No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. (Romans 8:37)

“They did not play to win; they played to not lose; that is why they lost.”

Have you ever heard or read such an analysis from a sports commentator about a team that lost a crucial game?

Sometimes this is a reference to a team that played the game on the defensive, not willing to take chances on offence, for example. Or it could be a commentary on a team that was intimidated by the opposition and played with jitters.

Either way, clearly this is not the way to play the game.

Recently I heard someone say that an army with a reputation for success in war (e.g. Israel) has an attitude of planning to win every time, which sets them apart from another army that sets strategies in place designed to not lose.

They fight with the knowledge that they cannot afford to lose. They simply must win. They go on an all-out offensive that is designed to end in victory. They eliminate every possible factor that could result in victory for the enemy. And they exploit every weakness of the enemy with a strong offence.

Our speaker went on to point out how many followers of Jesus fight to not lose rather than to win. We either get so intimidated by the enemy of our souls that we dare not wield the weapons of our warfare. Or we get so caught up in defending ourselves that we fail to strike a deadly blow or go all out with the aim of winning.

The apostle Paul reminds us in this familiar passage from Romans that “we are more than conquerors.” There is no strand of defeat in the DNA of a follower of Jesus. We are winners, overcomers, warriors, through and through.

Paul also tells us in Ephesians 6:13 to “put on the full armour of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground.”Someone once pointed out that none of the weapons described in this passage are designed to cover our back. They all refer to equipment that we would wear when we fight face to face.

Yes, the breastplate of righteousness, the shield of faith and the helmet of salvation are designed to provide protection, but notice that the last item of the armour is the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

The reason for wearing the rest of the armour is to move forward wearing the shoes of readiness for the gospel and wielding the sword of the word. Once again, we see that the purpose for wearing the rest of the gear is so that we may be protected while we attack and win every battle over the enemy.

Because, you see, friends, we cannot afford to lose, either. We cannot even contemplate the possibility of the enemy winning. We cannot go with the attitude of “we win some, we lose some.” Our resolve is to win them all as Jesus did!

Dear DWOD friend, would you please take a moment today to assess how you are advancing toward your destiny? Would you characterize your approach as being more oriented to defence or offence? Do you fight not to lose or to win?

How soon you enter into your destiny could very well depend on your attitude. Remember: “You are more than a conqueror.”You fight to win…every time! Amen?