Fall is quickly approaching and Summer is quickly coming to an end. Soon Saturday morning’s air will be filled with the roar of leaf blowers and the gentle rustling of leaves being gathered and bag. No longer will the lawn mowers, trimmers and edgers dominate the lawn…nor will they be in the weapon of choice when it comes to the “Backyard Battle”. We will be faced with a lighter and more elusive foe…the falling leaf. With the coming of fall, kids begin to flow like rivers into the “ocean of knowledge” called school and the light traffic that we commuters experienced during the summer months is replaced with school busses and scores of “new commuters” (who I guess didn’t have to work during the summer).
As we prepare to say goodbye to Summer…we say hello to FOOTBALL…good old AMERICAN FOOTBALL!!!! Not to be confused with Soccer (or football as the rest of the world calls it). I love “our football” and I have had the pleasure of both playing it and coaching it (at the youth level). This past weekend, my age 7-9 team had their opener. Many of the kids are playing organized ball for the 1st time, but after practicing together for 2 hours a night each weeknight in August and by scrimmaging on Saturdays, you could hardly tell who the “new guys” were. We were successful in our quest to achieve victory.
While there are literally about 100 lessons this experiences taught me, a couple of thoughts recur in my mind as I reflected on our victory.
- We came prepared. We had walked though, jogged through and ran through our core plays 50-100 time each leading up to the actual game. Our players knew their assignments. They were comfortable in their positions and in the team as a whole. We even prepared for adjustments that we would make if the opponent had some “surprises” for us.
- We didn’t give fear a chance to creep in. While we are generally out “sized” by our opponents, I did not allow my guys to even look at our opponent, because it really didn’t matter who we were up against. We knew our jobs and we knew that if we carried out our responsibilities, to the best of our abilities, that success was there for the taking.
- We didn’t allow the opponent’s demeaning words diminish our confidence in our preparation or our ability. As we passed by our opponents in the weigh-in line, they criticized us. They called us small and said that there was no way that we would be able to stop them. Our players responded with a “victory chant”, used to encourage us and energize us.
In our life journeys, “the enemy” WILL ATTACK. The Enemy, through the forces of evil and darkness throughout this world has yet to forfeit, or show up late to a battle to try to take our victory. Notice I said take. Victory is something that you must surrender, as it is already yours. God has given you all that you need to be victorious. It is up to you to practice, prepare and to perform. Don’t allow your eyes to focus on your enemy, your problems or your circumstances, for the more you do, the more you will be afraid, overwhelmed and confused. When you are afraid, overwhelmed and confused, you tend to cultivate an environment that prevents faith from growing and from leading you to victory.
I John 4-5 (Message) says: “Every God-begotten person conquers the world's ways. The conquering power that brings the world to its knees is our faith. The person who wins out over the world's ways is simply the one who believes Jesus is the Son of God”
Never allow what the world, the enemy, your family, your friends etc. diminish your confidence in what God has promised for your life. Self-Doubt has no permanent place in the life of a prepared people. When words of discouragement come your way, begin your “victory chant” by glorifying God through your situation. Magnify Him and your “opponents” prowess will be minimized.
Prepare by planning for victory.- Practice through allowing the character of God to take root in you through studying and applying His word.
- Perform to the best of HIS ability for it is the power of God that works through you to obtain/maintain your victory.
Always remember that by the strength of God through Christ, like Rob Schneider says, “YOU CAN DO IT!!!!!!!!!!”
R U Ready for some FOOTBALL!!!
Be Blessed,
B
