Who knew that in many ways, football and faith have a lot of connections. Through the team dynamics, through play strategies, and how teams handle their opponents, it all relates to the life of a believer.
In football there are playbooks that keep records of teams and their plays. Every team has an opposing team that studied their playbook very carefully and intently. They’ve learned their weaknesses and where they are most vulnerable to be able to attack and strike when least expected.
It’s the same as Christians. We have an opponent who is always out to destroy us, find our weak spots, and bring us down; Satan. He will try in all his limited power to wreck havoc in our lives, make us feel defeated and take our eyes of Jesus.
But the thing we must remember is just like that team has play on their opponent; that opposing team has play on them. In the same way, just as Satan has play on us, we have play on him. By God’s word, we have every tool and weapon to come back against the enemy. We have what we need to counteract every move the enemy tries to make over our lives. Even so, we have the ultimate “Coach” who has already won every battle and makes us victorious through every battle we face.
2 Chronicles 20:17 says, “But you will not even need to fight. Take your positions; then stand still and watch the LORD’s victory.” (NLT)
In football, specifically for the Super Bowl, teams spend time preparing weeks before the game begins. They do this in order to be ready if things go wrong or they’re facing opposition, they know what to do or how to transition themselves back to a place of winning no matter what’s happening.
It’s easy to feel that way in life when there’s so much happening around us and there’s obstacles being thrown left and right. Think about resistance. Resistance doesn’t care about winning, rather it cares about you losing and being defeated and frustrated from everything you’re facing. However, we all have the ability to change the perspective of how we see resistance, because it can actually be a good thing. Resistance can be the catalyst that allows you to move forward and win.
James 1:2-4 says, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” (NIV)
Resistance allows you to become stronger and more powerful, so you can endure, overcome and have a victorious life. The question you must ask yourself is what’s your response when life gets hard? Are you going to press in? Getting in the word, coming to church, turning up the praise, staying connected to community? Or do you back down and stop doing these things?
Sometimes it’s not easy, but the Apostle Paul says it this way:
““Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Corinthians 12:8-10 NIV).
Sports in general, there’s always a crowd. There are many people who are highly passionate about sports games, football being a high rank. And maybe you’re one of them. On Sundays after church, you know you’re heading straight home to watch the game. It’s a repeating cycle of one you would call - a superfan. These people are passionate, dedicated, excited, and willing to travel the distance for their favorite team.
Now as a body of believers, we’re superfans of the Most High King. We show by our lives and our actions that we’re God’s servants; passionate about Him, dedicated to doing His work, excited about serving His people, and willing to travel for the sake of the gospel. The question we must ask ourselves is how are we being perceived? Are we being the light that others are attracted to, or are we being self-centered?
1 Peter 4:10 says, “God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another.” (NLT)
By using the gifts and talents God has given us and being servant superfans for Jesus, we’re able to live a life of victory and help others to do the same.
So what call are you making? Are you letting Satan come against you and make you feel defeated or are you taking a stance and standing tall in victory formation?
