Lust, basketball and a God who wins.

With March Madness upon us I was thinking through Galatians 5:16-26 and the war we wage against lust. Now I realize that this passage isn’t talking solely about lust and sad to say it doesn’t talk about basketball at all but what an amazing answer Paul gives us in Galatians 5 as we ask how can we win this war against lust. The chapter starts by reminding us that we are free, set free from the bondage of sin. Then he gives this warning, don’t use this freedom as an opportunity for the flesh. He then states what is key and crucial for us in gaining day by day victory over flesh and lust – you ready? Here it is, drum-roll please….. “You can’t do it”.

Wow, such encouraging words about winning – “you can’t”. Great pep talk huh? It’s like the coach huddling us up in the closing minute of the game during a crucial timeout. Expecting to hear him passionately encourage us and draw up a play for us to win the game, instead he brashly says, “You can’t do it.” The coach reminds us of what happens when we go out onto the court without a plan. He then proceeds by asking us what happens when five guys are thinking five different things and have at least five different ways we will get the winning basket? All five players are awakened out of their dream world of hitting the winning shot by a coach telling them they cannot win ….. unless.

 Ok, now the coach has our attention. This new qualifier has everything to do with the fact I’ve heard the harsh reality of what is to come and that now I’m listening and I heard an “unless”  …  unless… “Unless what, Coach?” This is what Paul says, “As far as this victory over lust, you can’t win….. unless” The unless is, “unless you live in the Spirit.”

Paul is saying that a 10 step plan is not enough. He is saying that a perfectly designed pick and roll will not be enough. Your plans with your actions will result with your loss. They end up leaving you with a pre-Christ condition called “relying on yourself” … and we all know how successful that was. So Paul says, “Walk in the Spirit.” And now we enter this world of Christianize that we have trouble following because it hits at the core of the issue. At some point we want control again, we want credit, we want it to be us…. We want to pull off the perfect game winning play. Suck it up Cleveland… its not gonna happen.

Can you imagine if God coached basketball? He begins with, “Do you trust me?” He continues by reminding us that because of that trust we will be victorious. He tells us He has implanted in us his very person in Spirit form to enable us for every pass, every play, and every shot. He tells us that the key is staying in tune with Him in us. It’s far better than channeling Michael Jordan in some séance. The Spirit has an amazing weapon at his disposal, The Playbook. He lets us see it, study it, memorize it, and follow through on it. It is rock solid Truth and it sanctifies us. It demonstrates every flaw in our shot, every lazy bone on defense, every mental breakdown while running the offense – and then, as if that’s not enough, it shows us The King – in Him we see every move perfected. He’s got perfect form and endless power. He never calls timeout and his 1^st quarter is as strong as his 4^th. He’s faced the most tenacious defenses and the most strategically crafted game plans aimed at putting just one loss in the “L” column. (and one loss despite, countless wins is all it would have taken). This King knows no “L” column, this King knows how to finish, this King’s last name is not “James”, this King wins.  

So God’s the coach, His Spirit is in us on the court, the playbook is the Bible and were told to never make this about us (our flesh). When we stop listening and leaning to the Spirit and believe we can do it in our flesh Galatians 5 tells us the outcome is not good, in fact its very messy. When it’s about Him and for Him and with Him – it’s His victory – He wins – and we win with Him. His win makes me the Bill Wennington of God’s family. (Bill was a center for the Chicago Bulls that wears 3 championship rings today because of who else was part of that team). So from God the coach, to Jesus hitting the winning shot, to the perfect playbook, and the infused Spirit of God in me, I do still have a role and it started with the first question God asked when I came on the team – “Do you trust me?”

So God here I go: help me trust you as I continually yield to your Spirit’s work in me. Help me pay attention to the playbook. Continue to change me, correct me, rebuke me when I need it, explain it to me when I don’t understand… and through all of that… I trust you… oh and I’m looking forward to the ring ceremony… and I know you already know this, but I’m giving them back to you.