You Are No Messi, but Look to Jehovah Nissi

World Cup fever is here again. For one month, millions of football fans’ attention will be fixed on football’s grandest stage to watch this beautiful game. In December 2022, the world watched Lionel Messi finally lift the World Cup trophy after 16 years of heartbreaks, disappointments and near misses. For many Argentinians, he became the hero who led them to victory.

Back then, I was rooting for England to lift their second World Cup title. English Premier League stars like Harry Kane, Bruno Fernandes and Hugo Lloris carried the hopes of their nations, whilst the debate remained over whether Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi was the “GOAT”.

If we are honest, many of us live our lives trying to be Ronaldos or Messis. In our own way, we feel responsible for fixing every problem, winning every argument, carrying every burden, and proving ourselves through every success. We want to be the hero of our own story.

But God never called us to be the hero. He called us to follow the Hero – Jesus. To be a faithful follower of Christ and fight our battles effectively, here is our playbook:

1.Not Every Battle Is Yours to Fight

When Israel faced the Amalekites, Joshua fought on the battlefield while Moses stood on the hill with his hands raised before God (Exodus 17:8-13). Both had a role, but neither tried to do the other’s job.

As a civil litigator, I’d been trained to test every issue raised by the opposing party. I remember a trial when I had to cross-examine an expert witness. But rather than challenging his credentials unnecessarily, I chose to focus on his report, which was successful in helping my client in the end.

Sometimes our greatest struggle is not fighting too little but fighting too much. We fight for recognition, we fight to defend our reputation, and we fight battles that God never asked us to fight. Yet Scripture reminds us: “The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still” (Exodus 14:14). Wisdom is knowing which battles belong to us and which belong to God.

2.You Don’t Have to Carry Everything

Messi did not win the World Cup alone. Behind every goal, tackle, save, and victory stood teammates who shared the burden. Likewise, God never intended us to carry life’s burdens alone: “Two are better than one… If either of them falls down, one can help the other up.” (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10)

More importantly, we were never meant to carry burdens that belong to Christ. Many of us are exhausted because we are trying to be saviours instead of servants. At one point in my life, I felt responsible for taking my mother to all her hospital appointments, even when I was busy. My wife would encourage me to reach out to my brother for help, and truth was, he was more than willing to! I learnt that I didn’t have to carry that responsibility alone and sharing the load allowed us to care for our mother together.

3.The Right Battle Is Fought in the Right Way

The world teaches us to fight harder, push further, and depend on ourselves. Jesus teaches something different. In Gethsemane, facing the greatest battle in human history, He did not charge forward in self-confidence. Instead, He knelt in surrender to His Father’s will to be done instead of His own will.

My wife and I have our differences in raising our Gen Z/Gen Alpha daughters. Mine is a “wait and see” approach, giving them time and space to learn, whilst my wife prefers to address the issue immediately before it becomes a larger problem. Such differences can become a battle over whose parenting approach is better.

Yet over the years, I’ve learned that not every disagreement needs to be won. Instead of insisting on one way, we can surrender the situation to God through prayer. Often, the issue is not whether we act now or later, but whether we are responding with God’s wisdom rather than our own preferences.

4.Lift the Right Banner Above the Battle

After Israel’s victory over Amalek, Moses did not celebrate Joshua’s military skill. Instead, He built an altar and called it Jehovah Nissi – The LORD Is My Banner. Likewise, our confidence is not found in our own intelligence, experience, influence, strength or achievements. It is not our banner, but God’s. Often, the question is not whether are you strong enough, but under whose banner are you standing?

Reflection

Messi lifted a cup and fulfilled a lifelong dream, but Jesus took a cup and fulfilled His Father’s will. One cup represented earthly glory, while the other led to the cross and brought eternal salvation. As you think about the battles you are facing today, pause and ask:

• Am I fighting a battle God has called me to fight?
• Am I relying on my own strength or God’s?
• Is there a burden I need to surrender to Christ?
• Am I seeking my own victory, or am I seeking obedience?

Perhaps the greatest act of faith today is not to fight harder, but to kneel and surrender your battle to God. He can fight through you when you are called to make a stand, and fight for you when you are called to trust. Follow His lead, for He alone is your Banner.

About the Author

Rudeen Chua makes a living practising law but makes a life with Grace and their 3 wonderful daughters. He is passionate about discipling men and also serves as premarital counselling (PMC) counsellors with his wife. He has a soft spot for underdogs, which explains his love for movies like Cool Runnings, Real Steel and A Few Good Men.

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