Strengthening the Offensive Line

Let's say that you are the quarterback for your football team. You have been playing hard for three quarters. Your line is not holding as well as it was, and you are getting tackled more than you like. What do you do?

When a quarterback gets tackled behind his line, a wise coach strengthens his offensive line. In the trials that come our way, you are the quarterback. The Lord Jesus is our coach. The offensive line consists of the people, verses and words that the Lord has given us during our particular trial or "game."

Usually, trials last longer than our energy level can sustain them. Our line grows weak. Verses from Scripture that the Lord gave us at the beginning have worn thin. Fellow teammates who carried the load with us have too grown weary along side us. The game is not over, what do you do? Recently, this happened to me. The Holy Spirit, blessedly, guided me to a friend who said, "Strengthen your offensive line." I asked what that actually meant.

I drew out an offensive line diagram in my journal where I recorded what the Lord is teaching me. I wrote down what had been working as my offensive line against the wiles of the enemy. I began to realize ,y line was tired and and that calling that particular friend was like changing out a player. It was putting someone fresh on the line while the others that had blocked for me could rest for that moment. Just like a coach in the game, he switches out players so the freshest source of strength is available to secure a victory.

Another way the Lord showed me to strengthen the offensive line was to find new verses that were from the Lord," I let former verses rest. These new verses leapt into the game, and the difference was almost immediate.

Our battlefield (game field) is in the mind. In the midst of trials, the warfare rages in our minds. The Word of the Lord is powerful. It bathes our thinking. A bath washes away the dirt and grime of the lies with which satan slimes us. And, it is refreshing to change out the bath water each day. There are other promises in Scripture that will strengthen us. There are other people that the Holy Spirit will use to block those lies for us by defending us with God's truth.

You are God's quarterback in the present situation. Bless your line of players. Bless the people and verses that make it possible for you to pass, hand off, or run His plays. When you begin to get jostled more than you like, check your line. Players may need to be switched out - tired ones for fresh. "Thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."

Blessings,
Father Scott +