Wrestling

So having grown up in the 1980's as a young boy I loved to watch wrestling. I would tune in on Saturday mornings and watch as my favorite wwf or nwa wrestlers took on the bad guys. I loved to watch it even though I knew it was fake, and my dad made sure I had a full understanding of the fact that it was fake, I watched it faithfully.
I was a huge Hulk Hogan fan and followed every aspect of his life that I could. I had the action figures, a wrestling ring, and t-shirts of my favorites. When wrestling wasn't on I would either watch re-runs that I had taped on teh VCR or I would have my own wrestling matches with the action figures. As I grew up wrestling had a different meaning for me and it faded from my list of things to watch. Then, I got into high school and after my freshman year of baseball I decided I wanted to get into better shape. So I started working out with a few close friends of mine who were high school wrestlers(which is a totally different animal). They stand in a circle on a mat and struggle with every ounce of strength and agility they have with an opponent for up to 5 minutes which is a lot. To be honest with you at my age I get tired just wrestling with P.J. for more than 3-4 minutes. Wrestling in high school is the most demanding sport outside of possibly cross country running. These guys are in ultimate shape both mentally and physically. I trained with them and I recall a lot of days going home unable to walk or even lift my arms.
Colossians 4:12 tells us what our churches need.
"Epaphras, who Paul states to the Colossians 'is one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus. . . . He is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured'"
Our churches don't need members who are half heartedly engaged, or big givers, or regular attenders. Our churches need wrestlers, people willing to wrestle in prayer for their church. These are people who don't just pray over a list, or lift up the sick but people who passionately pray with all they have for their church and its members and its leaders. We need people willing to pour out their heart and souls in prayer for their church. Praying until they can't pray any more, until they are mentally drained of thoughts and feelings.Then, we will see God glorified in our churches and reach our communities with the Gospel.
Thanks for reading and have a great day!