Evander Holyfield

Strength for the next step!

By George Jesze, 29th July 2016

“I can do all things through Christ who gives me the strength,”

Philippians 4, 13

W​e once read how Holyfield, the now retired boxer and five times World Heavyweight Champion, used to pray: “Lord, give me strength for the next round.” Then he would pray before each consecutive round, until he eventually won the fight.

Holyfield professes to be a committed born ­again Christian and witnesses openly about his faith in Jesus Christ. He used to have the above text printed on his boxing­ shorts.

Some people might think a Christian should not be a boxer, but that is something between Holyfield and his Lord. The thought I am bringing out here is that even though he was a boxer and a champion, he did not trust just in his own skill and strength, but acknowledged that he needed help from above.

When my mother, Emma, was 89 years old, she started to have some difficulty when walking. I used to say to her,”Mother, pray for strength for the next step, until you are right upstairs!” Every step was an effort and she needed strength to take it. Younger people would not have felt like this; they walk automatically and never think about it, but for some older people every step is a victory.

Also in our spiritual life, we can only take steps of faith by putting all our trust in the Lord. Our life consists of single steps, of seconds, minutes and hours. To believe for strength for the next step is much easier than for the next kilometer. The Lord does not expect faith for great distances, but ​faith for the next step​. When Paul the Apostle wrote, ”I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” , he had learned to claim that strength and power.

It takes some time until we realize that we alone do not have the strength, but that we are dependent on the power of Jesus. Our faith often seems to be small, but even small faith can believe for the next step! The next 100 metres or kilometres seem often so far away, and we think we will never make it. But we can do the next step, then one more…one more, and soon we will have reached the 100 metres mark.

Trust the Lord for your next step whether it is for your health, your finances or various other problems. Do not try to solve every problem at once! Strength for one problem, strength for the next problem. Take steps of faith today; put your trust wholly in your God today; thank Him for His help and do not take on the cares of Tomorrow.

Today we can count on His help to take the next necessary step. Even when we feel weak and would rather stay in bed, let us get up anyway, and start to walk. It may be physically, mentally or spiritually that we need strength to walk and move forward. Expect His strength and power in your feet and take the next step! When you do this, you will be suddenly astonished that you have taken so many steps, with His enabling and strength!

The prophet Elijah experienced such strength and power that he ran faster than King Ahab’s horses (1 Kings 18, 46) to the city of Jezreel, a distance of 20 miles! The Bible says this happened because “…the hand of the Lord came upon him…”. He was not a great sportsman or runner, but the Holy Spirit gave him this supernatural strength for this occasion.