The Will to Win: Setting Your Mind on Things Above
The will to win in life as a Christian means setting aside all distractions and setting your mind on the things above, not on things on the earth (Colossians 3:2).
When I say "the will to win in life", I mean living a life that displays Christ to the world.
A life that draws people to Christ in and through the everyday experiences of life.
Living a life that is world overcoming and not being dominated by the problems we face.
Our hometown team, the Los Angeles Lakers, is struggling this year.
As of this writing the Lakers have won 20 games, lost 26 games and are 16 games behind the first place team in their division.
Professional athletes in all sports are the best trained athletes in the world.
They have the best nutritionists.
They have the best physical trainers and they get the best medical care when needed.
Have you ever stopped to think about how such a finely tuned and conditioned athlete can have an All-Star performance one night then on the very next night have the worst game of their career? In baseball, sometimes a star player will go through a slump when they perform far below their potential for weeks at a time.
Obviously the problem is not a physical one.
It's a mental problem.
These world class athletes are being betrayed by their minds.
The will to win and put their bodies on the line for victory is missing.
An athlete who trusts his physical talents to the exclusion of having the will to win when taking the court, field, or ice in his chosen sport is defeated from the start.
Having the Will to Win in Life is a Mindset The Bible says to set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth (Colossians 3:2).
To "set" something means that you tune into a specific channel and you keep the dial there.
In life we will face many distractions.
Our goal is to not be moved by life's distractions but to remain fixed on God's Word through all the tests, temptations and trials of life.
The will to win and overcome life's challenges is a mindset.
The fans in a market like Los Angeles have a love hate relationship with their sports teams.
When they win, they are revered.
But when they lose, they are hated, criticized and heckled.
Some athletes have even received death threats for missing a basket and causing the team to lose an important game.
For a professional athlete to remain mentally focused and maintain the will to win is probably more challenging than actually playing the game itself.
While the Lakers may be struggling this year, their star and team leader, Kobe Bryant is having one of his best years ever.
Mentally, Kobe Bryant is one of the toughest players of all time.
Kobe's maintains the will to win.
He does whatever it takes to help his team win.
In the past, Kobe has played with IV's before, during and after games, a broken hand, a sprained ankle, a torn shoulder, a fractured tooth, a severed lip, and a knee the size of a softball.
Throughout his career, Kobe Bryant is known for "toughing it out" and not allowing his body to overcome his will to win.
As a Christian, what is your mind set on? As a man thinks in his heart, so is he (Proverbs 23:7).
We have all the tools necessary to dominate our enemy.
We have the greater one dwelling on the inside of us.
We are world overcomers.
But unless we continually remind ourselves who we are in Christ, and maintain the will to win in life, the world and the problems we face day to day will challenge our minds and become the focal point of our attention.
Below is a quote made by Kobe Bryant as he referred to a conversation he had with A-Rod (Alex Rodriguez) regarding a slum that A-Rod was in.
"We're different.
He's one of the best to ever play.
I think really the difference is sometimes he forgets he's the best, where I don't.
" - Kobe Bryant
When I say "the will to win in life", I mean living a life that displays Christ to the world.
A life that draws people to Christ in and through the everyday experiences of life.
Living a life that is world overcoming and not being dominated by the problems we face.
Our hometown team, the Los Angeles Lakers, is struggling this year.
As of this writing the Lakers have won 20 games, lost 26 games and are 16 games behind the first place team in their division.
Professional athletes in all sports are the best trained athletes in the world.
They have the best nutritionists.
They have the best physical trainers and they get the best medical care when needed.
Have you ever stopped to think about how such a finely tuned and conditioned athlete can have an All-Star performance one night then on the very next night have the worst game of their career? In baseball, sometimes a star player will go through a slump when they perform far below their potential for weeks at a time.
Obviously the problem is not a physical one.
It's a mental problem.
These world class athletes are being betrayed by their minds.
The will to win and put their bodies on the line for victory is missing.
An athlete who trusts his physical talents to the exclusion of having the will to win when taking the court, field, or ice in his chosen sport is defeated from the start.
Having the Will to Win in Life is a Mindset The Bible says to set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth (Colossians 3:2).
To "set" something means that you tune into a specific channel and you keep the dial there.
In life we will face many distractions.
Our goal is to not be moved by life's distractions but to remain fixed on God's Word through all the tests, temptations and trials of life.
The will to win and overcome life's challenges is a mindset.
The fans in a market like Los Angeles have a love hate relationship with their sports teams.
When they win, they are revered.
But when they lose, they are hated, criticized and heckled.
Some athletes have even received death threats for missing a basket and causing the team to lose an important game.
For a professional athlete to remain mentally focused and maintain the will to win is probably more challenging than actually playing the game itself.
While the Lakers may be struggling this year, their star and team leader, Kobe Bryant is having one of his best years ever.
Mentally, Kobe Bryant is one of the toughest players of all time.
Kobe's maintains the will to win.
He does whatever it takes to help his team win.
In the past, Kobe has played with IV's before, during and after games, a broken hand, a sprained ankle, a torn shoulder, a fractured tooth, a severed lip, and a knee the size of a softball.
Throughout his career, Kobe Bryant is known for "toughing it out" and not allowing his body to overcome his will to win.
As a Christian, what is your mind set on? As a man thinks in his heart, so is he (Proverbs 23:7).
We have all the tools necessary to dominate our enemy.
We have the greater one dwelling on the inside of us.
We are world overcomers.
But unless we continually remind ourselves who we are in Christ, and maintain the will to win in life, the world and the problems we face day to day will challenge our minds and become the focal point of our attention.
Below is a quote made by Kobe Bryant as he referred to a conversation he had with A-Rod (Alex Rodriguez) regarding a slum that A-Rod was in.
"We're different.
He's one of the best to ever play.
I think really the difference is sometimes he forgets he's the best, where I don't.
" - Kobe Bryant
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