The Boxing Ring – Fighting the Unseen Spiritual War

The Boxing Ring (2018)

*BANG!*

I fell with my nose flat on the mat. I guessed I concussed from an unknown attack.

What was that? I asked myself. I stood up and tumbled down.

The punch was real. And the bruise was there. I ain’t no fighter, I raised the flag.

The pain lingered on for days. I was afraid to pick a fight again. Yet something was raging, was raging in me. I wanted to win, but just can’t, it seems.

Then I realised I was in a boxing ring.

My spirit was low and I couldn’t hold (it). I pleaded to the Lord, not to kick me out of the team. All I wanted was to be a seat warmer, watching the rest, safely from a corner.

But the Lord came and said to me, “I’ll be your coach. You ain’t gonna sit, cause you’re made to be a mighty warrior, a victory for Me.”

Humbly I bowed, yet ecstatic within. How could I possibly be made for the boxing ring?

I told the Lord, I ain’t gonna win. I fell many times before I even got into the ring. I slipped while on the stairs up, I got frightened by the howling enemies. How could a weakling possibly win?

Then the Lord said, “Get up and fight. For I’ll be the one who plans the fight. I’ll watch your enemy and teach you where to hit. A jab, a punch, an uppercut and a kick. I’m the master coach and the greatest strategist. I’ll help you battle and overcome your greatest fear.”

“It’s ok to lose even in the ring. For who says you will always win. The championship is the goal, and little matches move you closer to become whole.”

“Remember, your real opponent (the devil) is in the boxing ring. Not the little ones you spar with outside the ring. Those are your teammates helping you to win. You gotta know who you’re supposed to win. Don’t get distracted when you’re in the ring, by voices or people, emotions and memories.”

“Put on your gloves and start fighting. When you fail, we go back to training. But know that you are always on the winning team.”

Now, keep moving.

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The Moves (2025)

7 years on, I’m still moving. This time with greater ease. Not that it was any easier, but I think I’ve gotten a little stronger. 

Ask me when I was a young adult if I liked warfare, and my answer would definitely be a flat NO. I didn’t want to go to war, be on the battlefield, I cried to the Lord to put me at the back and last to go outfield, lest I be the first to be killed. Truth is, I feared death, I feared defeat, I feared suffering, I feared pain. I didn’t want to fight. All I wanted was to be at basecamp (or better still, to just stay home), safe and unharmed. I was fearful, afraid, fully incapacitated. 

But God, in His mercy, helped me to grow. He encouraged me and strengthened me, in my faith and my walk with Him. By the grace of God, I learnt and understood a little more on how to fight my battles. Not with brute force, like what I used to do, but by now with the help of the Holy Spirit and the wisdom of God.

Over the past years, I learnt about warfare – not your typical battles, but the spiritual ones. I learnt to put on my full armour of God, and in a particular order:

• The Belt of Truth

Spiritual victory starts with knowing the truth of God’s word. For it’s the truth that sets us free – from the lies of the enemy and the deceits of the world. 

• The Breastplate of Righteousness

Not my righteousness, but God’s righteousness – that lets me stand right before God, in His presence.

• The Boots of the Gospel of Peace

For it’s the peace of God that transcends all understanding that guards my heart and mind in Christ Jesus.  

• The Shield of Faith

That extinguishes all the fiery darts of the enemy and helps me keep my eyes focused on Him.

• The Helmet of Salvation

The hope of salvation. For the Lord is my shield, my protector and my deliverer. Taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ and putting on the mindset of God, thinking of things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent and praiseworthy.

• The Sword of the Spirit

Which is the word of God. This is the only offensive weapon that we have (the rest are defensive) and we need to hold in our dominant hand. To apply the word of God in our situation for there is Power in His WORD. 

• And to Pray continually

For prayer builds up our spirit man. Be it in words or in tongues, it’s God’s intercession through us and a declaration of delegated authority in us – to bind and tear down the works of the enemies, and to loose and release God’s power and presence, His will and blessings in our situations. 

God equipped me with His weapons and taught me how to use them. He empowered me with the Holy Spirit and filled me with His love. His perfect love drives out all fear. For each time I learn about His great love for me, the fear flees.

He is indeed the one who fights for me. All we need to do is to humble ourselves before Him and partner Him in the storm. Not shrinking nor pulling back, just standing still and moving when He leads, knowing that we’re truly on the winning team. 

I also became more sensitive and keenly alert to the work of the enemy. I smell it coming before it reaches and has a greater ability to identify which spirit is operating. 

Yet, with the increased sensitivity, I also became even more aware of what God is trying to do with each situation. For in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. It changes my perspective when trials come. Not that I enjoyed trials, in fact I’m someone who has a low threshold of pain, disliked sufferings and feared entering the lion’s den. But I’ve learnt to live out my identity as a child of God, and exercised my authority as a daughter in Christ. 

The Lord helped me to move from being just a child of God to a daughter of God. I’m reminded of the difference between a child vs a daughter. A child is helpless, needy and totally reliant on the Father, in the custody of Him. A daughter, with the attitude of being reliant on the Father, is now able to have wisdom and discernment, knowing the Father’s character, will and heart’s desire and do things that pleases Him. A daughter has been given the power to exercise His gifts and authority. She is sure of her inheritance in Christ. 

So let’s be a son and daughter of God, not just a child!

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Stay tuned as we bring to you Part 2 of Xiao Yun’s story – discover what God revealed to her through the battles fought in the boxing ring.

About the author:
Xiao Yun started her spiritual walk as a teen, fervent for the Lord. But as she went into her twenties, she started walking down a slippery slope. One that was tainted by worldly ways, lured by temptations and leading an ungodly lifestyle.

When God brought her back to His kingdom, it wasn’t all smooth sailing.  Thoughts of doubts, fears and guilts of past mistakes still lingered. She easily bought into the lies of the enemies and often felt defeated, struggling much to live out a victorious Christian life. 

At times, she would also pick fights with people to vent her frustrations, being in contention with those in His family. Little did she know that while she was busy fighting in the flesh, all this time, the enemy was prowling around like a lion, ready to devour her. She was being attacked spiritually, yet in her naïveté she even tried to run away from any form of spiritual engagement, assuming that if she didn’t poke the bear, the bear would be asleep and wouldn’t come near her.

Thankfully, God didn’t design her to have an ostrich mentality and trained her up to be a fighter. And not just a fighter, but one who becomes more like Him.