Illustrations of Christian Victory - Winning in a Sports Game

We had gone through yesterday, about what it means to have true victory in Christ. Today, we will explore some illustrations that the Bible uses to depict victory.

Many of us play and enjoy sports. And those of us who do may have participated in some competition at one point or another. Some of us would have experienced victory in winning some game or tournament. It is certainly a wonderful feeling, after all the hard work put in to train and prepare. Coming back to today’s discussion, the Bible relates being victorious in Christ to winning in a sports game.

Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. - 1 Cor 9:26

One of the games quoted in the Bible is boxing. In boxing, you score by striking your opponent. In the above verse, Paul uses boxing to illustrate Christian victory, that one does not beat the air aimlessly, but hits the opponent. This means that as we attempt to be victorious in Christ, there is real purpose and intent in our actions, like the boxer who throws the punch, to hit his opponent, to achieve a result. Are our lives filled with such purpose and intent as we go about ministering and living out a victorious Christian life?

Another game that was used before to illustrate victory would be wrestling. In the Bible, there was a real wrestling match that took place between Jacob and God.

So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak. When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob's hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man. Then the man said, "Let me go, for it is daybreak." But Jacob replied, "I will not let you go unless you bless me." The man asked him, "What is your name?" "Jacob," he answered. Then the man said, "Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome." - Gen 32:24-28

Wrestling is an intense sport and requires every part of our body. It is impossible to remain aloof and unentangled from the opponent. The opponent will seize every opportunity to regain his advantage. No, in order to win the wrestling match, one must involve his whole body in combat, and be constantly pushing oneself to be better than his opponent. Jacob was engaged fully with God in wrestling and did not give up until he got what he wanted from the Lord.

In the New Testament, wrestling is also described as struggling:

Epaphras, who is one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends greetings. He is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured. - Col 4:12

I want you to know how much I am struggling for you and for those at Laodicea, and for all who have not met me personally. - Col 2:1

It is easy sometimes for the Christian to fall into complacency, into a lull, when he fails to realise that achieving victory as a Christian is like being in a wrestling match. When one becomes complacent, he lets his guard down and the enemy or opponent can quickly seize the chance to gain an advantage in our lives. The victory we had achieved moments earlier could turn out to be shortlived if we do not keep up the struggle. As we deal with an opponent (the devil and our own sinful nature) that never sleeps nor tires, we can only achieve victory in Christ by constantly being on guard, and constantly struggling to defeat our opponent, with God’s strength.(Tangerine says: Do we have this mentality of "aiya..like this can already.."? When we get complacent of our own spiritual life, and stopped a certain spiritual level, Devil will try to do something. As we became more spiritually matured, Devil also becomes more powerful too. We grow, he grows. When we get smarter, Devil also gets smarter. Even if you dont see Devil now in this point of time, do you think that Devil really disappear for good? I think the answer is NO. Though we may not see him now, actually he is back to his military base to think of greater plans to make us fall.)

Finally achieving victory is also likened to running and finishing a race.

However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace. - Acts 20:24

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize. - 1 Cor 9:24-27

Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. - Phi 3:13-14

Paul described winning for the Lord as finishing the race. It is worthy to note that in Paul’s illustration, winning is not about running faster than your fellow runners, but rather finishing the race. Furthermore, while anyone can start or run the race, Paul suggests that not everyone will or can finish the race. (Tangerine says: what strikes me here is the word "running". The word "running" to me means we are walking right beside God, that we are continually building up our spiritual life(not staying on the same spot), doing what God wants us to do. "Running" is kicking away our bad habits, and always continuously learn from Jesus and to be more like him, and not staying at the same spot, the same self when we said the sinner's prayer.Our christian lives is like running a marathon.

At the start of the marathon, all of us are very enthusiastic, wanting to reach the finish line. This is like when we are young Christians, we are new to everything. We are eager to know more about Jesus, what He has done. In the middle of the marathon, some of us feel tired. At this stage, we can see two groups of Christians. There are some who persevered on despite the bad conditions of the road, the weather, and completed the race by crossing the finishing line. But there are also some who chose to give up running and finish their race when they haven't even reach the finish line . When they see the obstacles in front of them, they gave up. When Satan comes, they feared and raised their white flag immediately without fighting back.

All of us eventually will finish our race. But is the finishing line that you cross over is God's, or our own finishing line? )

As a naturally competitive person, which most of us may be, the first point was particularly important to me. I used to think that my value and purpose is achieved in defeating the person next to me, my competitor. If I can do that, I would have ‘won’, achieved victory, gained respect. However this is not the case in the Christian context. Achieving victory in Christ does not mean defeating your fellow runner, but rather defeating yourself (sinful self) or anything or any authority (Satan, his schemes) who stands in the way between you and the finish line. It is to cross the finishing line well. It would be even better if we could help and inspire fellow runners to finish the race with us.

All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. - Matt 10:22

Conclusion

All in all, when we say that achieving victory in Christ is akin to winning a sports game, we need to be fit to win. Like any good sportsmen, we need to train, condition our body, our muscles, to be able to win the game. Be it a race, a wrestling match or boxing, we need good spiritual muscles to sustain the fight and achieve victory. Let us train our spiritual muscles well to last the race, to win the fight.

Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil. - Hebrews 5:14

Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. - Hebrews 12:10-12


Reflection points:

Is there purpose and intent in the things you are doing for Jesus now? How effective are they in ‘flooring’ the opponent?

Are you spiritually complacent? How does that usually happen?