The iconic “Rocky” movies are obviously a modern version of the “David and Goliath” story, only this time, the swords and slings were replaced with flying fists and fancy footwork. The basic plot was ancient, but the approach was fresh and the combatants were more relatable. The idea of a nobody from the slums of Philadelphia rising up to challenge a champion that appeared invincible was compelling enough, but there was even more to consider, because Apollo Creed wasn’t Rocky’s only opponent. This lower class amateur with nothing but a dream also had a gauntlet of cultural, financial, and emotional hurdles standing in his way. Watching him ignore the odds, challenge the norms, endure the pain, and redefine the limits of physical and mental endurance awakened the “Rocky” living inside all of us. 

An Ancient Story Retold ~
The movie may have been fictional, but the story behind it was not, because David and Goliath were real. But somehow, seeing the story play out in a context we could relate to gave the message new life, and its impact went straight to our heart. Suddenly it was all so believable. Maybe a nobody with a dream really can make it to the top. Maybe underdogs like Rocky who are down for the count really can find what it takes to get up again and keep on punching. And maybe if we’re willing to take the blows and just refuse to quit, the victories will come for us, too. Many of us walked away wanting to grab hold of our own dream and write our own happy ending. 

But though most of us will never dare to dream that big or be willing to fight that hard, there’s one asset Rocky had that we can share. It’s something God made available to all of us and its contribution may have had more to do with Rocky’s victory than the size of his muscles. Rocky simply believed he could do it. He wasn’t cocky or braggadocious like his opponent. Instead, in spite of all the odds, he exuded a defiant, unyielding confidence, and that’s what intrigues us today. The Rocky story illustrates the powerful role that confidence can play in the very real battles we’re called to fight. Our purpose here is to highlight a few lessons about confidence that were woven into the movie’s script and to see how they might apply as this crucial time in our history unfolds. 

Looking for the Source ~
The first thing we notice is that the confidence that led Rocky to victory wasn’t the product of an overblown opinion of himself or some indoctrinated notion that he deserved to win in order to establish ‘equity’ in boxing. Quite the contrary. It was rooted in observations by significant others outside of himself who saw what Rocky couldn’t see. An old trainer realized that with the right guidance and hard work, this nobody could be a champion. But that alone wasn’t quite enough. There was one more pillar of support Rocky needed that only love could produce.

A scene where Rocky revealed that simply staying on his feet ‘til the final bell was the best he could hope for, the love of his life intervened. Upon hearing his belief that just hanging on would be enough, she countered by telling him to “win.” and confidence rose and replaced the doubt that had been holding him back. And the enduring lesson is this . . . It’s a different fight when we go into the ring with a trainer in our corner who knows how to win and with someone who loves us and believes that we can. 

Another Lop-sided Contest ~
And as we consider the role that confidence can play, let’s consider another lop-sided contest that began in Jerusalem about 2,000 years ago. A bunch of young Jewish nobodies with no money, no political power, and no recognized academic or religious authority rose up to challenge the world’s established empires and oppressive political, social, cultural and religious systems. The odds that they would even survive were beyond overwhelming, much less any possibility that they could prevail. But they did, and there was a confidence imparted to them that played a huge role in the victories they achieved.  

That confidence wasn’t born of some inflated view of themselves. It began when someone outside of themselves saw potential in them that others couldn’t see and challenged them to develop it. It was reinforced when their doubts were overcome by the faith of One who loved them and who knew what they could attain. Though confidence lived in them, it had its roots in One greater than them. Luke’s record of their exploits makes that clear in comments like the following, where the word translated as boldness is the same Greek word used for confidence:

Now when they saw the boldness [confidence] of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus. (Acts 4:13)

A Reason to Hope ~
The fact that their confident boldness didn’t come from trust in their own abilities gives us great hope at a time when confident expression of our faith seems so rare. The greatest confidence we most often see expressed across our country and around the world is coming from God’s most powerful and vehement adversaries. And the collective response of the self-described Christians in the land seems only to be to express their faith in safe, protected surroundings. It’s time to take another look at what the Apostle Paul had to say about confidence in that incredible prayer he included in his letter to the Church in Ephesus, and to consider its implications:

… According to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord,  in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him. (Ephesians 3:11-12)

We are offered the kind of confident boldness that overcomes the doubts and fears that result in cowardice and leads to defeat, and it doesn’t depend on any trust we have in our own resources. It comes through faith in Him and the absolute conviction that He is at work in and through us. And there is an additional application of that kind of bold confidence that the writer of Hebrews included in an incredible invitation that he expressed like this: 

Let us therefore come boldly [confidently] to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:16)

Called to be Confident ~
The enemy’s champions challenge us every day – and they look overwhelming. Some are obviously hoping to just hang on ‘til the final bell is rung, but we aren’t called to just hang on. We’re called to confront and engage God’s enemies regardless of the form they take or the arena in which they arise. We’re called, individually and collectively, to stand where God stands, and it takes a special kind of confident boldness to do that. Being confidently bold isn’t about being spiritually aggressive or adopting some kind of holier-than-thou attitude. It’s about responding to that wonderful Trainer in our corner who knows what we need to do to win – and about remembering that we’re fighting on behalf of One who loves us like no other. 

We don’t need more effective political strategies, social media campaigns, or more creative church programs. What we need is to live our daily lives and respond to the enemy’s attacks with the kind of boldness and confidence that Peter and John displayed. And the source of their confidence could not have been clearer. It was simply this . . . They had been with Jesus. 

And that’s our challenge, as well … Meet with Him. Be with Him. Be confident in Him – and then let’s go do what He called us to do … Change the World.

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And now, just a quick note about next Saturday. My wife and I will be traveling as we celebrate our anniversary and plan to take the week off from our writing.
We invite you to join us again on Saturday, November 14th, when we resume our usual schedule and begin once again to explore the spiritual implications of this wonderful time of year.

TWEETABLES ~ Click to tweet and share from the pull quotes below.  Each one links directly back to this article through “X” . . .

• • With just a word, ‘win,’ Adrian’s faith found its way into his heart. Confidence rose to replace the doubts standing in his way. It’s a different fight when we go into the ring with a trainer in our corner who knows how to win, who loves us and believes in us. @GallaghersPen (Click here to Tweet)
  • That confidence began when someone o/side of themselves saw potential that others couldn’t see and challenged them to develop it. It was reinforced when their doubts were overcome by the faith of One who loved them and knew what they could attain. @GallaghersPen (Click here to Tweet)
  • The odds that a bunch of Jewish nobodies with no money, political power, recognized academic or religious authority would survive were overwhelming. But they prevailed and a confidence was imparted to them that played a huge role in the victories achieved. @GallaghersPen (Click here to Tweet)
  • We’re called, individually and collectively, to stand where God stands. It takes a special kind of confident boldness to do that. That boldness is about responding to the wonderful Trainer in our corner who knows what we need to do to win. @GallaghersPen (Click here to Tweet)

Check out Ron’s book, “Right Side Up Thinking in an Upside Down World ~ Looking at the World through the Lens of Biblical Truth” 

                    Click here for a “Look Inside” preview at Amazon.

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