Last year, for the first time in 15 years, I found myself without a soccer team to coach. The Christian school where I had been teaching and coaching shut their doors, and, with the late notice of the closing, it was too late to find another team. Instead, I found myself on a different team—a team that was completely divided. I ran for State Representative in my town, and the eight candidates from my party chose to run as a team.

Throughout the election, I found myself praying to God for guidance and wisdom. I also spent a lot of time shaking my head and wondering, “What have I gotten myself into?” But through my years of sports training, I knew what teamwork was, and I knew what it was like to be a team player.

When I was a coach, one of the hardest things was getting my athletes to understand that improvement took place in the off-season. I would always get the same song and dance about their working hard during the season and needing the time off. Let me tell you something. Work ethic is a big deal to a coach. Athletes who put in the work are always better off in the end.

As Christians, I think we sometimes feel like it is our job to make sure all of our friends, family members and teammates come to faith in Christ. We spend our days trying to do all we can to be a perfect example—saying the right things and serving in the best ways in order to make sure we can have the best possible influence. We think that doing things for God is what our complete focus should be.

For the majority of my time in college, I didn’t have any Christian teammates on my basketball team. Because of this, I put pressure on myself to be in the Word, to go to church and to pray enough just so that I could see all of them at least start to pursue more of God in their lives. But I eventually came to realize that wasn’t God’s aim for me. Nor, is it the aim for any of us.

The University of Illinois men's basketball team appeared to be buried, facing a 15-point deficit with 4:04 left in their 2005 regional championship game against Arizona. Deron Williams started an Illinois rally with a 3-pointer, and then capped an amazing comeback with another 3-pointer to tie the game and send it into overtime. The Fighting Illini held on for a 90-89 victory propelling them to the Final Four for the first time in 16 years. "Everyone probably thought it was over," said Williams. "We kept believing."

How would you like to show up for your baseball game this summer, thinking you were playing the 9th grade team from across the county, and when you get to the game you realize you are facing CC Sabathia and the New York Yankees? I imagine that would be pretty tough. It always pays to know your opponent. However, our earthly opponent does not play fair.

God’s Word tells us about our opponent in life: the prince of darkness—Satan. In 1 Peter, he is described as a roaring lion seeking to devour. Ephesians tells us we are in a spiritual battle for our lives. Today’s verse teaches us we are not to be conquered by evil, and that we need to fight. Too many people try to fight through their own power and strength. To put it into perspective: Satan=evil and God=good.