Ali is gone, but the 'rope a dope' technique is alive and well
By Kevin Scott Collier
I must admit, living here in the natural, I admire many people, even those who do not not share my faith. One such individual was Muhammad Ali, a Muslim, and the greatest boxer there ever was. Few could argue that he was a decent humanitarian.
But this column isn’t about his faith, his profession, or his life. It’s about a technique he used in the boxing ring. It was called the rope a dope. Many of you know a lot about it, but for those who don’t I offer this observation, and a spiritual comparision.
I do not know if Muhammad Ali originated the rope a dope, but he certainly perfected it. It became a hallmark strategy of his boxing career, and played an enormous role in defeating his opponents.
That’s what we’re seeing in the last few decades, but it’s not Ali, it’s Satan who has now mastered the rope a dope.
And, before we continue, this is not in any way comparing Ali to Lucifer. It’s not about that at all. It’s about the strategy. The infamous rope a dope.
Ali used to train relentlessly on how to take a punch. His sparring partners were often in training sessions doing nothing but punching him with no reciprocation. Ali ducked and weaved to avoid the headshots, but absorbed the body punches to the point where his midsection was like a wall of concrete. He could take those punches with little consequence.
In the ring, he capitalized on this by drawing his opponent into a corner, taking a defensive, if not retreating posture, leaning back against the ropes, and allowing the challenger to throw everything he had into taking Ali down. But, Ali wasn’t vulnerable in this position. He was on the ropes, but his opponent was “the dope.”
The challengers like Joe Frazier, George Foreman, and so many others, would exhaust themselves giving it everything they had in what appeared to be a moment of vulnerability. But, folks, it wasn’t the case. Ali’s strategy was to get his opponent to expend all his energy in those moments, to wear him down, then, when the challenger was physically spent, Ali would start to dance around, and effortlessly take them out. Knockout time, buddy.
Satan is playing the rope a dope on society today, especially Christians. He’s drawing you into a corner, and getting your emotional energy at its peak. You begin spending all that energy in a place, fighting, swinging, when there is no damage being inflicted on the enemy. Do you get it my brothers and sisters? Satan is wearing you down so he can easily take you out.
How does Satan draw you into that corner? Well, for Bible committed Christians, he puts out an endless narrative on the news feeds about the power grid going down, nukes headed our way, food shortages, martial law, even the gay pride parades and gay marriage, or gender identification issues. Not to minimize any of this, but if you know the Bible is the true Word of God, and know Jesus is in your corner of the boxing ring, and angels at your side whatever the impending catastrophe - whether real or perceived - you stay out of that corner.
Why get into the Devil’s corner? Are you a dope for the one on the ropes? His goal is a reversal, he’s tricking you. Turnabout, they say, is fair game. You will be the one on the ropes. When you’re invested in the devil’s strategy, you just might be knocked out.
So, the next time the world seems out of control, seemingly overpowered by the demonic, and it triggers a spiritual offense of emotion, stay away from the corner. Boldly stand before your opponent and smile with the love of Jesus upon your face, and His fierceness and wrath in your heart (Rev. 19:15).
Then, pray that Jesus sends His holy angels in for the knock-out. You won’t have to land a single punch. Through Jesus’ overwhelming power, you’ll be declared victorious in the ring. A true champion for Christ.
And the devil, if he’s even able to crawl out of there in one piece, by the power of Jesus, will never play you for the dope of the ropes again.
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