Winning is Not Accidental — Pastor Adeboye Teaches Life Lessons from the Pitch to the Pulpit
By Exponent News, Akure — August 3rd, 2025
In a stirring message that blended life experiences with spiritual reflections, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye, has emphasized that winning in life is not a stroke of luck but a product of deliberate preparation, wisdom, hard work, and divine involvement.
Speaking during a Sunday sermon, Pastor Adeboye recounted his early days as a young footballer in the 1960s, where an unrelenting coach pushed his team beyond their limits, instilling a work ethic that would later shape his life. “Back then, we thought the coach was wicked. He would push us to break walls—figuratively—and made us train beyond what we thought possible. But today, I thank him,” he said.
Adeboye highlighted that a coach’s role isn’t to be a friend who accepts mediocrity, but a mentor who challenges one to excel beyond perceived limits. “A good coach is never satisfied with who you are today. He must push you until you question his sanity,” he noted, drawing parallels between sports coaching and life mentorship.
Quoting Proverbs 22:29, he emphasized that diligence is what elevates individuals to positions of honor. “Victory is sweet. We don’t give medals to those who merely participate; we reward winners. So, if you want to be celebrated, you must be prepared to win,” he declared.
He illustrated this with Nigeria’s 1996 Olympic football victory, recalling how the triumphant team was celebrated with a grand parade from the airport to Lagos. In contrast, when a team loses, they “sneak back into the country unnoticed.”
Speaking on rewards, Pastor Adeboye lauded the recent cash gifts and houses given by the federal government to Nigeria’s Super Falcons, but subtly questioned why coaches often get less recognition than players. “Without the coach, the team won’t succeed. Bless the coaches too,” he urged, eliciting a resounding “Amen” from the congregation.
He outlined three cardinal principles for being in a winning team:
1. Know How to Win
Winning, he stressed, requires wisdom. “Wisdom is the correct application of knowledge. Strength without wisdom is useless,” Adeboye remarked, recounting the legendary boxing bout where a clever Muhammad Ali outsmarted a much stronger Sonny Liston.
He humorously shared a personal story of how a lack of table manners cost him a life-changing opportunity during an exchange program selection at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. “We thought the dinner was just to eat. But they were observing how we used our cutlery. Some of us failed because we bit our bread instead of breaking it,” he said, underlining the importance of knowing the rules of success in every endeavor.
2. Work Extra Hard
Adeboye underscored that average effort only produces average results. “If you practice football for just 90 minutes because that’s the match duration, you won’t survive in extra time. Our coach trained us for 180 minutes daily. That’s how we were able to outplay teams who got tired after 90 minutes,” he recounted, referring to the first Nigerian University Games (NUGA) in 1965, where his university dominated the tournament.
He explained that success requires going beyond the minimum. “If you want to be a winner, you must do what others are not willing to do,” he said, drawing a parallel to spiritual discipline where he often fasts longer and prays more than the congregation he leads.
3. You Need Divine Involvement
Finally, Pastor Adeboye stressed that no matter how prepared or hardworking a person is, divine favor remains the ultimate determinant of success. Quoting Ecclesiastes 9:11, he explained, “The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, but time and chance happen to them all.”
He narrated a poignant story of a brilliant female sprinter who was destined to win a 100-meter race at the NUGA Games, but tragically fell just meters away from the finish line. “We had already counted that gold medal. She left the others far behind but tripped and lost. That’s why I say, it’s not by strength alone. You need God,” he concluded.
Pastor Adeboye closed his message by urging everyone to seek God’s mercy, reminding them that while effort and preparation are vital, victory ultimately rests with God. “It is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God who shows mercy,” he declared, referencing Romans 9:16.
The sermon, laced with humor, personal anecdotes, and scriptural insights, resonated deeply with the audience, leaving them with a renewed understanding that success in life mirrors the dynamics of sports — it requires preparation, perseverance, and above all, the grace of God.
