WatchingaGame-01-300by Rex Rouis

How would you watch a game if you knew beforehand that your team had already won?

Imagine that a person knew that he was going to miss an important sports event, so he had it recorded to watch at a later time. However, before watching the game, he inadvertently learned that his team had won. How would the knowledge of his team’s victory affect his watching of the game?

How would he react if his team played poorly in the first half? Would he get nervous? No, not if he was confident in his knowing that his team had won. He would know that a turnaround was on the way. He would have the knowledge and confidence that no matter how bad it may look, something would have to happen to give his team the victory. In fact, instead of becoming nervous, he would become excited, anticipating that miraculous turnaround moment. He would know it would have to occur because his team had already won!

He has this confidence because he is now watching the game backward, from the perspective of the known ending. Everything now is being viewed in relation to the knowing that his team has already won. The only remaining unknown is how it will happen. The moment he learned that his team had won, winning stopped being a possibility (a hope) and became a known fact, which is the basis of faith. How silly would it be to watch a rerun of a game where you already knew your team had won and still worry about whether they would win?

Everything now is being viewed in relation to the knowing that his team has already won.

His level of trust in the victory is determined by his level of trust in the news source. If the source was credible, he could be highly confident. If, on the other hand, the source was, say, a stray comment overheard from a stranger, he could have room to doubt. In other words, the weight of the observed circumstances only matters if the information source is not trusted or credible. The only thing that matters is how well he heard and how trusted the source is. Everything depends on that and that alone.

Being in faith is much like watching this recorded sports event. We watch the players sweat and strain and run back and forth. There are moments when things look good and moments when things do not look so good, but in the end, it is all irrelevant; we know who wins.

Faith is not merely being able to watch a game with confidence or with a positive attitude. Faith is not mustering false confidence or trying to ignore the losing moments. It is not trying to speak courageously of victory through personal strength and discipline when all appears lost. This has no foundation. Faith is not something you muster on your own from within; it is something you receive from without.

Faith is determined by what we know before the event. If we know no more than anybody else before the game, then we will be the same as everybody else during the game. True faith knows beforehand what will happen. Faith is a pre-knowledge of the coming victory, and this knowledge produces peace. We may know the coming victory in detail, or we may know it simply by the peace in our hearts. Either way, it communicates a knowledge of victory, and by it, we have faith.

If we know no more than anybody else before the game, then we will be the same as everybody else during the game.

This knowledge of victory that gives us faith is based on a ‘knowing’ Word from God. Faith is God’s Word becoming alive to us in a real and personal way concerning an actual and specific situation or thing. Faith is the result of God speaking the outcome to our heart. And when we hear the outcome, we know the outcome. It is when we stand on this knowing that we are standing on His Word in faith. This Word we heard is now a knowing we must receive and act upon.

This is precisely what happened to Paul in Acts Chapter 27 when the boat was in danger of sinking from a terrible storm. Paul went off to seek and hear from God. An angel told him about a coming shipwreck and that all would be saved. After hearing from God, he announced to everybody on board the following, “…I believe God that it will turn out exactly as I have been told.” (Acts 27:25). He now knew how it would ultimately turn out.

So faith comes from hearing and hearing by the Word of Christ. Romans 10:17

The victory and peace we can walk in during the game are determined by our hearing from God before the game. To have this knowledge of victory, we must spend the time necessary to hear solidly from Him. The stronger the trust in the ‘hearing,’ the less impact the so-called ‘facts’ of the game will have on us. Once we know the outcome, we own the outcome. Then, we are expected to protect and retain the ownership of that ‘knowing’ till the end through patience.

The writer of Hebrews says that ‘by faith and patience (we shall) inherit (or receive) the promises (the collective ‘hopes’ of God’s Word).’ In the story above, Paul had to walk in obedience to receive all God had spoken to him.

If we knew of God’s will in every area of our life, we would have peace in every area of our life. Let us first labor to hear from God, and then we can watch the game of life with peace. The things received from God in private determine the victories accomplished later in public. We are told ‘not to lean to our own understanding.’ Instead, our ears are only to be on what He says. Nothing else matters.

But life is not that simple.

Granted, in real life, it’s not as simple as this. In life, we are not merely watching a game but in the game. We are the ones going back and forth, sweating, straining, and getting hit. Our loved ones are playing, and they are also getting hit. Some may even be playing for another team, which really hurts.

Moreover, our principal opponent (the devil) is a talented player who doesn’t play fair. He is a great deceiver and knows how to use our weaknesses against us. Nevertheless, the principles are still the same, and with God, we can win. The Bible tells us that we are more than conquerors through Him who strengthens us. To win, we must practice until we can play the game of life with love, faith, and peace.

We are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.

The Bible tells us that we win, and that is all there is to it. Now, let’s go out and throw a victory party and give Jesus the MVP award.

Comments

  1. For a year now I have begun an intense study of God’s word. Because I have no other way to live but by faith (the just shall live by faith) and the fact that nothing pleases God but faith. Stumbling upon this site have expounded truth that the holy spirit has begun to teach me. Thank you Rex for been such a blessing to all of us. More grace and revelation in the word.

  2. To jake
    what you said is not wrong but what i can say is thats the level of your revelation about the word of God and life.But do remmeber what our Lord Jesus said when He was quetioned “How can we do the work of God” He only said to do the work of God you only have to belive.By just puting ur analogy to what Jesus said would mean that He didnt say all the truth but belive me what He said was all there was.Nothing more nothing less.faith in Gods word that you have heard and belived tells you what to do.Thats all to win in the game of life.

  3. What more can i say, I believe this came from the Holy Spirit to you to us. You are not only touching the lives of we that read from your site but also people that learn from us. I know this is a ministry from daddy God to you I pray for more grace to remain faithful to the end God bless you.

  4. God bless this work! This site has been a wonderful insperation! I need your prayers as I have been on the the recieveing end of evil being practiced against me.I have prayed for this person because we are all gods kids after all. Sometimes its still frustrating.

  5. hosea2:14-23
    I will show my love to the one I called
    not my loved one i will say to those
    called not my people you are my people
    and they will say you are my god
    hos 2:23

  6. jake,you are looking at the negative,and the negative is never an alternative,real faith sees as God sees,faith is based on what God says,if you know you believe ,you win head or tail ,this message is a classic on faith,read again with unveiled mind

  7. I don’t really agree with the article’s position that once you hear something, you know it to be true. No matter how reliable the source seems to be, you can’t know anything without a shadow of a doubt until it has already happened. The article says “Everything now is being viewed in relation to the knowing that his team has already won,” so is this supposed to be an analogy for the fact that in life, we already know that our outcome is a positive one? The article says in the final few sentences “The Bible tells us that we win, and that is all there is to it.” If this is the case why not sin? Why not do anything you want? Here’s an extension of the analogy following what was presented in the article. Let’s say I’m an athlete in this hypothetical game, but I already “know” that my team has won. So now I decide I can do anything I want. I can take penalties, I can be lazy, I can score against myself, all because I “know” that I will still win. The idea that once you “hear” that the outcome of the game is a certain way, in this case apparently that the outcome of our lives is salvation, what is the motivator to do good? Especially in the case where you do believe the word of god, and that what he says is true. Or, is this guaranteed salvation based on how we perform in life? If that is the case, it’s not really guaranteed simply because we heard it.

    Please leave comments and replies to this post as I am very curious about everyones’ opinions.

    1. Our salvation comes as a gift of God’s grace, but it only can be obtained by our response of faith. Faith in Jesus Christ is the only condition God requires for salvation.Faith is not only to say you believe Jesus but to live a life with heartfelt personal devotion, trust, love and thankfulness. God’s gives a measure of grace as a gift if we want more we must live a life pleasing to God. God’s grace is the motivator. God’s grace and love from Jesus Christ is given to us by the Holy Spirit which provides us mercy, forgiveness and the power to do God’s will. We can do what we like and short change ourselves. In time we may reject God’s grace and the penalty of sin is death.

    2. “Faith without works is dead”. If he truly believed the outcome of the game, he’d show it by being calm and non agitated. Just as if we were to believe in Jesus, we should show it by our works, naturally, a true faith produces good works. To believe in Jesus is to believe everything he has told us, that sin leads to death, and to follow him leads to life. Why would you want to continue in sin when you have faith in his words that it leads to death?

  8. The game is what makes us stronger. We know we are going to be victorious. Are we going to wait until the last minutes of the game to win or are we going to win by a landslide? I pray to win by a landslide.

    1. Author

      Kimberly Ann – Landslides are great but it usually happens in the last moment, and that is what glorifies God and makes us stronger. God bless you!

  9. there is a calmness and peace in your heart when you know how it will turn out.Glory to God

    1. Author

      Seun – Bam! You got it. The peace comes because your heart now knows that future and it is good. Faith is not blind, it is a knowing from God. You are wonderful. Keep it up.

  10. I am so grateful that God should make me read this article when I am this desperate for help. Thank you Lord!

    1. Author

      Kudzie – Keep putting the word of God into you and speaking it out of your mouth. Then make yourself calm down and quiet down to listen to Him. Faith comes by hearing and victory comes by faith.

      Also, lean on the mercy of God to help in any area that you may fall short. He is after all a personal loving merciful grace giving God.

  11. On February 12th 2013 God spoke to me saying,
    I want you to see yourself wealthy and rich, living in a beautiful house, with a beautiful wife. He showed me Psalms 112:3 and Psalms 128:3 and then he told me that this is inevitable, this is bound to happen, this is bound to succeed, and this is certain.
    I could not see how this was possible being on Disability.
    But I woke up this morning and read your comments about the game being recorded so I could watch it later, But someone who is extremely credible and trustworthy told me how the game turned out before I could watch it. Then when I saw Acts 27:25 I saw that it really is inevitable. It will turn out exactly as I have been told, I got on my knees and thanked God for this revelation today August 14th 2013.
    Thank you for letting God use you to help us gain the confidence we need to go forward in Believing God for the Victory and Triumph in Christ. Amen

  12. Thank you so much. What an analogy! I always say that we are in a fixed fight but nothing beats this.

  13. Thanks so much for these words! They were a real encouragement to me. God bless you and strengthen your heart.

    1. Author

      Cindy – Yes, it all comes down to hearing from God. That is the key to the walk of obedience and the walk of faith. Spend time with Him till you hear Him. Thank you for your gracious comment.

      1. You’re welcome. What an excellent analogy of faith!
        I have a difficult time discerning God’s word for me and distinguishing it from my own intellectual reasoning. I can give you countless examples of believing I received a word from God (especially after requesting a specific sign), only to find I likely was better off on the original path. I guess I can’t know for sure, if I was not better off, however. Any suggestions about discerning His word??
        Thanks,
        Cindy

  14. tnkz, this words of faith really help mi and satisfied mi. now i’ll have faith for everything i hope for.thank you.Jesus

    1. Author

      Stanley – Thank you for your comment, but remember, you must hear from God before you can have faith for anything. And He is only going to speak based on the promises in the Bible. When you meet the conditions of a promise you get faith for the promise. Faith is not a get rich quick scheme. It is a get blessed by seeking and obeying God scheme.

  15. WHO WROTE THIS ? IT DOESN’T SAY… THIS IS AWESOME …………. I NEED TO READ AS MUCH OF THIS KIND OF STUFF AS POSSIBLE !!!!!!!!

    1. Author

      ‘G’ – Thank you. If no name is associated with an article it is written by me. God bless, Rex

  16. Loved the analogy of faith! In order to keep our eyes focused on our Beloved Father, we have to claim the victory of faith and cover ourselves in His Word. Praise God! And so it is.

    1. Author

      Tai – Thank you and God bless you. Keep putting His word into you, that is what will continue to protect and change your life.

  17. Thank you Jesus Christ my healer, saviour, provider. I accept the death of your Son at Calvary who died for my healing and salvation and from this day, hour, second minute I refuse to bow down to the devil’s images and testify that He was wounded for my transgressions and by his stripes I was healed. AMEN.

  18. Right on Point. A must read article for all Christians. It really gives a great road map to victories living.

  19. thank you so much for this enlightening expose on faith, how beautiful and well explained for all (the just called to live by faith) to understand. am so grateful i found this website, so inspiring and uplifting. keep up the good work. God richly bless you. am so blessed today.

  20. Thank you as I daily in my devotions and talking to our Lord get confirmation of how thru your website He encourages me…

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