Meet Aaron Graft

One of the low points in my life was losing the state championship football game my senior year in high school. We were playing at Owen Field in Norman, which seemed huge (you could fit the population of my entire hometown in the seats about eight times over). We lost that day because we played against a superior opponent. Despite our best efforts, we lacked the physical ability to stop the other team, which was bigger and faster than we were.

As a 17-year-old kid, the idea of winning state was a very big deal. As a 32-year-old father, husband, and Christ-follower, I have a better perspective on what really matters. As a believer, nothing matters more than fully participating in God's plan for my life. Luke 11:23 makes it clear that there are no neutral believers; we either gather or scatter. 

The problem is that, just like in the football game, we have a "strong man" as our enemy (Luke 11:21). Peter describes him as “a roaring lion” who is on the prowl looking for someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8). Our opponent is both a lion and a sweet seductress who knows us better than we know ourselves. He wants to defeat us at all costs. We cannot rely on our own abilities against such an enemy. We cannot achieve "peace for our time" by appeasing Satan the way Chamberlain attempted with Hitler. Satan will destroy us if we try to make peace with him. That is why Christ says that we must take a stand for Him. We must hold firm through the power of the Holy Spirit (2 Timothy 1:13-14).

Thankfully, I never had to watch the game film from our state championship game. We all, however, will watch the game film of our lives in front of our Creator and Savior (Romans 14:12; 2 Corinthians 5:9-10). The victory is ours through the power of the Holy Spirit, but we must fully surrender to Him and place the pursuit of God's glory above the gratification of our flesh. Don't wait—the game clock is running!