When Winning Looks Like Losing

You ever notice how people love to say, “We will not let them win”? Sounds tough, right? Only problem is—it’s also a little earthly. That line belongs in a boxing ring, not the Bible. In the world’s system, somebody’s gotta be first, and somebody’s gotta be last. But Jesus flipped that whole scoreboard when He said, “The last will be first, and the first will be last.”

So now what—how do you fight when the win doesn’t look like a win anymore?

Paul said, “Fight the good fight of faith.” Not the bad fight of ego. Not the loud fight of politics. The good one. The one inside your own heart—faith versus fear, grace versus guilt, love versus pride. That’s the real arena. That’s where the fight counts. Because our battle isn’t with flesh and blood. It’s not your neighbor, your boss, or the guy who cut you off in traffic. It’s with sin, Satan, and that little voice in your head that keeps trying to tell you you’re losing when you’re right where God wants you.

Jesus won by dying. Stephen won by forgiving. Paul won by singing in a cell. Heaven’s victories don’t look like highlight reels. They look like scars, prayers, and surrender.

So no, we’re not here to “make sure they don’t win.” We’re here to love anyway. To forgive anyway. To stay faithful when everyone else walks away. Because in God’s gym, you don’t need a trophy—you need a towel.

So maybe instead of saying, “We will not let them win,” try this one on for size: “We will not stop loving.” Because love already won.

That’s GG’s kind of victory.