Craig Clouston

 In Spite of the Giants

All the people we saw there are of great size.

Numbers 13:32

Bresden’s intention was to motivate his teammates. “We can win this game!” the senior point guard confidently claimed.

His teammates looked skeptical. One echoed their collective doubt. “We’ve never beaten them before. What makes you think we can do it tonight?” They were remembering the last two seasons, seasons in which this team had totally annihilated them.

“Look,” Bresden responded. “We’ve worked hard and played well all season! They’re not invincible. If we leave it all on the court, we can beat them!” You could see their confidence grow. “Let’s get Coach the win!” Bresden challenged. And with that, they took the court.

It was their best game of the season! The score changed hands fifteen times and was tied five. Nobody could remember seeing Tremont play with this level of enthusiasm. No matter what they threw up, their shots dropped. Basket after basket ripped the net—three-pointers, layups, it didn’t matter. It was so awe-inspiring that the crowd was on their feet for most of the game. When the final buzzer sounded, Tremont walked off the court victorious!

In his final game, Dan Bresden had inspired his team to greatness; they believed what he told them, and because they believed, they had come away with the victory.

†

What we believe has a tremendous effect on how we respond to adversity. Who we believe in matters even more.

When faced with imposing odds, we can be tempted to admit defeat before we’ve even entered the battle.

God sent spies to survey the land, not the enemy (13:1). Sadly, eight of the ten forgot that. All they saw was the size of the enemy. They lost all confidence in God’s ability to deliver the enemy into their hands.

God will never send us into a battle we can’t win. And it’s our responsibility to remember with Whose power we fight.

Nevertheless, all the pep talks in the world won’t convince us unless we first believe, “If God is for us, who can be against us” (Romans 8:31).

Prayer

“Anchor my faith in You alone, Lord. Keep my feet planted firmly for battle instead of ready to run. Remind me that with You I can stand against the fiercest enemy. In Jesus’ Name, amen.”