Every great fighter has a back story; one which led them to the ring.

The best stories are the ones that have some depth and didn’t follow a straight line to victory. With each obstacle, a chance to overcome and grow stronger; hardship and loss only fueling the fire within. It is often not until a man gets a taste of rock bottom that he truly finds his fighter heart. As 2 Corinthians 10:12 puts it “When I am weak, then I am strong“

Make no mistake, a fighter who has nothing to lose is one who should be feared in the ring. These are the fighters that put it all on the line and will be found standing at the end of the twelfth round.

But before a victory can ever be achieved, a man must receive training.

From an initial weak push-up through to a rapid string of punches on a speed bag, the power of a training montage is undeniable; the greater the transformation, the more inspiring the sequence. A true underdog story showcasing sheer determination and heart, backed by a powerful score; there is nothing quite like it. Honestly, which of us weren’t ready to run the steps alongside Rocky and pump our fist in the air as his memorable montage wrapped up? 

And yet while we are on the edge of our seats watching these inspirational scenes, we often fail to see our own story like this. Sure, we view ourselves as the underdog… but it stops there. The reality is that we simply don’t believe in ourselves most days. We are like one who steps onto the scale during their weigh-in and is completely intimidated next to our opponent… the fight lost long before the match even starts.

The champion’s heart we need can only be found through a deep desire to make it; equal parts dedication and grit. Many times during training we will be instructed to carry out seemingly pointless tasks, ones that make us question our Coach. In time however, understanding that these are actually the difference makers in the bigger picture as they build our character and perseverance.

We must trust the process and methods our Coach takes to prepare us; His ways are greater, He knows what is needed and how to get us there… we are the student and He is the Master. Psalm 144:1 says He ‘trains my Hands for war and my fingers for battle‘

He will teach us to strategically approach a situation with restraint; becoming self-controlled when pushed to our limit. He will identify our unique weak spots and how we can compensate for them. Finally we will learn how to accept a victory with humility and move forward after a loss; avoiding the familiar downward spiral we have known many times before.

In time we will begin moving naturally in and outside of the ring; confident and strong in our weakness, because He stands in our corner.

In the end, if we remain committed to the training plan, our core montage will show our remarkable progression from a careless brawler to a world-renowned champion.