I love football, and we are getting close to the end of both the college and professional seasons. Lots of work has been put in, but come September, all the records get erased, everything starts over, and everyone will begin the season undefeated. No matter what happened the year before, each team gets another opportunity to be undefeated. But that’s not the way it is with God.
God is undefeated. Has always been undefeated, and he will remain undefeated.
I was studying a story I love out of 1 Kings. It is when Elijah goes up against the prophets of Baal, King Ahab, and Jezebel. God had called Elijah to be his prophet, but the situation was dire. This is the national championship game, and Elijah is going up against Ahab’s prophets of Baal. He says, “Hey, let’s have a contest and see who can call down fire from heaven,” and they’re like, “You’re on.” The prophets of Baal spend all day trying to call down fire, but nothing happens. Elijah taunts them all day long. He says, “Maybe your God’s in the bathroom. Maybe he can’t hear you.”
Then it was God’s turn to act.
1 Kings 18:30 says, “Then Elijah said to all the people, ‘Come here to me.’ They came to him, and he repaired the altar… He arranged the wood, cut the bull into pieces, and laid it on the wood. Then he said to them, ‘Fill four large jars with water and pour it on the offering on the wood. Do it again,’ he said, and they did it again. ‘Do it a third time,’ he ordered. The water ran down around the altar and filled the trench.” The clock is running out and Elijah sets him up in the worst situation. Not only does he have to call down fire from heaven, but he’s completely wet down the altar. There’s water in a trench around it. I’m thinking, “Oh my goodness, is God going to lose this?”
Then in verse 38 it says, “Then the fire of the Lord fell and burned up the sacrifice, the woods, the stones, and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench. When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, ‘The Lord- He is God! The Lord- He is God!’ Then Elijah commanded them, ‘Seize the prophets of Baal. Do not let anyone get away!’ They seized them, and Elijah had them brought down to the Kishon Valley and slaughtered there.”
This is an undefeated God. This is our undefeated God.
As you go into 2021, how are you feeling? Do you feel like it’s 4th and 30, and there’s 2 seconds left on the clock, and there’s no way you’re going to win? Guess what? Your God is still undefeated.
Where are you in your relationship with him? Where are you in your communication with him? Where are you in understanding what he’s doing? Because he is winning right now. God is moving right now. All we need to do is reach out to him. All we need to do is touch base with him. God is undefeated. He continues to be undefeated. Do you have faith in him? Our God is so big, and he invites you into this life.
He’s still undefeated.