It's Game Day Baby!!!! How to Win At The Game of Life

So funny enough, although I went to a Big Ten School- (The University of Michigan- GO BLUE 💛💙), and I live in the south where everyone is crazy about football, I have never really been a sports person. Like if you take me to a game I'll get into it or whatever and enjoy myself, but you won't find me turning on the TV or buying a ticket purposely to go watch a game. Eww lol. 🤢

I'm more of a reader. I'd rather find myself lost in a book reading about the history of sports or watching some documentary about some athlete's life. Lol And lately I have been watching some Netflix docuseries about quarterbacks and receivers and man, I pulled so much out of it.

I didn't realize how much dedication, attention, preparation and training goes into it all. Like it's not just about running fast and catching balls. I actually saw some of the players with pen and paper in hand watching plays of their opponents and taking notes.

And the nerd in me was so intrigued.

Or another thing that also fascinates me is how hard fans go for their team. I remember when I was at Michigan, I mean, people HATED Notre Dame, Michigan State and Ohio State 🤬🤬. Like talking about those schools in a positive light was a cuss word. I legit would peek through my window on game day and watch people burning things or getting in fights insulting students from the other school, because they went that hard for their team. And in my head I'm like is it that serious?! 🙄🙄 LOL  

The seriousness players take with preparations for the game and even more so the seriousness of sports fanatics' love for their team and the deep anger they have towards people affiliated with the other team can be applied to our day to day lives.

So you know how the Bible tells us satan is like a prowling lion right?... 1 Peter 5:8

be vigilant and cautious at all times; for that enemy of yours, the devil, roams around like a lion roaring [in fierce hunger], seeking someone to seize upon and devour.

Or another verse that says, The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy

John 10:10.

In this game called life, satan is like the opponent, he's the other team and he's trying to win just as much as we are. But sometimes I think he works a tad bit harder at the game than we do.

He is watching the play back tapes and seeing what plays he can run to score a touch down. On game day his demons are taunting adding a level of intimidation that can also help him win. He is up day and night studying, taking notes, training, seeing what open avenues are available for an easy score.

And I have to beg the questions...

Are we matching his energy? Or are we losing the game? Do we have any level of disciple to wake up early and do training sessions to come against the opponent? Are we getting our Spirit Man strong by spending time in the Word of God or in prayer? Are we watching the play by plays to see how we can stop tripping up repeating the same ol' messy cycles in our lives. Are we training by spending time in corporate worship with other believers so we can get tips and pointers on how to play this or that move to avoid the temptation and traps of the opponent?

Or are we rather being overly distracted with scrolling on screens, being offended because someone's politically incorrectness? Are we dragging folks through the dirt and hurting others because of the hurt we went through by so and so in our childhood and forgetting that we need to be training for game day?

Because whether we like it or not the opponent is training day and night. And what happens is we get on the field and just got molly whopped left and right. He's doing these crazy plays, swerving and diving around us and scoring touch downs... 7... 14...28 just easy peezy. And he's at the end zone doing his victory dance like...

And we are still at 0 and left with our heads spinning. 😵‍💫

If I can be real real honest with you, for me, the low hanging fruit that had me getting tackled at the scrimmage line was "wrongful" offense. And because satan would watch my play back tapes he knew. "alright, alright cool. Jenn seems to get offended and step out of purpose when so and so does something really hurtful to her. Cool cool. Let me send this person in her job, in her residency program, in her friends and family sphere to do something real shady and mean to destabilize her and get her off course.

So at the snap back my team didn't even move. I was just so stunned with offense, that the opposition took the ball and ran without a fight straight to the end zone. Again and again and again. Easy low hanging fruit.

Until I decided to wise up and watch satan's play back tapes.

I see what you are doing here. You sent this person to frustrate me and get me upset by the injustice and wrongness in the way I was treated. Not falling for that one. TACKLE!!! The offense is on the ground.

Ok, ok I see you sent this person to try and bring chaos and confusion into my peace. Not falling for that one! Now I've moved up the yard line with a crazy play.

Ah, I see you there satan. A tactic that I use to fall for time and time again. I've wised up. I'm not falling for that again! TOUCHDOWN!!!!

I decided to follow Ephesians 4:27: I was leaving no [such] room or foothold for the devil [give no opportunity to him] to have any impact on any area of my life.

See the thing about our enemy, satan, is that he literally has NO power outside of the power we give him. He is like a parasite. He can't operate without having a host to work through. He has no authority to cause any destruction, set backs, or lack in our lives because of the power of God in us and for us.

But, in that same vein, God is also not a man that he should lie or change his mind (Numbers 23:19). He is a God of principle and holds true to His Word. So if we give satan an open door for him and his demons to enter into our lives, our generation, our bloodline well, God is gentleman and won't reverse what we have allowed and accepted. Because remember, God gave us dominion over the earth (Genesis 1:28, Psalm 115:16) and if we decide to pass the dominion baton to another, it will be so.

And for me how the enemy would find his way in was through a crack in the back door of my house through the spirit of offense.

A little hurt and offense bred bitterness and anger and sometimes even hatred. And as we know bitterness or hatred is not a soil that God can grow or cultivate anything good in. Rather those heart postures rather invite more of the same filth.

James 1:14-15... but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

And that's how you lose the game. And don't get me wrong, you may be winning in some arenas of life and not others. But funny enough, all the different aspects of our life still sum up You, the person. The goal is to be victorious in every arena of life as God has purposed for us.

John 10:10 God has come that we may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it [a]overflows.

My ask of you as we are in the 1st quarter of 2025 is to analyze, dissect and study the play back tapes of your life and see how to prevent the opposition from scoring so easily...actually scoring at all, periodt!

What foothold have you given satan to enter in and cause the destruction and death he so thoroughly enjoy? For me it was bitterness and the heart posture it created.

What is it for you?

Is it lust? You just can not stop having sex outside of marriage or masturbating?

Is it gossip? You find it so incredibly difficult to not speak bad about folks and slander their name.

Is it unforgiveness ? You can't seem to let go of your ex who cheated and broke your heart.

Is it procrastination? You know God called you to start up that thing. But you feel that late or delayed is still on time.

We in the first quarter. And the couch, God the Almighty, has called a time out. Let's re-strategize and win the game! 2025 is your year of victory!!

Lessss Goooooo!!!!

Scriptural References:

1 Peter 5:8

be vigilant and cautious at all times; for that enemy of yours, the devil, roams around like a lion roaring [in fierce hunger], seeking someone to seize upon and devour.

John 10:10

The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it [a]overflows).

Ephesians 4:27

Leave no [such] room or foothold for the devil [give no opportunity to him].

Numbers 23:19  

God is not a man, that He should tell or act a lie, neither the son of man, that He should feel repentance or compunction [for what He has promised]. Has He said and shall He not do it? Or has He spoken and shall He not make it good?

Genesis 1:28  

And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

Psalm 115:16

The heavens are the Lord’s heavens, but the earth has He given to the children of men.

---

Here's a pic of me and the best roommate anyone could ask for  🥰

Us at a Michigan Football game at the Big House