Who is your Rival?
I want to clarify something. I am often asked who our rival is by fans and even recruits. The catchy answer is whoever is good enough to challenge us for the championship we are striving to attain.
What if I was to change rival to enemy? Who is our enemy? That gets darker in a hurry. I could easily throw a number of teams in the blank replacing rival, but I refuse to call any of our opponents on the basketball floor our enemy.
I posted a chapter in the Bible last night that our team focused on before the game. It was Psalms 108. David is the author. David is under Old Testament covenant, which means that only God’s chosen people are under that covenant, thus they must fight and kill any opposition to God’s plan.
Sadly war still exists and killing is what happens in war then and today. God’s chosen people were not to marry outside of their bloodline. God was working on a plan to save everyone, He had to establish a royal blood line to bring His Son into the world.
So when you read the last verse in Psalms 108, “With God on our side we will win; he will defeat our enemies.”
Psalm 108:13 GNT
I want to make clear who our enemies are!
When I post anything about defeating the enemy. I am not talking about our opponent. I am talking about Satan. Fear, anxiety, frustration, and all the schemes he uses to stop us from doing our best for God. If we lose to a great team after doing our best in all areas, physical, spiritual, and mental, then I can deal with that.
I can’t deal with my players failing due to fear, worry, or whatever else the enemy has to offer. Sports provides great competition and is a way to enjoy your gifts and encourage others, not to degrade other humans.
Sports should not cause hate or strife with another human, but it is so hard not to get frustrated with opponents, your own players and officials. They are human too. When they frustrate me I try not to see them, I try to see the enemy behind them who is causing them to respond to me in a way that Satan can get past my defense that God has provided me! Angels, Salvation, Faith, The Word, Righteousness, the Holy Spirit, and more.
I would like to say I am good at it, but honestly, I struggle as much as the next guy. In the Old Testament, under God’s covenant, the bloody gore David had to deal with is brutal. It is real war like in the Middle East and even on some of our city streets today.
Thanks to Jesus! New Testament Covenant is no longer a physical bloody battle.
“For we are not fighting against human beings but against the wicked spiritual forces in the heavenly world, the rulers, authorities, and cosmic powers of this dark age.” Ephesians 6:12 GNT
We are no longer under Old Testament Covenant. Where they were to kill their enemies, who were not under blood covenant with God. Because Jesus sacrificed himself for us, all humans are now given the option to become brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus. Jesus established a new bloodline and a new covenant! Yes, sadly there are still wars and killing, but the goal and commission under Jesus covenant is to save everyone, including our enemies.
Who we are fighting now is Satan and his forces. We fight this battle not with physical might or power, but instead we fight through the Spirit of the Lord. The Holy Spirit in us allows us to rub demons and satans face in the dirt, by overcoming fear, hate, anxiety, and allowing love to prevail in life.
There is nothing more beautiful in sports than when two teams compete with all they have physically, mentally and spiritually to win a game, while at the same time showing mutual respect and admiration for each other. That is exactly what defeating the enemy looks like!
So when I post a verse or say God helped us win a game on social media, I am not pointing out that God loves our team more, thus He helped us instead of our opponent. What I am pointing out is God helped us by giving us strength, courage, and the game plan to defeating the real enemy and his schemes to make us fail.
We all have access to this. I do believe God has been the key and undeniable factor in our programs success during the 30 years of my coaching career. Does God provide favor, blessing, and as my dad would say “gain an edge” to us?
Well, He is our Father and His Word (Game Plan) does say if you diligently seek Him with all our heart, then all things become possible😎