1.    AGGRESSION

INTRODUCTION

And whatsoever you do, do it heartily as to the Lord and not unto men. (Colossians 3:23-24)

Aggression is a quality of anger and determination that makes you ready to attack. It is a violent characteristic. This must not be taken in its negative form in this case. In life you need to be aggressive in order to achieve your goals. The type of aggression that is under discussion is not one that can be labeled as careless violence that leads to emotional injury to others but the zeal to act so as impracticate the faith we have in ourselves, teams and organizations.

Now you have passion and faith but still you need aggression. We cannot live life as beggars with passion and faith. We must be prepared to act viciously so as to achieve our goals. In my teaching of basketball, I have always said that aggression is the only way you can show that you badly need to win. This means you will play or work harder than your opponents. If you are not aggressive, you have nothing to show for your need.

THE HUNGER

Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other, let us show the truth by our actions. (1 John 3:18)

If you have passion and faith, you now need to demonstrate that you are hungry for success. This hunger must be highlighted by some ‘business tone’ in your undertaking. We must be able to see some Eleazaar in the battlefield slaying the Philistines with unchecked aggression. Put your enemy, opponent or setbacks at the back foot, even the devil, yes you need to be aggressive enough to prove that you need success more than anyone else. Action is the most crucial part, which is the only way we will get to know that you have the hunger to succeed. Aggression means putting our passion into practice than just making noise about being passionate without showing it.

I can recall telling my players that they are not supposed to concentrate on doing great war cries when on the court they do not show that they are at war at all. We call that lip service. We need to show the quality of what we claim.

PLAY FAIR

I have emphasized to my players that aggression does not mean that you must win by hook or crook. Aggression means you must play vigorously but fairly. In life many are tempted to try and achieve their goals by hook or crook. Play it fair but show your passion and through your faith, declare and through action, aggressive action take what rightfully belongs to you.

DECLARE

Elijah was a man of action who is popular for his petrifying act of slaying the prophets of Baal. This was more of an anti-thesis of what was happening in the times whereby the prophets of God were the ones who were being slew. Such is the nature of aggression this generation needs to succeed. In 1 Kings 17:1 he declared to Ahab that there was going to be a serious drought and it did come to pass.

This generation of ours is no season for kind requests even to our God. We need to make declarations and tell God that we badly need to succeed. Remember Jacob wrestling with the angel? He declared that you will not go unless you bless me. He received the blessing. This is called aggression. He was badly in need. He had faith and was passionate about receiving the blessing since it mattered and showed that he was badly in need.

When the Ethiopian eunuch was coming from a religious pilgrimage, he met Philip (Acts 8:26ff) who explained the meaning of the scripture he was reading. Upon coming to certain waters the eunuch said, “See, here is water, what doth hinder me to be baptized?”(Acts 8:36) Phillip told him that there was nothing that could hinder him from being baptized. This is because the Ethiopian took the initiative and the chariot had to be stopped. This is being aggressive. When you are aggressive, you can forward an argument that no one has answers for except to comply with your declaration.

GOD FIGHTS ALONGSIDE YOU

In the Old Testament, God was called the Lord of hosts because he was a God of action. A combatant God, who would fight alongside his people. Action is crucial, passionate action coupled with belief. I have always said to my players when they are not aggressive enough;”Can you show me the reason why this match is a contest.” I need to see my players hustle. Hustling is defined as attempting to gain advantage by using dishonesty or illegal methods but in our case here it entails being practical, some kind of workaholic people  who work through difficult situations and still make it.