Ready:
"Finally, be strengthened by the Lord and His vast strength. Put on the full armor of God so that you can stand against the tactics of the Devil. For our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world powers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens."
-Ephesians 6:10-12
Set:
Competition. . . That is what drives coaches and athletes. I loved playing basketball. To this day, I love competing. Throughout our lives, competition takes on different forms. I love keeping score when playing golf with buddies, and I love recruiting high school players to the college ranks knowing full well that other schools are talking to the same players. I have always thought of competition as a good thing. I like the battle. I especially loved "the big game," in which the competition always seemed intensified. Giving 100% is easier against a rival, and over the years, I have observed that competing against an arch rival has the ability draw a team closer to one another.
Competition is prevalent in many areas of life (i.e. the classroom, the business world). But we face our biggest competition in our spiritual lives. Have you ever considered the trials of Job? (Job 1:1-22) He took on, arguably, the biggest battle ever fought by any man except for Jesus. God allowed Job to endure many trials because of the heavenly competition that is constantly fought between Satan and God. In the end, as we learn in Scripture, the good guys won the battle. And it is important to note that Job didn't quit competing until the very end.
As you compete today against Satan, our arch rival, notice that you are becoming closer to the Coach as well as your teammates. The Lord chose Job to endure the trials because He knew Job would compete with all his heart. Job's faith was strong. He was prepared for battle.He was prepared to compete. Job had put on the armor of God and was able to recognize and react to the tactics of Satan.
Go:
1. Do you view Satan as your arch rival?
2. Are you prepared for battle?
3. Do you take plays "off"?
4. What do you need to do in order to get prepared to fight?
Workout:
Ephesians 6:10-20