Striving To Win

Believe me when I say, I know. I’ve been there. But I’ve also been to Matthew’s Gospel which tells me,

Matthew 19:26

With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.

Vince Lombardi once said, “Winning is a habit and so is losing.”

Jeremiah 29:11

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. [win]

Proverbs 22:29

Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand [on the gold medal platform!] before kings; he shall not stand before mean men. KJV

Winners say: I have a plan.

Losers say: I have an excuse.

Winners say: Let me do it for you.

Losers say: It’s not my job.

Winners: See a solution for every problem.

Losers: See a problem for every solution.

Winners say: Hey Problem, look how big my God is.

Losers say: Oh God, look how big my problem is.

Winning does not make the attitude - the attitude makes you a winner.

Winners have a positive attitude.

Winners learn from their mistakes:

Set goals in your personal life, your business, your marriage, your ministry. Better yourself. If someone looks at you today, they should be able to see improvement over last year / month

Winners will always pay the price:

The value of your dream is determined by how much you are willing to pay for it. Michelangelo was not the best painter of his time. He had a bad back and a sinus condition. No one else was willing to do whatever it took to succeed. He laid on his back painting a ceiling for nearly 2 years and completed the Sistine Chapel. All the other “great” painters of his day are forgotten in obscurity.

In 1949, Jonas Salk wanted a cure for polio. He worked 16 hours a day, six days a week for five years and gave us the now-famous Salk Vaccine against polio. Jonas played to win.

Lou Gehrig played 2,130 consecutive games. Every finger in both hands was broken as well as him having 17 additional fractures in his body. But he played nonetheless. Of all the players in baseball history, none possessed as much talent and humility as Lou Gehrig. His accomplishments on the field made him an authentic American hero, and his tragic early death made him a legend. He played to win.

Michael Jordan, one of the greatest basketball players in history, played the 1997 Championship Game against the Utah Jazz with the flu even when he could have stayed at home. 40 million dollars is not what kept him on the floor. Michael played to win.

The principle: Pay now or pay later. If you pay now, you can play later. Losers play now and end up paying later. Winners pay now, so they can play later. You must determine what you value and the price you are willing to pay. To get something you want you must give up something else. You can’t sacrifice unless you have a choice.

Everyone wants authority without responsibility. The church is filled with people who want the benefits, the titles, the perks, but who don’t want responsibility. In God’s economy, there is no authority without responsibility. If you don’t take responsibility for your family, you don’t have authority over your family. In fact, the first mark of sin was failure to take responsibility. Adam said, “It’s not my fault ... you gave me the woman” (Gen. 3:12). Our sin nature always wants to blame others. TAKE RESPONSIBILITY! If your marriage is failing, take responsibility and get help. If your business is failing, take responsibility and get help. If your ministry is failing, take responsibility and get help. You have a choice. You’re not a victim.