Who Said It Was Over?
My brother-in-law Don is a huge football fan of the Texas A&M Aggies. Last November he was watching their big game against LSU. With 89 seconds of regulation, A&M needed a 78-yard drive to tie the game, but their quarterback threw a game-ending interception. The LSU players poured Gatorade on the coach and started celebrating. Don was so upset that he not only turned the television off, but he deleted the recording from his DVR. He didn’t want that game in his files.
Half an hour later a friend texted Don saying, “This game is unbelievable.” Don thought his friend had recorded it and hadn't seen the end. Then he looked on Twitter and saw all these similar comments. Come to find out, the referees reviewed the play of the interception and saw that the quarterback’s knee was down, which meant that play was over. They gave the ball back to the Aggies, who went on to score and tie the game. The game went to seven overtimes, and the Aggies won 74–72. It was the highest scoring game and one of the greatest games in FBS history.
Sometimes in life we do as Don did and turn the game off too soon. We think we’ll never get well, never meet the right person, never accomplish a dream. We tried, but it didn’t work out. It feels as though the opposition has won and is celebrating. They’ve already poured Gatorade on the coach. But it’s not over till God says it’s over. Go back and look again. You’re story doesn’t end in defeat but in victory. Along the way there may be some setbacks, times when it looks impossible, but God has ways you never thought of.
Over two thousand years ago, Satan and all the forces of darkness thought they had finally defeated Jesus on the cross. They poured the Gatorade and started their victory party. What they didn’t realize was Jesus had prophesied not only His death but His resurrection: “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up” (John 2:19). While the enemy celebrated, Jesus rose up, took away the keys of death and hell, and said, “I am He that lives. I was dead but I am alive forevermore.”
Whatever you face, God has the final word. Go back to those places where you quit believing and stir up your faith. Who told you it was over? That wasn’t the final word. You’re about to see God show out. There’s a sudden change coming. Sudden healing, sudden opportunities, sudden promotion, sudden breakthroughs. What you thought was permanent is about to change in your favor. You’re going to rise higher, accomplish dreams, and reach the fullness of your destiny.
Half an hour later a friend texted Don saying, “This game is unbelievable.” Don thought his friend had recorded it and hadn't seen the end. Then he looked on Twitter and saw all these similar comments. Come to find out, the referees reviewed the play of the interception and saw that the quarterback’s knee was down, which meant that play was over. They gave the ball back to the Aggies, who went on to score and tie the game. The game went to seven overtimes, and the Aggies won 74–72. It was the highest scoring game and one of the greatest games in FBS history.
Sometimes in life we do as Don did and turn the game off too soon. We think we’ll never get well, never meet the right person, never accomplish a dream. We tried, but it didn’t work out. It feels as though the opposition has won and is celebrating. They’ve already poured Gatorade on the coach. But it’s not over till God says it’s over. Go back and look again. You’re story doesn’t end in defeat but in victory. Along the way there may be some setbacks, times when it looks impossible, but God has ways you never thought of.
Over two thousand years ago, Satan and all the forces of darkness thought they had finally defeated Jesus on the cross. They poured the Gatorade and started their victory party. What they didn’t realize was Jesus had prophesied not only His death but His resurrection: “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up” (John 2:19). While the enemy celebrated, Jesus rose up, took away the keys of death and hell, and said, “I am He that lives. I was dead but I am alive forevermore.”
Whatever you face, God has the final word. Go back to those places where you quit believing and stir up your faith. Who told you it was over? That wasn’t the final word. You’re about to see God show out. There’s a sudden change coming. Sudden healing, sudden opportunities, sudden promotion, sudden breakthroughs. What you thought was permanent is about to change in your favor. You’re going to rise higher, accomplish dreams, and reach the fullness of your destiny.