God’s Divine Athletes

 

Psalm 18:29 states, ”For by Thee I have run through a troop; and by my God have I leaped over a wall.”

For years athletes have skipped church, avoided real discipleship, and tried to hide life threatening habits such as steroids, drugs, alcohol, and multiple partners; married or not. Why is this? Many will tell you point blank about their God-given gifts and talents. They might sport flashy crosses or thank God in their victory speeches. So what’s the source of the contradictions?

Many have failed to realize thru a lack of teaching from their leaders and a lack of hunger for God’s Word themselves that God is all involved and all caring in life; every little detail of life.

 

Look at the scripture above. Running through a troop through God’s assistance. First of all what is a troop? Or better yet who is God?

In Acts 17:20-27 it states...

King James Version (KJV)

 20For thou bringest certain strange things to our ears: we would know therefore what these things mean.

 21(For all the Athenians and strangers which were there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear some new thing.)

 22Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars' hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious.

 23For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you.

 24God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;

 25Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;

 26And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;

 27That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:

In this passage Paul was addressing the most learned men of the time. In their search and quest for knowledge, wisdom, and prudence they concluded that there was a God , but  for further lack of evidence they built His shrine and titled Him The Unknown God. How many youth were taken to Sunday school, told about Jesus, Noah, Moses, and Abraham, only to grow up and forget all that they learned by Middle school. Then as powerful young athletes they begin to be courted and admired for their physical prowess only to lack the knowledge of God that they need to navigate accurately through their new found successes. Just look at this verse of scripture...

Hosea 4:6

King James Version (KJV)

 6My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, ...

 

 Paul said, “Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him I declare to you.” His name is Jesus and He is the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the Ending. He is the Bright and Morningstar. He is the Lily of the Valley. He is the Rose of Sharon. He is the Lamb of God, and He is the Lion of the Tribe of Judah. He is the High Priest of our Confession. And as such we ought to take Him into the equation of our lives.

He is not the man up stairs. He is not the cosmic cop who is ready to crack the whip the minute we make a mistake. He is patience and His goodness leads us to repentance. He does not want robots nor does He want stubborn rebellious ignorant children. Give Him the glory due His name; and that glory is the submission of  your will to Him.

 

So to explain that troop reference in Psalm 18:29 think of it like this. War which is basically a variation of competition has rows of soldiers advancing on one another to put the other one down. In football you have the same thing happening. Recently, one young man who happens to be the leading tailback in Knoxville told me a story. He related to me an opposing teams remarks. The team he was about to play felt like the only weapon on his team was him so in order to win the game they were going to focus all their efforts on stopping him. He said he didn’t really want to play if it meant he was going to have his legs or knees undercut by them. I shared with him this verse and asked would he repeat it nightly in front of his mirror before retiring. You see you get everything that God has for you in life the same way you got born again...you believe it with your heart and you confess it with your mouth(see Romans 10:8-10) because faith cometh by hearing  Romans 10:17. And as you hear yourself quoting the Word of God over your self faith comes alive in your heart and confidence in what He said about the situation.He did that and four weeks later and after reading about him in several articles in the newspaper he was piling up more than two hundred per game.

What is the point to this story you may ask? Well if the end result is to just increase performance then I would say, not much. However, if it were to teach youth or older athletes to trust God with this precious part of their life then I would say its well worth making. I would then expect that they will transfer this same process of acheiving  faith and direction from God  to more personal areas of life such as who to marry, or where to live, or even which future path to take once sports is over with.

 

This same running back has a brother who is 6’8” and a tremendous basketball player headed to college after this season. He fits into the second part of this verse in Psalms. “…;and by my God have I leaped over a wall.”

Vertical jump is one of the most crucial ingredients in a basketball player. It’s a game of inches.. How much more special is it to know that the Spirit of God and the Word is  suppling you your abilities when going up for a rebound or a fabulous dunk? You might say well God doesn’t play favorites so how can you expect that He would help one athlete over another. Good point I say. Let’s think about it like this. God is no respector of persons but He is a respector of faith. So when every athlete on the planet  laces up their sneakers and  calls  on the name of Jesus and they are not just giving lip service about faith then we will have a very interesting situation oin our hands. But, until then, we will continue to expect that those  people who dig into the Word of God and discover for themselves the truth that  their abilities are from the Lord are going to continue to win in the short term and in the long run of life. Their stat sheets will continue to grow and be filled with both natural and supernatural successes.

Using the same logic we could argue that praying for a job when multiple people are applying is asking God to show favoritism as well. Yet, everyday many do this same thing. God loves all of us the same. However, He responds differently to faith. He will pass over a million people to get to the one who trusts. 2 Chronicles 16:9For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in thebehalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him...

 

Do you remember the woman with an issue of blood? Her story is found in Mark 5:24-34. “And Jesus went with him; and much people followed Him, and thronged Him. And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years, And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing better, but rather grew worse, When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched His garment. For she said, If I may touch but His clothes, I shall be whole. And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague.”

Do you see the keys found here? First she heard.” So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Her faith came from hearing about Jesus. And it’s worth noting here that the Jesus that she heard about was a healing Jesus so she put her trust in that, and she got what  she  expected. When the Jesus you hear about can cause you to do exceeding, abundantly above and beyond anything you can ask or think or dream, according to the power at work within you then you are ready to become a  Divine Athlete! See Eph 3:20!

Look at what Jesus said afterwards.” And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that virtue had gone out of Him, turned him about in the press, and said, “Who touched My clothes?” And his disciples said unto Him, thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou, Who touched Me? And looked round about to see her that had done this thing. But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before Him, and told Him the truth. And He said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.”

Many people were pressing Jesus that’s why they call it a press. But, only one of them is recorded as touching Him. Only one of them pulled power out of Him. Actually I should note here he was so anointed by God and full of the Holy Spirit that it was His clothes that she went after. They were so full of power that she got what she needed just from them. That is another sermon all together.

 

I’m amazed at the number of times that I have found through word studies the information I needed on any topic you could possibly want to know about. There is because of ignorance a thought out there that the bible is not relevant to today’s times. Somehow it is thought to be outmoded or outdated because we are so technologically advanced or whatever. That could not be farther from the truth, and athletics is just the same.

Let’s break it down like this..running, jumping, strength, and agility. If you need help with any of these areas  add confession of scripture over yourself to your daily regime and see how fast you get results. Faith is like Holy Ghost steroids... Faith changes people from weaklings to giant killers, from peons to heroes! I say just go for it...here's a list for you to study, memorize and confess!

 

Running

 

1-Joel 2:4 “The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses; and as horsemen, so shall they run.”

 

2-Psalm 19:5 “Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race.”

 

3-Isaiah 40:31 “ The that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”

 

4-I Cor 9:24-27 “ Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So, run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly;”

 

5-Eccl 9:11 “ I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happen to them all.”

 

6-Psalm 147:15 “ He sendeth forth His commandment upon Earth: His Word runneth very swiftly”

 

7-Angelic assistance- Psalm 104:3,4 “ Who layeth the beams of His chambers in the waters: Who maketh the clouds His chariot: Who walketh upon the wings of the wind: Who maketh His angels spirits; His ministers a flaming fire”

 

8-Look at Elijah in I King’s 18:46 “ And the hand of the Lord was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel”

This was a journey of many miles and he outran the king’s chariot.

 

9-Hebrews 12:1 “ Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith;”

 

10-Psalm 18:37 “ I have pursued mine enemies, and overtaken them;”

 

11- Cardiovascular help Psalm 119:32 “ I will run the way of Thy commandments, when thou shalt enlarge my heart.”

Vertical jump

 

1-Joel 2:5 “Like the noise of chariots on the tops of mountains shall they leap,”

 

2-Isaiah 35:6 “Then shall the lame man leap as a hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert.”

 

3-2 Samuel 6:16 “And as the ark of the Lord came into the city of David, Michal Saul’s daughter looked through a window, and saw king David leaping and dancing before the Lord; and she despised him in her heart.”

 

4-Psalm 18:48 “: yea thou liftest me up above those that rise up against me:”

 

5-Acts 14:10 “Said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked.”

 

6-Leviticus 11:21 “ which have legs above their feet, to leap withal upon the earth.”

 

7-Deut 33:22 “ And of Dan he said, Dan is a lion’s whelp: he shall leap from Basin.”

 

8-Luke 6:23 “ Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for behold your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.”

 

9-Psalm 29:6 “ He maketh them also to skip like a calf; Lebanon and Sirion like a young unicorn.”

 

10- Psalm 114:4 “ The mountains skipped like rams, and the little hills like lambs.”

 

11- Psalm 18:29 “; and by my God have I leaped over a wall.”

 

Agility

 

1-Psalm 18:33 “ He maketh my feet like hinds’ feet, and setteth me upon my high places.”

 

2-Psalm 18:36 “ Thou hast enlarged my steps under me, that my feet did not slip.”

 

3-Psalm 18:35 “ and Thy right hand hath holden me up, and Thy gentleness hath made me great.”

 

4-Psalm 18:19 “ He brought me forth also into a large place; He delivered me, because He delighted in me.”

 

5-Proverbs 4:12 “ When thou goest thy steps shall not be straightened; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.”

 

6-Job 23:11 “ My foot hath held his steps, his way have I kept, and not declined.”

 

7-Job 14:16 “ For now thou numberest my steps: dost thou not watch over my sin.”

 

8-Psalm 37:23 “ The steps of a good man are ordered of the Lord: and He delighteth in his way.”

 

9-Proverbs 16:9 “ A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps.”

 

10-Isaiah 5:27 “ None shall be weary nor stumble amongst them; none shall slumber or sleep; neither shall the girdle of their loins be loosed, nor the latchet of their shoes be broken.”

 

11-Proverbs 3:23 “The shall thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble.”

 

12- I Sam 2:9 “ He will keep the feet of His saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail.”

 

Strength

 

1-Psalm 18:32 “ It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect.”

 

2-Psalm 18:34 “ He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms.”

 

3-Psalm 18:39 “ For thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle: thou hast subdued under me those that rose up against me.”

 

4- Exodus 15:2 “ The Lord is my strength and song, and He is become my salvation:…”

 

5- Psalm 43:2 “ For Thou art the God of my strength:”

 

6-Hab 3:19 “ The Lord God is my strength, and He will make my feet like hinds’ feet, and He will make me to walk on my high places.”

 

7-I Sam 2:10 “ The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken to pieces; out of heaven shall He thunder upon them: the Lord shall judge the ends of the earth; and He shall give strength unto His king, and exalt the horn of His anointed.”

 

8- I Sam 15:29 “ And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent; for He is not a man, that He should repent.”

 

9-II Kings 18:20 “ I have counsel and strength for the war.”

 

10- I Chronicles 28:8 “ All these of the sons of Obed-edom: they and their sons and their brethren, able men for strength for the service,”

 

11-Isaiah 26:4 “ Trust ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord JEHOVAH is everlasting strength:”

 

12- Isaiah 40:29 “ He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might He increaseth strength.”

 

13- I Cor 9:26,27 “… so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.”

 

So you can see God and His Word are extremely relevant to your athletic life. How much more is He able to help in other areas? His Word really is an invaluable tool and resource. So, why not embrace it now rather than later?

One last thought Hebrews 11:3 states that “ Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the Word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.” So if you are looking for a new life, better health, or more success in your athletic field of endeavor choose the Word. Frame your world with it. Change where you are and how you are by putting it into practice. Study, memorize, confess or speak what the Word says about you. Don’t say I can’t, say “ I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” Phil 4:13.