It’s Football Season! We were overwhelmed with all the pro and college games this past weekend. There were great triumphs and great defeats! In the midst of it all there were injuries and some that were season ending.For instance, Tom Brady is out for the season with a torn ACL. Sportswriters, coaches, and fans are thinking about what could have been for him. Now he is facing surgery, rehab, and the bench. We hope all goes well for him and he has a speedy recovery.
Injuries do occur. It is a battle! For the Dallas Cowboys (God's Team) quarterback Tony Romo received a cut on the chin that required 13 stitches. Marion Barber has bruised ribs. It was a tough weekend for some to say the least.
I just thought about Pastors in all this. We are on the playing field in the most crucial game of all time - the battle between the Kingdom of God with our opponent being the kingdom of darkness coached by satan himself. It is intense!
We see and hear almost weekly now how satan is succeeding at taking ministers down and out of the game. Recently, in the Kingdom of God, a great healing revivalist is taken out making many even suspect the healing revival. Or, consider the man who wrote ‘Healer’ and sang it as he was ‘dying’ discovered to have faked it all even duping his family. A pastor here in the Metroplex travelled to another city to have sex with a 13 year old – or so he thought even as he was being arrested!
It becomes obvious from the above that the opposing team is out to maim, hurt, cut, bruise, and destroy you and me. And the opponent is well coached. Satan is watching film on you, has the game board mapped out, and is directing the attacks against you. Satan is always watching you just as he was Jesus – the Bible says that satan “left him until the next opportunity came…” (Luke 4:13 NLT) He will capitalize on every opportunity. We as pastors need to get this image in our minds and never take for granted our adversary. Leaders fall because they naively underestimate satan! If we don’t watch and keep to our Coach’s instruction and game plan, we too can be taken out!
“Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8)
I am praying for you today – please pray for me!
2 comments:
I liked that blog. Although you were directing it toward Pastors it can be applied to Christians in general as well. That is a whole sermon for us with in itself! I don't know how many times I have been bruised, broken or hurt in the game. The sad thing is most of it was from my own mistakes in the game and not playing by the rules (ie. Gods Rules) or running my own play instead of Gods! (Boy, that sure gets you into trouble.) So I end up having to sit the bench and re-learn! Thank goodness He is merciful and still allows me to play!
>meghenning- I hear you and can relate too.
Post a Comment