NEVER IN DOUBT BABY!
This is one of my favorite phrases. I began saying it back in 2009 after winning a lot of close games. When fans would say to me after the game that the game had them nervous, my response was always ‘Never in Doubt’!
What exactly does it mean? To me it means complete confidence, crazy faith, knowing there is always a way, and telling fear that it has no place in our house.
I planned on writing this blog. I did not realize it was going to be on Friday the 13th, after one of the most frustrating losses of my coaching career. A loss in which we led by 12 points with 5 minutes left to play. A loss in which we turned the ball over on four of our last six possessions. A loss in which we fouled a 3-point shooter to give him a 4-point play to beat us in the final seconds.
Despite it being the second game in the last four games that we invented ways to give away a win, this is the perfect time to write a blog titled, “Never in Doubt”. How could it be the perfect time? Because no matter what, winners believe that things are going to change back in their favor. Believers Believe! They trust even when it makes absolutely no sense.
The Hebrew boys Shad, Mes, and Abe told King Neb, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.” Daniel 3:16-18. It infuriated King Neb, yet it moved God!
Your goal in life should be moving God! With your prayers, praise, worship, serving, playing, coaching, or anything you do! If you commit diligently with all your heart, then you will do your absolute best and when you combine that with Faith, the Word of God, and the Name of Jesus, then the God often is moved and impresses on the Holy Spirit to increase in the situation! That is when the supernatural enters naturally and blows our natural minds.
Never in Doubt means you must do your part! Elijah prayed and it stopped raining for 3.5 years. Elijah then went to a mountaintop got in a position of crouching as if birthing a miracle, and then he went to work as he prayed and prayed and prayed and prayed and prayed and prayed and prayed until on the seventh time he sent his servant to check if their was anything forming over the sea, that prayed was answered in the form of a cloud the size of a fist. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much (when put into action and made effective by God—it is dynamic and can have tremendous power). James 5:16
Elijah told King Ahab to get his chariot out of the valley while you can after only hearing about a cloud the size of a fist. Then THE HAND OF THE LORD WAS ON ELIJAH and he tightened up his gear and out ran and horse and chariot from Mount Carmel to Jezreel. The distance varies and while most scholars indicate it was approximately 17 miles, others suggest it could have been as far as 30 miles.
It is ‘Never in Doubt’ when you are willing to put your faith and heart into your hands and feet and go to work. Do all you can do, which opens the door for God to do all He can do!
“Unless God has raised you up for this very thing, you will be worn out by the opposition of men and devils. But if God be for you, who can be against you.” A quote from John Wesley.
Elijah had to work hard in Prayer, because Satan was trying to block his prayer from getting through. He then had to outrun a horse and chariot in a marathon to achieve his goal. Why do we expect God to answer our prayers when they last maybe 10-15 minutes, while comfortably snacking on some chocolate and sipping on some espresso instead of fasting?
Surely we don’t have the audacity to ask for strength and courage in battle to help when a basketball game, then commence to jog around, not get in a stance, not communicate, not execute, play selfishly, and are more worried about our playing time, stats, and what the crowd thinks. We seem to care more about showing people what going all out for God actually looks like. Could we be that foolish?
Sometimes I wonder if God is saying, I showed up, when are you going to show up. Please understand that I am writing this to myself as much as anyone. It is not about wins. It is about understanding that if Every Play is For My God and Every Praise is for My God, then we have a responsibility to play our role to our best ability. When we do that then and only then… IT IS NEVER IN DOUBT BABY!
Cover Photo by Jimmy Conover on Unsplash