Be Prepared to Fight, Part 1

During game time, your primary opponent is usually the other team, but what happens when the more pressing opponent is within yourself?

For example, I remember missing a game-winning penalty kick for my team in my soccer career. After that moment, I was terrified to step up to the line again. At that moment, I was not fighting against another person on the field; I was fighting a mental game inside myself.

Can you think of a time and relate to struggling mentally in your sport? Times when the only thing standing between you and victory was yourself?

In our Christian life, we often believe that our main struggle is external; that the sins that are the most dangerous are in the flesh. Satan can use external flesh factors to draw us to sins, such as drugs, sex, violence, etc. However, more often than those schemes, Satan uses temptations of the mind that are not easily seen or discussed. Satan knows internally what we struggle with – pride, envy, jealousy, vanity and other internal struggles. He will use those to draw us into sin. That’s why, in Ephesians, we are warned about this very situation. While there are sins out in the world, there are plenty of internal traps that Satan likes to use against us.

Why does he like to use these? Because usually, we hide these areas of our lives from people. When we hide where we struggle, choose to not be vulnerable to our community, or don’t seek accountability, we give Satan more room to hurt us. When we bring these fears and struggles into the light, say them out loud, or bring them to our community, the power that Satan has drastically decreases.

Choose today not to hide but be vulnerable and bring your struggles to the light.