God's Coaching #169

God's Coaching #169

The 2010 NBA Finals renewed professional basketball’s greatest rivalry. Led by Kobe Bryant, the Los Angeles Lakers won an epic seven-game series against the Boston Celtics. Entering the 2010–2011 season, Boston and Los Angeles had a combined 33 championships (the Celtics held a slight edge with 17). The 2010 NBA Finals marked the 12th time the Celtics and Lakers faced off in the championship—a rivalry that started in 1959 when the Celtics swept the Lakers (then located in Minneapolis) in four games.

The two famous franchises tussled in the finals six times in the 1960s (with the Celtics winning them all) and three more times in the 1980s (with the Lakers taking two). In 2008, the teams renewed the rivalry as Boston’s Big Three of Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett, and Paul Pierce led the Celtics to another championship. But the Lakers got revenge in 2010. The rivalry has also featured great Hall of Famers like the Celtics’ John Havlicek, Bill Russell, and Larry Bird, and the Lakers’ Jerry West, Magic Johnson, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. As basketball rivalries go, it doesn’t get any better than Celtics and Lakers.

What’s the Score?

Did you know the Bible features an epic rivalry? It’s the showdown between God and Satan. But this rivalry is completely one sided. In fact, its outcome was determined ages ago. We read of Satan’s initial challenge to God in Isaiah 14:12-15, which describes Satan (also known as “the devil”) falling from his heavenly position because of rebellious pride. In Genesis 3, Satan helped introduce sin into the world by getting Adam and Eve to eat the Garden of Eden’s forbidden fruit. Satan is the “father of lies” (John 8:44) who attempts to deceive (2 Corinthians 11:3), attack (Ephesians 6:16), and accuse (Revelation 12:10) Christians.

With so many bad things happening in the world, it might seem as if Satan has won the battle. But that’s not true! Satan is a defeated enemy. Immediately after the Fall, God foretold Jesus’ defeat of Satan through the Cross (Genesis 3:15), and Revelation 20:10 clearly details Satan’s future doom. When it comes to God versus Satan, there is no rivalry. God is already victorious, which means Christians are on the winning team!

On the Ball

To learn more about God’s ultimate victory and Satan’s final defeat, read Revelation 19:11–20:15.

Coach’s Comment

The devil, who had deceived them, was thrown into the fiery lake of burning sulfur, joining the beast and the false prophet. There they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. Revelation 20:10