THE GREATEST COACH

DAY 8 Winning Edge Devotions

JOHN 14: “15 If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.”

I loved playing football. I started as a Jr. 70 lb 2nd grader and played through two years of college, almost 14 years! During that time I had some incredible coaches. It was their awesome ability to influence me that led to my desire to coach. There is something about a coach that makes you want to please them and follow them.

I never saw these men as perfect, but I knew their words of instruction were helpful. They were invested in me and wanted me to be successful. I can still see a lot of them in my mind today. I was especially blessed to have some great coaches as role models for me. My high school coach was David Cutcliffe and I was honored to play at Alabama for Coach Bryant’s last season.

Coaches represent a standard and knowledge that we do not have yet. As much as I wanted to know the game, I realized that these men had experience and knowledge that I did not have. They also desired to impart in me their knowledge, and they took time every day to tell and train me in the ways of winning football. My respect for them and my admiration of them put me in a place of the willing apprentice. They did not restrict the flow of information; it was up to me to apply diligence and practice.

Without a coach, I can never move forward. There are some men who are disciplined enough to self-train and self-teach, but it is never as intense and fruitful as training under an expert coach.

In John 14, Jesus introduces the greatest coach of all time- God’s Holy Spirit!

It is very clear in this passage that the Spirit is a person. Think about it, as a believer in Christ, you have the awesome benefit of a ‘live-in’ coach! He is with you all the time and ready to help. Have you ever though about the tone of verse 15? For years I read it as a harsh command, like my mom telling me to clean my room. In later years, it seemed to sound more like a natural flow of feelings and actions. I love college football so I watch it. I love pizza, and I look forward to eating it with mouth-watering anticipation.

I love Christ, so I want to obey Him. It is not drudgery for me to follow Christ; it is an honor! I thank my Coach who helps me develop this mindset and attitude. We read later in the passage that the Holy Spirit is the one that convicts of sin and brings to remembrance the things of God. The Bible also makes it clear that the Holy Spirit is the distinctive between natural men of flesh who cannot know God and children of the Spirit who depend on and cry out to the Father. We can also grieve the Holy Spirit when we continue attitudes or actions of rebellion.

Ask God for a search today. Are you aware of His spirit within you? If you are struggling with that, take it up with God. The fact that you are wrestling with it is a good sign of the Coach at work! Then start acknowledging Him and ask Him to coach you on Christ and His ways. He has training aids to take you further than you ever dreamed possible.

Lord, thank you for sending the Spirit. Please allow me to be more sensitive to His training in my life. I realize that when I pray, it is His prayers that are engaged. Thank you for the gift of this coach!