Should We Pray to Win?

You play in the biggest game of the year tonight. You've trained all year – maybe all your life – for this moment. With victory would come deep satisfaction, perhaps some glory, maybe even financial gain. Defeat would bring disappointment and pain.

As you solemnly go through your pre-game routine, you stop for some personal reflection. Dropping your head, you talk to God. What do you say now? ‘Father, give our team victory,' or ‘Father, your will be done'?

In our Sports Channel poll, 67 percent of you said it is OK for an athlete to pray for victory in a game. My goal in this column is not to say whether that is right or wrong, but to help each of us scripturally and intelligently examine the issue. That is best done by reviewing what the Word of God says about prayer, and by considering the example of Jesus Christ. We will look at three passages: The model prayer (Matthew 6:9-13), The high priestly prayer (John 17), and Jesus' prayer in the garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:39).

In the model prayer, which was likely intended for corporate use (“Our Father”), Jesus first praises God, then prays that His will be done. Then Jesus prays for three things personally: 1) daily provision; 2) forgiveness; 3) protection. What does this mean to our prayer life? Must we pray exactly as Jesus did?

The ‘model' prayer is just that. It is an example, perhaps an outline, of how we should pray. Did Jesus reveal any selfish motives in his prayer? What was his first concern, after giving glory to God? Answering these questions may give us insight as to whether it is appropriate to pray for victory in a game.

In the high priestly prayer, Jesus' longest recorded prayer, we find Him praying for Himself, the disciples, and all believers, respectively. Since a prayer for victory in a game is a prayer for our self, we will examine that part only. Jesus prayed that the Father would “glorify” the Son for the purpose of the Son glorifying the Father. This was all prayed in accordance with God's perfect will being accomplished through His Son. The overarching theme, as in the model prayer, is the accomplishment of the Lord's will. That is accomplished through Jesus.

God the Father has various purposes He desires to accomplish through us. Interestingly, after Jesus asked the Father to glorify Him, the Father allowed Jesus to be murdered torturously. Jesus suffered an earthly defeat to accomplish a greater purpose.

That great purpose is accomplished for all mankind for eternity, to as many as will call upon His name, but other purposes in line with God's will may be accomplished through us. Perhaps in victory. Perhaps in defeat.

In the Garden of Gethsemane , Jesus prepared for the big moment, the event that would change eternity. How did he pray? It was short and to the point: “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.”

In my understanding of how I can pray with regard to success and failure in my life, this verse is crucial. Consider: Jesus was free to express his earthly desires to the Father. By all means, we are too! He knows what we want already. He is a loving Father. It is totally acceptable to say, “Here is what I desire.”

But what motive do we say it with? Jesus' motive is revealed when he says, “nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.” The attitude of our prayers is the key. If I vainly request anything for personal gain, without regard for God's greater purposes for me and through me, I believe I grieve the Spirit of God. But if I simply share the desires of my heart while keeping in the forefront of my heart and mind that God's purposes are not always known to me and are sometimes accomplish through failure and events I don't like, then I am in right standing with God. I must not only keep in mind His greater purposes, but I must voice to Him my desire that His will be done no matter what I want.