Day 21 of 21 Days of Prayer. Pass Interference. By now, you may have heard or seen the news about the controversial missed call by a referee in a recent football game between the New Orleans Saints and the Los Angeles Rams. It was a disappointing loss for the Saints and because this game determined which team would play in the Super Bowl, it was an incredible win for the Rams.

Now, today's post is not about football or the NFL, but rather, it is about the call that was missed. It's called "pass interference" and is defined as happening when "any act by a player more than one yard beyond the line of scrimmage significantly hinders an eligible player’s opportunity to catch the ball." When that happens, it is a violation of the rules and results in a penalty against the one who committed the foul.

The parable of the Sower illustrates pass interference quite nicely.

As Jesus was explaining the parable in Mark 4:15, he said, "And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts."

In each instance that Jesus describes a type of hearer, He explains how something occurs to interfere with the Word that was heard.

You have heard something ~ a vision or a goal ~ that the Lord has meant for you. But just as the ball is about to be caught, something immediately interferes to intentionally stop you from accomplishing the vision. That's spiritual pass interference and we want you to take steps to overcome when it happens.

1. THE INEVITABLE. In your journey to reach your goals, know that pass interference is inevitable. In the words of Antonio Brown, wide receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers, "The journey is never ending. There's always gonna be growth, improvement and adversity; you just gotta take it all in and do what's right, continue to grow, continue to live in the moment." Read I Peter 4:12.

2. PERSEVERE THROUGH PASS INTERFERENCE. It may slow you down but it cannot stop you. When you face opposition, adversity and difficult times, don't throw your hands up and quit.. Press on because the only ones who win are those who keep playing the game. Persevere.

3. OPPORTUNITIES PRECEDE PASS INTERFERENCE. Use pass interference as motivation to believe in God's belief that you can do It! Think about It! You can't have interference unless the Quarterback has enough confidence in you to pass the ball to you. If interference keeps knocking at your door, it is because God keeps sending opportunities your way. God knows you can complete the play. Satan knows it too. But in order to make the catch, you must also know by faith.

4. BECOME UNSTOPPABLE. Let pass interference make you better. Remember the old saying, "No pain, no gain"? That is what happens when a player learns how to catch the ball no matter how hard the defense tries to interfere. Do you want to become unstoppable? Well, the more interference you experience the more skilled you will become. According to Proverbs 22:3, "The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and pay the penalty. (NIV)" in other words, prudence will kick in and you'll begin to win.

PRAY THIS PRAYER ALOUD

Dear Lord, there have been days when I could tell that things were working against me and it discouraged me. But now I understand that it was just pass interference. Thank you for entrusting me with vision, dreams and plans. From now on, I will press in and persevere through adversity. Nothing will stop me because I walk by faith and not by sight. I am unstoppable. Greater is Jesus in me than he that is in the world and therefore, in spite of circumstances, barricades, obstacles and interruptions, I am more than a conqueror through Christ who strengthens me! In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen!

~Inspiring Hope and Seasoning Faith, Pastor Sean