Struggling to Win?
Last night, I went to bed listening to a message on my phone. I’m so thankful I did, as it was the game plan on how to win the battle I was fixing to face.
You never know when your opponent is going to throw a press and a trap at you. Lack of preparation is sending your team straight into the slaughter. Legendary coach John Wooden would say failing to prepare is preparing to fail.
I remember two-time National Champion D2 and NJCAA Coach Larry Gibson once telling me that his mentor Coach Iba walked out of his practice once when they working on a press break. When asked why he walked out of practice, Coach Iba responded, “You were waisting my time, if your boys knew how to handle a trap, you wouldn’t need a press break.”
There is so much truth to those words of wisdom. Let’s flip that concept to a battle in real life. Are you ready when Satan throws a trap at you?
I’m not sure if animals can sense a spiritual attack, but the night began with my grand dog Buddy restlessly walking the hall as though someone or something was lurking outside. One valuable principle I have learned over the years is that you must win the spiritual battle first in order to win the physical battle.
Midway through the night, Satan threw an unexpected trap at me. I woke up and took the dogs out to try and take my mind off of the nightmare.
As I lay back down to go to sleep, my mind began to wander causing thoughts that prevented me from going back to sleep. I decided to throw another message on my headphones and see if that would help. It was just what the Good Doctor ordered!
The message was about how to fight a spiritual battle. I had been attempting to do what most of us mistakingly do so often. I was working on our press break instead of teaching my players how to handle a trap.
Taking the dogs out and letting my mind wander were two poor attempts to break my opponents press.
What does God’s game plan say to do?
The Game Plan says to bind, rebuke and cast out the enemy, because he belongs under your feet. Three powerful moves that will help you beat the trap. One of the biggest problems people face though when attempting these moves is forgetting to use their God-given power when enforcing them.
Before entering the promise land in Joshua Chapter 1, God tells Joshua three times to be Strong and Courageous. Jesus himself waited until He received the power necessary to win before making His Championship run!
Jesus waited until after He was baptized by John the Baptist and was filled with the Holy Spirit before taking on the enemy. As a human, Jesus knew the power necessary to overcome any trap the enemy planned for Him would come from His Father’s authority and the Holy Spirit. Why should we think any different?
Casting, rebuking, and binding the enemy without doing so with the authority of the Name of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit in you is a waste of time. That power is unleashed through your faith. Not only that, but you also have the authority to ask your Coach and Father in Heaven to send His angels to help you overcome the enemy.
Why do we almost always go to God last with our problems? Why do we try to conquer battles on our own? Take a lesson from Saul, who chose not to consult Samuel before going to battle. That decision cost Saul everything. He actually won the battle that day, but lost God’s anointing, direction, power, and favor. All because of listening to his flesh and deciding to win on his own.
Are you tired of trying to win the physical battle on your own? How is that working out for you? It just may be time you sought the secrets to winning the spiritual battle first and trust God to do the rest!