I grew up playing sports. Most of my family were athletes so we were busy during many sports’ seasons. As an athlete, you learn various levels of competition. And if you play long enough, you know how it feels to be a winner and loser in the game.

Understanding the effects of winning and losing goes beyond just being an athlete. You experience these feelings as a sport’s spectator, too. How many times have you yelled at the TV because your team was losing? Or cheered with excitement because your team made a winning play?

God Moves Beyond Three-Dimensional (3D)

When God gave me the desire to write this blog, it started with the board game of chess. The purpose of chess is to move around game pieces to put the king in checkmate. It exists on a flat plain or board with defined rules about how the pieces can move. This got me thinking about Satan and God.

God can make you move in another dimension that is beyond where Satan can go. He can make you go up when you are only supposed to be able to go forward, backward, or side-to-side. God will always be one play (or more) ahead. Satan will never win when you have Jesus (1 Corinthians 15:57).

With chess, there are only two players. One for each side. But this concept got me thinking about bigger fields.

God’s Goal for All

American football is my second favorite team sport to watch. My favorite is volleyball, but that’s because I played it. But football has a larger playing field. Much bigger than volleyball (technically volleyball uses a court). In most cases, it takes many more plays to get points in football.

In football, there are eleven players on the field for each team. For every play, there are multiple routes going at the same time so the quarterback can throw or hand the ball to a teammate. This is so the opponent, or defense, doesn’t know exactly what is going to happen. But the goal of the offense is the same – to get a touchdown.

God’s goal is the same for all of us. He wants us to receive Jesus as our Lord and Savior. Jesus Christ is the only way to Heaven. God wants us to have eternal life with Him in Heaven when we die or when Jesus returns, whichever comes first. 

You are a star in God’s playbook, even if you don’t get the ball on every play. My purpose is to get people to Jesus, as I believe yours is, too. But the play is different for each of us.

Sometimes, things are quiet, or we are on the sidelines. This is your time to be still and wait for God (Psalm 37:7). It can be difficult to watch your teammates make plays and get the cheers. But to our God coach, every player is essential! And you will be put in at the perfect time to get a touchdown, that is, another life saved for Jesus!

I want to be with Jesus in Heaven.

God Gave You the Authority

You may have heard that Jesus never would have been put on the cross had the devil known what was going to happen next after His crucifixion. God gave us the power and authority with the Holy Spirit which is a gift through Jesus’ sacrifice (Acts 1:8).

It gives us an anointing and unbelievable authority beyond this world. So, when Satan thinks he has you in checkmate, guess again.

Are You Ready to Win?

Being on Jesus’ team doesn’t mean you get easy wins. You will get muddy when it pours. You will get hit so hard it knocks the wind out of you.

There are times when you think you are losing. But you get back up for every-single-play, because you are the MVP (most valuable player) for God. You will get the victory on Team Jesus (1 Corinthians 15:57)!

Do you want to be on His winning eternal team? If you are ready to receive Jesus Christ into your heart, then pray out loud the following:

Jesus, I believe You died on the cross for me and rose again.
Jesus, I ask You to come into my heart to be my Lord and Savior.
I will follow You all the days of my life.
By faith in Your Word, I receive salvation now.
Thank You for saving me!
In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Dr. Jessica Sapp worked in the health industry for twenty years before focusing on writing and teaching others how to achieve their authentic quality of life. She is the author of various books including Your Healthcare Job Hunt: How Your Digital Presence Can Make or Break Your Career, Psalm 100: The Perfect Chapter, and The Authentic You.

Jessica earned her DrPH in Health Policy and Management at Georgia Southern University and her MPH in Health Promotion, Education and Behavior at the University of South Carolina. She also has a BS in Health Science Education from the University of Florida. With her husband, Jessica is the founder of Surf 8 Christians.