When I was younger, I remember trying to learn to play chess. Each player has 16 game pieces: one king, one queen, two rooks, two knights, two bishops, and eight pawns (don’t worry I had to look that one up!)
The object of the game is to get the opponent’s king in an “inescapable threat of capture” – meaning the opponent has nowhere to move his or her king that it can’t be taken by the other player. When that happens, the opponent calls “Checkmate”. Game over.
Do you ever feel like you are playing a game of chess in life? Some days I feel like I take a step forward and then the devil knocks me back two steps. Or I feel like I am in a corner trapped or surrounded by negativity or sinful thoughts and temptations and the devil looks at me and says “Checkmate. Game over. You’re mine.”
Some days we just want to give in because it seems too hard to fight anymore. We’re tired physically or emotionally, mentally or spiritually. We start feeling sorry for ourselves. We whine and complain and wonder why others have it easier than us. It’s just not fair.
Checkmate.
When you fall into the “woe is me”, “why can’t I get a break”, “I’m just so tired”, “I’m gonna do it my way because it makes me feel better” mode, then the devil has you right where he wants you.
But, my friend, you are NOT in a Checkmate.
Paul tells us in I Corinthians 10:13 that “God is faithful and he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.”
We will not dare let the devil win this battle of feeling sorry for ourselves and being selfish and making it “all about me. ” When you get down and feel the devil yelling “checkmate”, you pull out the bigger King …..”you yell JESUS”. And then my friend…GAME IS OVER! We win! Every time!
