That phrase has deep meaning for the Christian athlete. The enemy could be the human opponent standing on the opposite side of the field. The enemy could be all the critics making ready to pounce on any little mistake one makes on the court. However, it is more likely to have to do with the athlete’s dependence on the Lord Jesus Christ to overcome Satan and all the temptations facing an athlete on his way to victory.
There are so many obstacles facing an athlete on his way to the gold. For one, there are the voices in his head about not doing things he should do in order to be prepared for the battle. The voices that says it is okay to skip practice or to hold back on practicing as hard as he can. Or, maybe the voices say that he is unable to do it so why bother . . . or go ahead and eat whatever instead of eating clean.
The Christian athlete has to remember that God is there for us and it is for Him that we compete. We compete to bring Him glory whether we win or lose. Therefore, we have the power to overcome everything the critics say about us through Christ. Through Him, we have the power to avoid temptation of not eating clean, or practicing or playing as hard as we can, or playing dirty, or cheating by not following the rules of our sport.
It is up to us as Christian athletes to stand with our Savior and tell the devil no. Our body, mind and spirit belong to the Lord . . . and in Jesus’ name, we will defeat the enemy.
Source: Ez as a nap