HIS

Many high school athletes set the ultimate goal of playing sports at the next level—collegiate and then pro. These athletes make sacrifices, devoting long hours of training and playing the sport they love.

And then, all of a sudden, our social media feeds begin to fill up with student-athletes who have made commitments to colleges across the nation. Students find the schools that fit their majors and sports and find a coach willing to give them a chance to play at the next level. As competitors and humans, we long to belong, fit in, and feel accepted. We want to be a part of a team that makes us feel worthy and loved. When we accept Christ’s invitation to love and follow Him as Christians, we obtain that sense of belonging. We are “His.” Let’s dive into what God says about being a part of His heavenly team.

The moment you turn your heart back to Him, He grafts You into His faith-family tree, and He places you on His team to play this game we call “life.” Do you know why? Because He loved you first. God created you with a plan and a purpose in mind to reach the people where He has placed you for His glory. He created you for the position He needs you to play, and He chose you from the beginning, just as you are. He hopes, in return, you will choose Him and become part of Team Jesus.

Now that you are on Team Jesus, you need to know your opponent, and you can be sure we all have one! Your spiritual opponent knows your weaknesses, and he knows how to tempt you to try to make you fail. However, the moment you join Team Jesus, you become His, and He places the powerful Holy Spirit, known as The Champion, within you! The Champion comforts you, guides you, and fights every battle for you (those you see and even those you do not see)! The adversary will try to deceive you into believing lies: I’m not enough; I’m all alone; I don’t belong here; No one loves me. But remember, you are on a new team, and you have a new position! We must have a strategy to fight the adversary!

Remember, you are not alone. You do not play the game on your own. You have The Champion within you, a team of believers around you, and a strategic plan for victory!

Talk About It:

As teammates, you can help each other learn the Truth about who you are as God’s daughters. The theory that there’s strength in numbers is supported in Scripture—starting with the Father Himself as One of Three—and it certainly applies to you in your quest to embrace who you really are. By joining forces with your teammates, you can multiply your strength and resources in the battle for your souls. As a group, let’s work through the following questions and activities together:

1. God created you to play the position He needs you to play on His team. How does it feel to know you were created for today, to be His, so that you could help meet the needs of the people right where He has placed you for such a time as this?
2. At what moment did you realize you have an adversary?
3. Have there been times where you have felt let down by someone close to you? How did it make you feel? How does it make you feel knowing God never leaves you alone?

Prayer:

“Heavenly Father, I praise You for Your creation. I thank You for sending Your Son to die on the cross for me. Help me to accept His invitation. As I accept, may I enter this new training with a full heart so I may apply the strategy of taking my thoughts captive to Christ to win this game we call “life.” In Jesus’ precious name, I pray, amen.”