20 Things You Must Have To Receive A Miracle In 2014

http://youtu.be/paJWuS0VykY

For many of you reading this post the start of a new year does not bring much promise.  In fact, some of you feel a heavy, heavy weight on your shoulders during this Christmas season.  You feel weighted down by guilt, poor choices, debt, shame, pressure and broken relationships.  And the future doesn’t hold much promise either.

You need relief.  Dare I say, you need a miracle.  For those of you needing a miracle in 2014, this post is for you.

On June 18th, the Miami Heat defeated the San Antonio Spurs 103-100 in Game 6 of the NBA Finals.  It took a miraculous last-minute comeback by the Heat to send the game into overtime.  After Chris Bosh grabbed a rebound passed to Ray Allen, Allen hit a 3-pointer with 5.2 seconds remaining to force the extra session.

In the December 23rd edition of Sports Illustrated, writer Lee Jenkins looked back at this memorable game breaking down the last 28 seconds of the 4th quarter.  The lessons I gleaned from the personal accounts of the game’s participants are applicable to any person or leader needing a miracle in 2014.

The following 20 Things Leaders Must Have To Receive A Miracle In 2014:

1. To Receive A Miracle In 2014 You Must Work For It – Miracles smell a lot like perspiration.  You must work hard to receive a miracle.  San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich said, “He (Allen) does it all because he’s done it a million times before.”
2. To Receive A Miracle In 2014 You Must Be Desperate For Change – Miami Heat center Chris Bosh said, “Losing the Finals, players will tell you, is a little like being in a car accident.  Everything slows down.”
3. To Receive A Miracle In 2014 Surround Yourself With Encouragers – When all hope seemed lost, Bosh noticed his wife in the stands clapping for him.  He said, “I figured if she was still clapping, I could still do my job.” Leaders, who do you have clapping for you?
4. To Receive A Miracle In 2014 You Need Faith – While Bosh’s wife was clapping, thousands of others prematurely left the arena.
5. To Receive A Miracle In 2014 You Must Keep Moving Forward – Down 6 points, LeBron James missed a 3-pointer but his defender, Danny Green, floated down the court rather than staying with James.  Popovich noted, “Most important rebound of the game and we have a player who’s backing up.” Rather than backing up, James received a second open shot, nailed it, and the Heat were now down only three points.
6. To Receive A Miracle In 2014 Take Advantage Of The Resources Available To You – Allen quoted one of my most favorite sayings, “When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot”
7. To Receive A Miracle In 2014 Start By Getting Small Victories Under Your Belt – When James hit his shot, Heat general manager Andy Elisburg said, “Suddenly the energy in the building totally changed.”  The best thing you can do to begin reversing negative momentum is get a series of small wins under your belt.
8. To Receive A Miracle In 2014 Play To Your Strengths – The corners have the highest percentage of made 3-pointers.  This is where Allen would go to for his legendary shot.  To receive a miracle, rely on the things you do best.
9. To Receive A Miracle In 2014 You Need A Little Luck – San Antonio committed a series of uncharacteristic errors.  Missed free throws.  Failed defensive assignments.  Faulty rotations.
10. To Receive A Miracle In 2014 Remember What God Has Already Done For You – One of the best things Christian leaders can do is remember all God has done for them in the past.  Confidence flows from our memory.  Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra said, “We realized we’ve been here before.”
11. To Receive A Miracle In 2014 You Must Make Sacrifices – Bosh sacrificed his personal scoring for a number of other things necessary for the Heat to win.  Team executive Alonzo Mourning said, “He was making sacrifices that whole series.”
12. To Receive A Miracle In 2014 You Must Plan For It – Allen invented a drill which begins with him lying in the key, jumping to his feet, and backpedaling to the corner to hit his shot.
13. To Receive A Miracle In 2014 You Must Practice Daily Disciplines – Allen has always followed the same game day routine.  He begins  by eating chicken and white rice for lunch.  Then he arrives at the arena and begins shooting three hours before the tip.  Finally, Allen takes a short nap after the shoot around.  What disciplines are you doing on a daily basis?  Miracles (others call it “luck”) are when opportunity meets preparation.
14. To Receive A Miracle In 2014 Focus On Today – Failure is never final when you need a miracle.  Allen had made only one basket in the first 47 minutes and 55 seconds of the game.
15. To Receive A Miracle In 2014 Take Comfort In Knowing There Is A Plan For Your Life – Jesus Christ specializes in miracles and wants to tell an incredible story of His love through your life.  Ricky Wade, relative of Dwyane Wade, noted, “We got Ray Allen for a reason.”  You were made for a reason also.
16. To Receive A Miracle In 2014 You Should Know The Miracle Is Just The Beginning – Many people mistake a miracle for the finish line rather than the starting line.  The miracle is only the beginning.  It is what you do after the miracle that counts.  There were still 5 seconds remaining after Allen hit his shot.  James emphatically reminded his teammates, “We need to commit together to finish this game.  That shot is for nothing if we don’t focus here.”
17. To Receive A Miracle In 2014 You Must Remember Everything Involved In Getting The Miracle – Please be diligent in remembering everything and everyone involved in receiving your miracle.  Spoelstra feels in 20 years people will forget there were still 5 seconds remaining in the game and then an overtime needed.
18. To Receive A Miracle In 2014 You Must Believe You Will Get It – Heat forward Shane Battier said, “We needed a historic 30 seconds.  And we got it.”
19. To Receive A Miracle In 2014 You Cannot Quit – Sadly, many people (like the Heat fans) quit right before they are about to receive their miracle.  Ricky Wade told his son a timeless leadership truth, “Never turn your back on something important to you.  Stick it out until the end.”  Someone reading this post is about to quit.  DON’T!!!
20. To Receive A Miracle In 2014 You Must Be Willing To Be Changed Forever – The miracle you are going to receive will change your life forever.  Allen made an astute observation.  He said, “If we don’t win that game I’m probably not here right now.  This locker room is very different.  Bosh would be the scapegoat.  Spoelstra would be under fire.  James would be back in the public crosshairs.”  But they aren’t.  They received a miracle.  And so will you.

Please tell us what miracle you are praying for in 2014?

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