It’s Not Over Until I Win

Last night as I began to pray, a deep urgency came over me. I quit praying out of my head and began to pray out of my innermost being. I had been casually talking to God about my life and my future. I’m at a point in my life now where I don’t care what God’s plan is, I just want in on it. Moses shared similar sentiments as these:

Exodus 33:1-3, 12-16 (NIV)
1 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Leave this place, you and the people you brought up out of Egypt, and go up to the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, saying, ‘I will give it to your descendants.’ 2 I will send an angel before you and drive out the Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. 3 Go up to the land flowing with milk and honey. But I will not go with you, because you are a stiff-necked people and I might destroy you on the way.”

12 Moses said to the Lord, “You have been telling me, ‘Lead these people,’ but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. You have said, ‘I know you by name and you have found favor with me.’ 13 If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people.”

14 The Lord replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”

15 Then Moses said to him, “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. 16 How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?”

Moses’ only fear was of being outside of God’s presence. As I prayed last night a passion for God came over me and I echoed Moses’ cry, God, I don’t want to go anywhere without You. I don’t know how to say it any other way, except that I just don’t want to be ineffective. My only goal in life is to do precisely what God has designed me to do. There is a specific call and a specific goal for each of us. What if I choose to come short? What if I choose an easier path, or a path that looks more desirable? What if I come in 2nd?

Over the previous months as I’ve been preparing for my journey to Thailand, this prayer has grown stronger. God, I just don’t want to be ineffective. I began to think about all the offerings that have gone up for this trip, all the prayers that have gone up for this trip, and all the time that has gone into helping me get ready for this trip. I began thinking about the people who gave selflessly during a time when they just didn’t have it to give. They were giving to so many other areas that were very important, not the least of which was the relief effort following Katrina. After these people gave during a time of lack, who am I to take a trip to Thailand only to reap mediocre returns?

Last night as I prayed, these same feelings came over me again, except this time they were much stronger. I was almost in tears as I cried out to God that His plan would be completed in my life. As I thought about my upcoming trip and all that my church family has given towards it, I made a paradigm shift and saw the bigger picture. I began to think about my life as a whole, about all the times people have sown into my life with finances, time, prayers, encouragement, teaching, correction … who am I to live a mundane life? Too much is at stake; there’s been too much invested into my life to settle for Second Place.

The apostle Paul said it best when he compared our Christian walk with a race in the Olympics. But we’re not running against other Christians. Our competition isn’t the person next to us; it’s the person inside of us. Our race is against ourselves. And the only way you can loose the race is to quit. That’s right, the only thing standing between you and the Gold Medal is you.

When I was a kid I would play Checkers with my dad. He would try to teach me strategy and tactics, but I just liked the idea of playing a game with a grown-up. I didn’t have a clue about the rules of the game, much less how to prepare a battle plan. But my dad would regularly let me win, just to boost my morale. Eventually, he figured, I would get the gist of Checkers and play right, and in the meantime we played by my rule: I win. I didn’t even have to actually win; I could just jump one of his pieces and I would holler out, I win! If I ever played with other people, they may beat me time and time and time again. But the game wasn’t over until I won.

It’s like that in your Christian walk. The devil can throw stuff in your path—and it may even look like he’s winning—but he can’t win because he has already lost, and you have already won! Jesus whipped him on the Cross, and He gave that victory to you. The name of the game now is “I win,” and the only rule is: I win. But you won’t win if you let the devil win. You won’t win if you give in to mediocrity. You won’t win if you settle for Second Place. Don’t give in to the call of mediocrity. Don’t let your flesh tell you, It’s okay to settle for this. After all, look at all you’ve accomplished. No! I’m going all the way. I’m not going to settle; I’m not going to quit. I’m going all the way, and there’s no stopping me! When you do this, when you determine to live your life to the very fullest measure God designed for it, you can say like Paul did in 2 Timothy 4:7 (NLT): 7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful.

When Moses prayed to God, God listened. Moses refused to go anywhere without God, even if it meant staying in the desert forever. God was pleased with Moses’ attitude of absolute consecration to His will:

Exodus 33:17 (NIV)
17 And the Lord said to Moses, “I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you and I know you by name.”

It’s this kind of dedication that gets God’s attention. And it’s not so much being dedicated to something terribly difficult. God said His burden is light and His yolk is easy. We are still servants, but we’re not under the load we were under when we were slaves to sin. God designed you for a specific purpose. He made you to fit into a specific niche. All the desires in your heart and all the things you want to do, God wants you to do. He is the One who put those desires there in the first place. And you will find that as you follow God you will end up square in the middle of your dream life.

I’m not going to quit. I’m not going to give the devil one inch. I’m going on and I’m taking the Gold Medal that God has prepared for me. I don’t care what I do or where I go, as long as it’s God’s will for my life. I don’t care if I never go to Thailand. I don’t care if I never get married. I don’t care if I work at this job all my life. I only want God’s will for my life, because God’s plan will ultimately be the best one and the most fulfilling one. And the only thing that can stand in the way of that is me. I’m not about to let my flesh decide what prize I get. No, I’m going all the way for the Gold and the devil can’t do anything about it, because it’s not over until I win!

~Jonathan

January 23rd, 2006 · Back to Top · Tagged: Articles

Zeal

A story about my life as a missionary in Thailand.

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