is hell then August is when we’re at war baby!
I can’t help think about a boxing ring and in one corner there is me and my family and in the other corner there sits ol’ Beelzebub himself and his corner of demons. I can almost hear the great Michael Buffer on the mic stating “Let’s get ready to RUMMMBBBBBLLLLEEEE!”. As soon as the bell dings I can just picture the devil throwing the first punch and then I counter with a right cross (get it?…right cross?) of course and he falls down only to get up with as much vigor as he had before. Ooooh, why can’t he just stay down????
I can go on and on but I think you get the picture. The truth is every July I generally prepare myself for battle in August by praying more, devoting more time to reading the Word, getting my attitude right and get myself ready to rumble. I of course, do not stop once August is here. In fact, as soon as things start getting tough, (to quote the old adage) I get tougher! If I don’t the old devil will have his way with us.
This year Satan has unleashed a fury on the most perfect person I know besides Jesus and that is my wife. He’s given her fits all year and in some cases has absolutely kicked her butt. Now in August he’s unleashed the one thing that I admit I did not pray for…her health. She’s usually as healthy as a horse so this attack was about as sneaky as it gets. He beat her up pretty good but because God is faithful and Amy fully trusts Him, she fought through the worst of it and is winning the battle. That’s my Amy! He’s also attacked my kid’s health too but in the end he’s losing. We are getting through it!
The verse I hang on is from Ephesians verse 6:11-12
“Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”
That’s a verse that stares down the opponent and with that deep Michael Buffer voice yells out:
Let’s get ready to RUUUMMMMBBBBLLEEEE!
Brian