"It's Time to Play Defense"

Scripture: "Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us." -2 Timothy 1:14, NIV

On this past Sunday, my wife and I witnessed the completion of one of the wildest games in the NFL season. This game pitted the undefeated New Orleans Saints versus the 3-8 Washington Redskins. Throughout most of the game, Washington had it under control and was on the verge of winning the game. They had a 30-23 lead and they had set up to kick a short field goal. However, when the field goal attempt took place, the kicker kicked it wide to the right of the goalposts. This gave New Orleans the opportunity to potentially score and send this game into overtime. The only thing Washington had to do was play defense and protect their lead. Five plays later, the Saints were in the end zone and the game was tied at 30. The game went into overtime and New Orleans got the game-winning field goal they needed in order to win and remain undefeated. Within the Kingdom of God, He has blessed you and I with some awesome things. He has blessed us with awesome pastors, great friendships with our fellow man, and other things. However, as God has blessed us, He also wants us to protect what He has given us. How do we know He wants us to play defense? Let's examine the text that's before us.

2 Timothy serves as the focal book of today. This book was the second installment from the Apostle Paul to his son in the Ministry, Timothy. Throughout the two letters Paul wrote to Timothy, he was giving him encouragement in his walk with God, allowing him to understand the characteristics of the last days, to consistently preach whenever people do and do not want to hear it, and other things. Within today's chapter, Chapter 1, Paul encourages Timothy to be faithful to the God he served. Within this encouragement, we find Paul telling Timothy and us what to defend and how to defend it.

Paul tells Timothy first to "guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you". King James said to guard "that good thing". Amplified Version said to "Guard and keep [with the greatest care] the precious and excellently adapted [Truth] which has been entrusted [to you]". Ladies and gentlemen, the "good thing" here is God's truth. If truth were told (no pun intended), we receive the truth every Sunday morning through the preached Word of God. We receive the truth every time we read God's Word for clarity. We receive the truth every time we commune with God and listen to His voice. This truth has been entrusted to you and to me. It's on us to guard it and play defense against the enemy. The Bible makes mention that we should "be sober and be vigilant, because our adversary the devil, is out to seek whom he may devour". When we have this truth on the inside, we ought to protect it. We ought to preserve it. Doesn't God deserve from us our best and for our seeds to stay in the ground so they can further grow? How do we play defense with the truth God has entrusted unto us?

The answer is found in the conclusion of this text. Paul tells Timothy and us to "guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us". If you are a living creature who loves God with all of their heart, soul, and mind, then that means you possess a Spirit and not just any Spirit, but the Holy Spirit, the one that leads and guides us in all things. With the Holy Spirit residing in you, allow Him to dictate to you how to protect yourself and play defense against the enemy. Sometimes, defense may be prayer. Defense may be fasting. Defense may be leaving your "friend" alone. Defense may be the need to stop spending money. Defense may be ducking/dodging arguments. Whatever defense the Holy Spirit tells you to play, follow Him and the play He calls so the enemy (the Devil) cannot still your good deposit!

In closing, if the Redskins could have played effective defense against New Orleans, then the Saints would have a loss. However, the Saints' offense found a way to get down the field, score the game-tying TD, and eventually, the game-winning FG. Do not allow the enemy to drive down your field and take away victory from you and the good deposit that God has placed in you! Get into your prevent defense (praying, fasting, reading God's Word, etc.) and stop the enemy dead in his tracks! You can stop the enemy if you listen to your defensive coordinator, the Holy Spirit!