The Truth about Yourself

Proverbs 12:17-19

“Behold, You desire truth in the innermost being, And in the hidden part You will make me know wisdom” (Ps. 51:6, NASB.

Two nights ago I have the television turned on. A program about the Alabama football team is on. The program is about the players and coaches training and preparation for a game. I am busy on the computer so I am not concentrating on the program. It’s all background noise to me. Of course when there is background noise occasionally you hear something that catches your attention. I hear Nick Saban the head coach talking to the team. He asks this question, and I paraphrase: “How do you beat someone who has said that they are going to beat you? What do you do to have success against an opponent that has said that they are going to beat you?” Now, this catches my attention because this is the second time that I hear the coach ask this question.

Coach Saban says, “You start with the truth. You start with the truth about yourself.” Coach Saban talks about an opponent that is out to defeat you. He talks about mental preparation. Do you take your playbook home and study it? Are you putting yourself wholeheartedly into the practice? Are you working as hard as you can out here in practice? Do you practice your skills over and again until you can’t do it wrong; don’t practice until you get it right, practice until you can’t do it wrong. Hearing these challenging words become the genesis of this article. How so?

The article two weeks ago, August 19, 2018, “Disciplines for Godliness” is about spiritual disciplines that we are to exercise in order to live our best life. When I think about it, it is apparent to me that Coach Saban is challenging the team and each individual player to be the best that they can possibly be. I want to compare Coach Saban’s challenge to his players to the challenges that scriptures give to us as Christians. You see, as we look at Coach Saban’s challenge, we can see that Coach is telling his players that they must practice discipline in the areas that will make each player the best that he can be. Thus, the coach’s challenges are applicable for us.

The first challenge that the coach gives is that success begins with the truth. It begins with the truth about you. Now what is the truth that I must begin with? First, I have an opponent; an adversary whose goal is to defeat me. Do you know who this enemy is? It is Satan, the devil. He says so himself. We read about him in the book of Job. “Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD and Satan also came among them. The LORD said to Satan, ‘From where do you come?’ Then Satan answered the LORD and said, ‘From roaming about on the earth and walking around on it”’ (Job 1:6, 7, NASB). As we read through this story we discover that Satan’ goal is to destroy Job. He wants Job to lose his integrity as a worshiper of God. We must be aware of this adversary. Just as Coach Saban warns his team that an opponent is determined to defeat them, we too must be aware of the adversary out to destroy us. “Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Pet. 5:8, NASB).

Since we know that we have an adversary out to devour us, we must prepare ourselves for his attacks. We begin with mental and spiritual preparation. Coach Saban says that the players must know their playbook. This playbook tells each player their assignment for every play. When the coach calls a play, the player must know what to do. This involves knowing what the enemy is trying to do. So, Paul tells us to “Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil” (Eph. 6:11, NASB). Thus, one reason for bible study and meditation is that we gain knowledge about God and also the schemes of the devil. What are the devil’s schemes? One scheme is to fill our heads with worldly philosophy and wisdom. In reality, worldly wisdom is really not wisdom at all. True wisdom comes from God. However, the devil is a liar and a deceiver leading us to believe lies that are presented to us as truth.

We must not conform to the wisdom of the world. Paul writes, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect” (Rom. 12:2, NASB). Our minds can be transformed only if we have the Word of God in us. Our minds must be transformed because we are born sinners with minds that agree with the wisdom of the world. Again, Paul writes, “But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no one. For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he will instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ” (1 Cor. 2:14-16, NASB).

We must prepare ourselves emotionally. One of the reasons that we praise the Lord is that it prepares us emotionally. In worship we remember the goodness of the Lord. We are reminded of the good things that God has done for us. Since we know our playbook (Bible) we feel good about the Lord and ourselves. We are confident that we will gain the victory. Life is like a test. There are many questions and challenges. If we study God’s word we are able to answer the questions. With God’s words and His Spirit we feel empowered. We are not overcome with anxiety and worry. The Spirit leads us into all truth. The Spirit is our coach. He calls the plays based on what he knows that the enemy is trying to do. He brings to mind what we are to do on any particular play that is designed to successfully navigate the enemy’s defenses.

In order to prepare ourselves emotionally we must overcome the desires of the flesh. In our state of sin we cannot change our desire to satisfy the flesh. In order to change we must be regenerated. Regeneration means receiving a new spirit. We receive a new spirit from God when we make Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord. You see when the man sinned in the garden he lost his innocent spirit that connected him to God.

Essentially, Adam died and all of his descendents are born in sin. This means that all are separated from God. Instead of desiring the things of the Spirit, we by nature desire the things of the flesh. This means that our feelings are connected to and compliment our minds. We follow after the mind of the Spirit or we follow the carnal mind of the flesh. The two are mutually exclusive (Rom. 8:5-8).

We must prepare ourselves behaviorally. Coach Saban says “practice it until you cannot do it wrong.” Now, this is a problem for many Christians. A lot of Christians believe that they are going to sin. They believe that it is impossible not to sin. This is not what the Word of God says. Paul writes, “Therefore I urge you brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship” (Rom. 12:1, NASB). When life presents us with conflicting choices and appealing temptations we must not simply give in because we are sinners. Coach Saban says to his players: Don’t practice until you get it right; practice until you can’t do it wrong. This means that we are to continually do the right thing and at the same time shun the wrong thing. You see, two objects cannot occupy the same space at the same time. Our behavior cannot be controlled by the flesh and the Spirit at the same time. So, Paul writes to the church at Ephesus telling them: “In reference to your former life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth” (Eph. 4:22-24, NASB). I suggest a careful study of Ephesians 4-5.

We continue to sin because we give space to the things of the world. We continue to live in the sinful environment of our unsaved families and friends, and we participate in sinful activities with them. We say nothing because we do not wish to be accused of judging others. We do not exhort, admonish, and encourage one another. We simply say, “That’s alright; it is okay. We all sin, but God loves us and He gives us grace and mercy.”God does not give us grace and mercy so that we can continue to walk in sin. Grace and mercy is given to us by God so that we have another chance to do it right. Remember Coach Saban’s words: Don’t practice until you do it right. Practice until you can’t do it wrong.

Are you prepared to win the game that your adversary has vowed to beat you? You must prepare to meet the challenge. You are facing a formidable opponent. Do not take your opponent lightly. Start with the truth. Start with the truth about yourself. Prepare your mind. Prepare yourself emotionally. Prepare yourself behaviorally. Ultimately you will win.