New year. New goals. Same God.
As I arose one morning, I heard in the spirit, “run the play”. I am familiar with the term from watching football, but I also heard, “run your faith.” In sports, team practice their plays over and over again. It doesn’t matter what team they are playing; the goal is to always run the play. Don’t ever deviate from the play. Teams run practice drills weeks ahead of games to ensure precision and accuracy.
It’s no different playing the game of life. God is the coach and we are the players. Hebrews 11:1 NKJV says, Now faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1 NIV, says now faith is the confidence in what we hope for and the assurance about what we do not see. Hebrews 11:1 NLT, says faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of what we cannot see.
All 2025, I would catch 1:11 or 11:11 on the clock. It happened so frequently that I started taking screenshots of it on my phone. I would catch it when my gas gauge was at 111 miles to empty; my change at the store would be 1:11; the countdown on the clock watching a game would be 1:11. This would happen to me every day. Initially, I didn’t know what it meant, so I asked God to reveal it to me, and He led me to Hebrews 11:1.
Hebrews 11:6 goes on to say, and without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who diligently seek Him.
To run the play, is to run your faith. As children of God, faith is the foundation of the inner works of our lives. It is the matter of all that we live and do. To live this life productively, we need faith and we have to have the courage to run the play. It takes courage to pray and move your feet. It takes courage to step out on faith. The timing will never be perfect; everything will never be perfectly in place. However, with perfected faith, courageous faith you can run the play. The only way to learn what is next is to move first. The chance you are looking for is by your faith. The door or window you are waiting to open is by your faith. The healing you are waiting for is by your faith. The breakthrough you are waiting for is by your faith. Everything you need or desire is connected to your faith.
Now is defined as the present time, in the moment. That means having faith in the moment, in the now. Even when the present time doesn’t look like what you thought it would have; even when all the pieces aren’t aligned. Faith is believing that my now will catch up with my faith.
The struggle that many of us face is that we are double-minded. We may believe for a season, and the minute things don’t align, we get frustrated, doubt walks in, and we give up. We start pondering the idea of forfeiting the promise because it isn’t happening according to our timetable. James 1:6-8 says But let him ask in faith without doubting; for he that doubts is like the waves of the sea driven by the wind and tossed. Such a person should not expect anything from the Lord; he is double-mindedand unstable in all his ways.
God wants us to have faith in the plan and run the play. Jeremiah 29:11says, I know the plan I have for you, declares the Lord, so run the play; a plan to prosper you, so run the play; not to harm you, so run the play; plans to give you hope, so run the play; and a future, so run the play.
The world teaches us that we have to always have a plan. The problem with always having a plan is that sometimes your plans and God’s plan don’t align. We often make our plans first and then want to invite God in. The key to a good plan is including God in all that you do and then as you plan, the Lord will order your steps.
As we end 2025, we know what doesn’t work, but as we begin 2026 let’s try God’s plan. With God, there is always a will and a way; you don’t have to negotiate between the two. The will of God and way of God can both be yours. You will not have all the answers, just run the play. You will not understand the setbacks and holdups, but I implore you, just run the play.
We’re running plays in faith all year long. We are no longer relying on our own understanding. We are consulting God, praying, and moving our feet. No more hesitation, overthinking, underthinking, and poor perspectives.
Gird up your faith and run the play.
I hope you have the most amazing 2026 and may God bless you in all your ways.
Blessings flow.