Everyone wants to be a winner, whether it’s in sports or life in general. Cindy Todd, a world waterskiing champion, spoke about winning. She said, “When I first read Philippians 3:14, which tells us to ‘pursue…the prize promised by God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus,’ I was reminded of a waterskiing competition. Everyone aims toward a prize. We all want it, but only one person gets to win. God has given me a talent for waterskiing, but thanks to Him, I’m a winner in another way. I have been cleansed of sin through the blood of Jesus. I have received salvation by God’s grace. This is the most important victory in my life, and it’s a victory we all can have. ‘…Whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved’” (Ac 2:21).

Friday night at a high school football game, I saw something that doesn’t happen very often: an offense had a first-and-goal opportunity at the one-yard line and they failed to score. The opposing defense came up big and made a huge stand to prevent the touchdown that probably would have lost them the game.

In life, how often do we feel like we're down-and-out, like Satan and his team have marched the ball straight down the field until they're standing with first-and-goal on our one-yard line just about ready to punch it in and score? Often, when we're at our weakest, winning seems impossible. The devil attacks hoping for the easy kill.

In the movie Invincible, the story of Philadelphia Eagles fan-turned-NFL-pro Vince Papale plays out on the big screen. After losing his job and wife, he was told he would never amount to anything, that he wouldn’t make any money, and wasn’t going anywhere.

Some of us have experienced a coach saying, “You’re not talented enough. You won’t make it.” Possibly a coworker, spouse, friend, or parent has caused doubt.

As a high school basketball coach, I often notice that my players are influenced by the past. After a winning streak, they can begin to believe that they are better than they actually are. Such overconfidence often leads to deflating defeats. Of course, the same deflation typically occurs after a losing streak because the team loses confidence.

In order to avoid either extreme—overconfidence or none at all—many coaches encourage the team members to stay focused. In our program, we remind our players to focus on what lies ahead rather than on the past. After each game, we say, “The season starts tomorrow.” This helps us remember all we can achieve as a team.

As spring has brought warmer temperatures to the Midwest, many people, including myself, are trying to get fit, lose weight and get in shape. As I get my road work in, I cannot help but think of years ago when, as a basketball player, I went through the personal torture of pre-season conditioning. I used to hate it. All that running before basketball season seemed senseless.

Some people say that difficult times develop character. I believe, however, that hard times reveal the character that’s already inside a person.

In Romans 8:18, the Apostle Paul reminded his friends that in times of suffering we have a strong assurance that better things are on the way.

This year I have decided to run my second marathon. Currently I am in the middle of my training and have hit a wall. Actually my training buddy and I both hit a wall. After putting in over 50 miles of running a week for 8 straight weeks, our bodies are tired and our motivation is lacking.

Why is it that when we can’t do something, such as not compete due to injury, we would give anything to get back to where we were? Yet when we are in the best shape of our lives, we take for granted the precious gift God has given us.

To persevere means to persist in an undertaking in spite of opposition or discouragement. The 2007 Boston Marathon was run under adverse weather conditions. The temperature was in the low 40's, and the wind blew at 30 miles per hour blowing gusts that reached up to 50. To run in those conditions takes more than training, more than carbo-loading, more than simply desiring to finish the race. That day, it took a will to persist in spite of opposition and extreme discouragement.

Hebrews 12:1 gives a command to develop perseverance. Satan is a formidable enemy. To overcome him takes more than training, more than doing the right thing, more than desiring to be good. To defeat our spiritual enemy takes perseverance. How do you develop perseverance?