Victory 365

Daily Motivation for a Champion's Heart

Fellowship of Christian Athletes

• Publisher: Revell
• Year: 2016
• ISBN:
  9781493405237
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Religion

365-Day Devotional Encourages Athletes and Coaches to Take a Time-Out to Center on Their Relationship with GodEven as they strive for victory on the field or on the court, athletes and coaches can make strides toward richer spiritual lives. Growing in faith helps athletes and coaches grow as positive influences on the teammates, coaches, opponents, and parents around them. This 365-day devotional encourages athletes and coaches to take a time-out to rethink and re-center on their faith. Each entry opens with an inspirational thought and a related Scripture. A reflection question at the end of each entry helps the reader apply the lesson to his or her life as both a believer and a participant in the competitive arena.

Day 1
Let’s Go!

Jimmy Page

Ready   “Moses gave the men these instructions as he sent them out to explore the land. . . . ‘See what the land is like, and find out whether the people living there are strong or weak, few or many.’”—Numbers 13:17–18 (NLT)

Set   It’s common for coaches to use scouts to help them understand their opponents’ strengths and weaknesses. After God set His people free from slavery under the Egyptians, God told Moses to send out twelve men to scout Canaan—the land He had promised to them—and to come back with a report. After forty days, they returned with a full report.

Although the land was bountiful, there were also powerful men described as giants and fortified cities. The opposition looked unbeatable. But the reward for victory would be sweet if the Israelites would go for it. Ten men said, “No way!” Only two said, “Let’s go!”

Caleb and Joshua must have entered Canaan with optimism, believing they were gathering intelligence so they could take the land God had promised. Their faith was bigger than their fears. The other ten let their fears overwhelm their faith.

What about us? Will we shrink back when challenges come? Or will we rely on God’s presence, remember His promises, and go with power?

Go   If you were one of the scouts sent to Canaan, would you have said, “Let’s go!”? Why or why not?

Workout   Numbers 13; 2 Kings 6:8–17

Overtime   Lord, help me to approach every assignment You give me with optimism and enthusiasm. Help me to see the possibilities instead of the problems and say, “Let’s go!” Amen.

Day 2
Worship in Sport

Roger Lipe

Ready   “And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.”—Romans 12:1 (NLT)

Set   Time, concentration, and the intentional neglect of other pursuits are just a few sacrifices you make to compete in sport. Think of the physical toll your sport takes on your body. Bruises, and sometimes broken bones, are too often part of an athlete’s life.

As you experience such sacrifices, how conscious are you that these may be presented to God as holy, pleasing, and spiritual acts of worship? As surely as God is pleased with the service of singing in church, He is pleased with however you express your love for Christ in sport.

Part of presenting our bodies as living sacrifices is shaped by how we do it. Rather than squeezing into the world’s way of competition, our minds and hearts are renewed and transformed through study, fellowship, and prayer. In this daily process of sacrifice, our experiences in sport are fashioned into God-honoring worship. This enables us to wisely perceive the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God on and off the field of competition.

Go   What do you sacrifice daily as a part of your life in sport?

Workout   Colossians 3:23–24

Overtime   Father, the world of sport is full of Your grace and glory. My life is surrounded by Your merciful power. I revel in moments of quiet communion and in hours of furious activity. I commit this day to You. Amen.

Day 3
View of the Head Coach

Sarah Roberts

Ready   “God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God.”—Matthew 5:8 (NLT)

Set   There was a little girl in an art class who had a hard time sitting still and listening to the teacher. But one day, the teacher noticed the girl listening intently before she began to draw. As the teacher watched, she asked about her drawing.

“Erica, what are you drawing?” asked the teacher.

“A picture of God,” the girl replied.

“But no one knows what God looks like,” the teacher replied.

“They will in a minute,” she said.

As athletes and coaches, we need to ask: “What does God look like to me?” Is He a God I turn to only when I’m injured? Is He a God that I know will be there for me whether I win or lose?

Often, our views of God are based on worldly experiences:

• If our coach is harsh, so is God.
• If our teammates let us down, so will God.
• When fans love us, so does God.

The problem is that our focus is on the world instead of its Creator. As Christian athletes, we play for the One who loved us so much that He sent His Son to die for us. Our views of God shouldn’t be based on our performances or worldly praises, but on God’s perfection.

Go   As a Christian athlete, what words would you use to describe God?

Workout   Psalm 16:8; Psalm 103

Overtime   Lord, I trust You with my talents, my team, and my heart because You are good, loving, and faithful. Help me not to see You through worldly eyes, but through the eyes of Jesus. Amen.

Day 4
Quick Word of Prayer

Dan Britton

Ready “Never stop praying.”—1 Thessalonians 5:17 (NLT)

Set We say it all the time: “Let’s have a quick word of prayer.” The underlying message here is, “Before we get to the important stuff, let’s rush through the God stuff.” But prayer isn’t something to hurry through to get to the work. Prayer is the work!

Prayer was never intended to be confined to a pre-game blessing or the start of a meal. It’s a nonstop conversation. It needs to be the driving force in our lives because it’s our greatest weapon against the enemy and our greatest connection to the Father.

In 1 Thessalonians 5:17, Paul encourages us to pray without ceasing. He tells us to keep the lines of communication with God open at all times and to live a life of prayer. Jesus modeled and encouraged that by frequently getting away to pray, telling us to stay connected to the Father and to ask for things in His name.

If we want to live and compete at our potential, we must learn to pray. Prayer is what makes us, molds us, and matures us. It helps us handle every situation, on the field and off, with spiritual maturity and grace.

Instead of praying really quickly, let’s be quick to pray and watch Him work in and through us.

Go How can you be quick to pray without praying quickly?

Workout Ephesians 6:18; Philippians 4:6–7

Overtime Father, forgive me for praying quickly when I should be praying constantly. Help me to be quick to pray without hurrying through prayer. Teach me to pray, Lord. Amen.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Other Books from Fellowship of Christian Athletes
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Letter from the President
• Contents
• Introduction
• Day 1: Let’s Go!
• Day 2: Worship in Sport
• Day 3: View of the Head Coach
• Day 4: Quick Word of Prayer
• Day 5: Living On Purpose
• Day 6: Correct, Don’t Criticize
• Day 7: Attitude
• Day 8: Making a Contribution
• Day 9: Devotion: A Way of Life
• Day 10: Identity
• Day 11: Steadfast
• Day 12: What’s Your Go-To?
• Day 13: What’s at Your Center?
• Day 14: Ambassadors
• Day 15: You Matter
• Day 16: Lasting Integrity
• Day 17: Fight the Good Fight
• Day 18: Hold On to Hope
• Day 19: Our Identity in Christ
• Day 20: Vision Eyes
• Day 21: No “I” in Team
• Day 22: Rules
• Day 23: The Calling
• Day 24: What’s Your Purpose?
• Day 25: LOVE = U B4 Me
• Day 26: In It Together
• Day 27: In Tandem
• Day 28: Overcome Adversity
• Day 29: Free to Be Our Best
• Day 30: Community
• Day 31: Training Camp
• Day 32: Be Courageous
• Day 33: Breaking Free
• Day 34: Sweat Equity
• Day 35: Who Am I?
• Day 36: What Are Your Expectations?
• Day 37: Surprising Strength
• Day 38: Consumed by a Desire to Serve
• Day 39: Replacement Refs
• Day 40: Clear Vision
• Day 41: Pre-Game Speech
• Day 42: Training for Godliness
• Day 43: The Competitor’s Prayer
• Day 44: Play with Purpose
• Day 45: Discipline Is a Good Thing
• Day 46: Finish the Race
• Day 47: The Hustle Contract
• Day 48: God’s Game Plan
• Day 49: Fearless Perseverance
• Day 50: For the Glory
• Day 51: Pressure Release
• Day 52: Lean on Me
• Day 53: Everybody Loves a Comeback
• Day 54: Big Me, Little Team
• Day 55: Driven
• Day 56: Contagious Consistency
• Day 57: God’s Grace
• Day 58: Meekness Is Not Weakness
• Day 59: Play with Passion
• Day 60: AWEsome Attitude
• Day 61: The War That Rages On
• Day 62: Finding Time
• Day 63: Mirror, Mirror
• Day 64: Spiritual Muscles
• Day 65: It’s Who I Am
• Day 66: Dreams
• Day 67: Whatever
• Day 68: You Are What You Think
• Day 69: Jump In
• Day 70: The Examined Life
• Day 71: Right Place, Right Time
• Day 72: The Thankful Competitor
• Day 73: The Sweet Spot of Serving
• Day 74: Pick Me! Pick Me!
• Day 75: What’s Your Name?
• Day 76: Team J. C.
• Day 77: Influence with Integrity
• Day 78: How Would Jesus Compete?
• Day 79: The Leadership Secret
• Day 80: Fickle or Positive
• Day 81: Media Day
• Day 82: Linger Longer
• Day 83: Choosing Sides
• Day 84: What God Hates
• Day 85: All-In Sacrifice
• Day 86: Attitude Is Everything
• Day 87: It’s Not about You
• Day 88: Didn’t See It Coming
• Day 89: The Eternal Prize
• Day 90: One-Two Punch
• Day 91: Correction
• Day 92: It’s All Good
• Day 93: Soul Nutrition
• Day 94: Five Minutes
• Day 95: Putting It into Practice
• Day 96: In One Ear
• Day 97: Priorities
• Day 98: Be Careful, Stay on Course
• Day 99: The Path of Freedom
• Day 100: The Audience
• Day 101: From Fear to Free
• Day 102: Do the Deal, No Matter How You Feel
• Day 103: Priceless
• Day 104: It Happens
• Day 105: The New Four-Letter Word
• Day 106: Giving Your All
• Day 107: Believe
• Day 108: God’s Nutritional Plan
• Day 109: The Voice of Truth
• Day 110: Take Off Your Shoe
• Day 111: Resist the Devil
• Day 112: An Attitude of Gratitude
• Day 113: First Things First
• Day 114: Doing the Right Thing
• Day 115: Leader of the Race
• Day 116: Taking On Defeat
• Day 117: The Champion’s Learning Curve
• Day 118: Making Courageous Choices
• Day 119: I Was Wrong
• Day 120: What Are My Chances?
• Day 121: Wear the Colors
• Day 122: Not Made to Draw Back
• Day 123: Troubled?
• Day 124: Help!
• Day 125: The Win-Win
• Day 126: The Gap
• Day 127: The Squeeze
• Day 128: Power Play
• Day 129: Play the B.U.G.
• Day 130: The Green Team
• Day 131: No Excuses
• Day 132: Some Winning Advice . . . Guaranteed
• Day 133: Fundamentals for Success
• Day 134: Fire in My Belly
• Day 135: Submit. Who, Me?
• Day 136: What Compels Us?
• Day 137: The Challenge of Coaching
• Day 138: Desiring and Doing
• Day 139: Pre-Game Jitters
• Day 140: Effort
• Day 141: Measuring the Heart
• Day 142: Workout Partners
• Day 143: Where Is Your Focus?
• Day 144: Six Percent
• Day 145: After You Suffer
• Day 146: The Power of Joy
• Day 147: Remain in Me
• Day 148: Big Belief Brings Big Reward
• Day 149: What Pushes You?
• Day 150: Have Courage
• Day 151: The Ultimate Goal
• Day 152: Learning: A Lifetime Achievement
• Day 153: Overcoming Fear
• Day 154: Test Yourself
• Day 155: That’s Gonna Leave a Mark
• Day 156: What Will You Be Remembered For?
• Day 157: Think Before You Speak
• Day 158: Joy in Victory
• Day 159: Would You Rather . . . ?
• Day 160: Development
• Day 161: Punting into the Wind
• Day 162: Today Is a New Day
• Day 163: Constructive Criticism
• Day 164: Fear
• Day 165: Form Follows Function
• Day 166: Obstacles and Opportunities
• Day 167: Cheerleaders or Critics
• Day 168: True Success
• Day 169: One Way 2 Play
• Day 170: Sore Loser
• Day 171: Taking Care of Business
• Day 172: Salty
• Day 173: Self-Esteem
• Day 174: Give Me Credit
• Day 175: Don’t Make Excuses
• Day 176: Eternal Focus
• Day 177: Following the Rules
• Day 178: My Father’s Eyes
• Day 179: Who, Me?
• Day 180: A Given Victory
• Day 181: Team Player
• Day 182: Become a Cheerleader
• Day 183: Most Powerful Tool
• Day 184: The Play That Changes Everything
• Day 185: Don’t Mess Up a Good Thing
• Day 186: Right or Left?
• Day 187: God and the Apple
• Day 188: Speak Up
• Day 189: Tunnel Vision
• Day 190: Advantage of Adversity
• Day 191: A Bulldog’s Nose
• Day 192: Grieving with Hope
• Day 193: Looking Forward
• Day 194: Following Your Dreams
• Day 195: Buy In. Sell Out.
• Day 196: Commitment 101
• Day 197: Nibbled to Death
• Day 198: Quiet Gives Birth to Momentum
• Day 199: Protect the House
• Day 200: Rise Up
• Day 201: Finish Line
• Day 202: Single-Handed
• Day 203: Self-Sacrifice
• Day 204: Hooked Up
• Day 205: Playing for the Lord
• Day 206: Not What It Seems
• Day 207: No Knick Knocking!
• Day 208: No Pain, No Gain
• Day 209: Grace and Glory
• Day 210: Sometimes You Win, Sometimes You Learn
• Day 211: Higher Standard
• Day 212: Fighting for God
• Day 213: First Response
• Day 214: Leave Your Mark
• Day 215: Tossing Up a Prayer
• Day 216: Lasting Leadership
• Day 217: Looking Ahead
• Day 218: Followership
• Day 219: In Him
• Day 220: Fresh New Start
• Day 221: The Word
• Day 222: Setting an Example
• Day 223: Soul Food
• Day 224: Trust
• Day 225: Lost
• Day 226: Together
• Day 227: Game Face
• Day 228: One Thing
• Day 229: Trust in God
• Day 230: Remember
• Day 231: The Real Teachers
• Day 232: Eyes on the Target
• Day 233: Far More Important
• Day 234: Unconditional Respect
• Day 235: Learning from the Best
• Day 236: Praising God through Pain
• Day 237: My House
• Day 238: In the Zone
• Day 239: Know the Source
• Day 240: Jesus’s Jobs
• Day 241: God’s Love
• Day 242: What Do You Sow?
• Day 243: Every Day: Principle
• Day 244: Fuel to the Fire
• Day 245: The Right Choice
• Day 246: Not Top Ten
• Day 247: Put On Your Armor!
• Day 248: Seizing Opportunities
• Day 249: Hand in Glove
• Day 250: The Big Game
• Day 251: $10 Million Tongue
• Day 252: Encouragement
• Day 253: Grace and Strength
• Day 254: Failing?
• Day 255: We Are Family
• Day 256: I’m Tired . . . He’s Not
• Day 257: The Right Spot
• Day 258: Conformity
• Day 259: Sweaty Worship
• Day 260: No Fear
• Day 261: What Is at Your Core?
• Day 262: Winning Decisions
• Day 263: Brothers and Sisters
• Day 264: Tough Questions
• Day 265: Trash Talking
• Day 266: Teammates
• Day 267: A New Way
• Day 268: Mourning into Dancing
• Day 269: Positive Goals
• Day 270: Conquering the Idol
• Day 271: Opportunity through Scrutiny
• Day 272: Never Quit
• Day 273: Off-Season Work
• Day 274: Above Average
• Day 275: Commitment
• Day 276: Damaging Words
• Day 277: G-LOC
• Day 278: The Ultimate Pre-Game Meal
• Day 279: Your Focus
• Day 280: What Have You Done with the Son of God?
• Day 281: P.U.S.H.
• Day 282: Seeking Treasures
• Day 283: Horsepower
• Day 284: Forget the Past
• Day 285: Identity Theft
• Day 286: Courage
• Day 287: Process over Product
• Day 288: Change the Atmosphere
• Day 289: Start Today
• Day 290: Holy Hope
• Day 291: C’mon, Blue!
• Day 292: Through God’s Eyes
• Day 293: Confidence Building
• Day 294: Athletes and Purity
• Day 295: Jealousy
• Day 296: Lineman Mentality
• Day 297: Forget about It
• Day 298: Big God, Little Me
• Day 299: Disappointment in Competition
• Day 300: Start a Job. Finish a Job.
• Day 301: No Comparison
• Day 302: Play to Your Strengths
• Day 303: Keep the Light On
• Day 304: Focus Factor
• Day 305: Teammates of Integrity
• Day 306: Perfectly Imperfect
• Day 307: In Joy
• Day 308: Etc.
• Day 309: The Wrong Way
• Day 310: How Big Is Your Jesus?
• Day 311: Awestruck
• Day 312: Express Yourself
• Day 313: A New Heart
• Day 314: Whose Side?
• Day 315: Extra Hours
• Day 316: Coming Back after Injury
• Day 317: The Playbook
• Day 318: Time-Out
• Day 319: Rubber-Band Faith
• Day 320: Turtle on a Fence Post
• Day 321: From the Grandstand
• Day 322: The Ring
• Day 323: The Danger of Overconfidence
• Day 324: Call Time-Out
• Day 325: Patience
• Day 326: ’Roids
• Day 327: Exit the Roller Coaster
• Day 328: The Coaching Tree
• Day 329: TLINAU
• Day 330: The Plan
• Day 331: In His Eyes
• Day 332: Weakness Leads to Strength
• Day 333: Focus
• Day 334: Recharging
• Day 335: Competition: Our Mission Field
• Day 336: Grip It and Rip It
• Day 337: The No-Look Pass
• Day 338: God’s Fearless Warrior
• Day 339: The Lord’s Army
• Day 340: Little Things
• Day 341: Gold with God
• Day 342: Smack
• Day 343: Personal Best
• Day 344: The Power of Fear
• Day 345: Holding On
• Day 346: What Are You?
• Day 347: The Eternal Purpose
• Day 348: Get Up
• Day 349: Should Have Listened
• Day 350: Running the Race
• Day 351: You Can’t Tell a Ball by Its Cover
• Day 352: The Flying Scotsman
• Day 353: Fired Up
• Day 354: Leaving a Mark
• Day 355: New Beginnings
• Day 356: Talk Is Cheap
• Day 357: Step Up
• Day 358: The Priceless Gift of Serving
• Day 359: Beyond Sight
• Day 360: Leave It on the Field
• Day 361: Run to Win
• Day 362: H.O.T. Communication
• Day 363: Practice, Practice!
• Day 364: Stay Focused
• Day 365: The Relentless Competitor
• Devotions by Theme
• Acknowledgments
• Impacting the World through Sports
• Competitor’s Creed
• Coach’s Creed
• Back Ads
• Back Cover