I am an avid sports fan, and I do not have a preference to what it is. As long as there is competition, and the thrill for a win, I love it. There’s just something about the game when you watch one, when you observe the athletes that are participating…which now will lead me into what I wish to write about today. I hope this inspires you like it did when God showed this to me.
When athletes are in their season of play, they are in peak shape; they are ready for action every day, and don’t have to spend weeks at a time getting ready. Even in their off-season, they are practicing, working out, sticking to some form of routine. God showed me something very vivid with this. But first, a scripture:
2 Timothy 4: 2-5
[2] Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
[3] For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
[4] And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
[5] But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.
From this scripture, God was teaching me something. We as a people need to be as athletes, praying, fasting, having faith, working in our gifts, doing what God has called us to do, in a routine in the on and off-seasons.
Whether you’re on or off the court, inside or outside the church, you need to be prepared to share God’s word with someone, be prepared to shine a light to them, be prepared to sing that song that’s on your heart. Don’t be out of shape, and let the enemy win another soul. The enemy wins so many simply due to the fact that we are out of shape. We are not practicing what we are preaching, and not sticking to a sound doctrine, or in other words, the word of God.
If we followed a spiritual diet that consisted of the holy things, and not the worldly things every day, consuming what God would have us to, your spiritual man would be better fit first of all. Secondly, with prayer and fasting, your spiritual self would be in better working shape, being able to make a better difference in the moment, having more conviction in your words, being able to get a hold of God in a manner that would have God move right then and there!
We have to be ready, not just when we feel like it, but always, in and out of season! Break the off-season! Be ready at all times!