We Never Lose!

Nearly every Saturday for the last few months, I have found myself sitting at a peewee league soccer game, perhaps becoming a most obnoxious fan at times.  I have found a special place in my heart for the "Mighty Ladybugs", a team of 10 year old girls loving to play soccer.  I have watched them grow and develop in skill over the last year or so.  They have always been the underdogs, one of those situations where you hope you don't lose the game by a slaughtering type.  But recently they have figured out what it takes to win, and they like it (and so do we the fans!).  There is a tenacity about these youth that has caused the typical yawn of a Saturday morning soccer game to have grown into quite the hootin and hollerin of yet another big W for the Mighty Ladybugs!  A couple of weeks ago, we were beating one of the most arrogant teams in the league.  I was having such a good time with my friend as we cheered them on and celebrated their hard work, when I heard something from another fan just behind me.  The girl, in her not-so-innocent voice said, "This is the team that never wins.  They always lose!"  Instead of backhanding the youth like my prideful Ladybug Fan wanted to do, I turned and shared that with my friend and we laughed it off.  Ever since she said that, I can't stop thinking about it.

We all know that as Christians we wage a spiritual battle against our enemy, Satan.  We live in a fallen and broken world, and evil seems to prevail.  It doesn't take but a few moments in the day to realize that we truly are engaged.  The Bible even tells us of such things:  That our enemy is out to destroy us, that we don't battle flesh and blood but principalities of darkness, and there is no neutral.  One is either for God, or against God.  The Lord has been using this simple peewee league soccer moment, to stir up my spirit and remind me of some things.

We all face different giants in our lives, some have been around for years and some just show up on the spot in the middle of what would otherwise be a glorious day.  The week after that game, I ended up with 2 migraines.  Headaches are a giant in my life.  I have been to the doctor and taken pills and to no avail, nothing but the blood of Jesus will suffice for my need.  As I woke up with intense pain and frustrated, I heard the enemy whisper into my heart:  "This is the team that never wins, they always lose!"  Oh how this has stirred such a tenacity in my spirit!  Tell me I can't do it, watch me prove you wrong.  Just like Goliath defying the army of God, I hear Satan again and again defy the army of God.

So often we forget that this is a fixed fight, meaning the end results have already been determined.  You see, in Jesus name, we win!  We are victorious, we are more than conquerors through Him.  We also know that our enemy is a bluffer, it is not possible for him to tell the truth.  So the question remains:  Why do we hear his lies as truth and live our lives by them?  Is it because our lives line up with what he is speaking?  Oh I understand exactly.  The Bible says that by His stripes, we are healed!  So why do I have migraines?  I don't know!  But I will tell you that I reach a point of extreme frustration every time my reality conflicts with what my God says!  So I will not give attention to his whispers any longer.

I am tired of seeing the saints running from their giants and crying over their bruise on their leg from the enemy.  I am tired of watching the enemies of God defy the very people of God and laugh in our faces.  I am tired of the devil having his way instead of God's truth reign supreme in our lives.  I am tired of letting the enemy come and plunder our goods, taking what is not his.  When will the mighty warriors of God rise up and encroach on the enemy's camp and take back what is ours?  When will the mighty warriors of God rise up and go head first and swords up into battle?  When will the people of God refuse to live their lives according to anything but the Word of God?

Merely looking at the greatness of a giant will lead one to a timid runaway of hiding in a cave, until your destiny is missed forever. Simply hearing a giant defy the greatness of God will lead one to a tenacious encroachment of the enemy's camp, until the giant is slain forever!  We are the team that always wins, we never lose in Jesus name!