Trash Talk When people talk about Michael Jordan’s trash talking, they usually describe it as: Relentless Personal Strategic Backed up by performance It wasn’t random chatter — it was psychological warfare. In the enemy’s talk, there are lies and accusations that challenge identity based upon misinformation. While our spirit isn’t contentious, our nature needs to be competitive, taking everything personal, and applying every aspect of our triumph in Christ to every area of accusation. The lies come continually - overcome by: Revelation of identity Spoken declarations of reality Rev 12:10-11 (NKJV) 10 Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, "Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. 11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. David’s victory was far before the stone flew - it was in the revelation of his and his enemy’s identity and their bold declaration. 1Sa 17:41-47 (NLT) 41 Goliath walked out toward David with his shield bearer ahead of him, 42 sneering in contempt at this ruddy-faced boy. 43 “Am I a dog,” he roared at David, “that you come at me with a stick?” And he cursed David by the names of his gods. 44 “Come over here, and I’ll give your flesh to the birds and wild animals!” Goliath yelled. 45 David replied to the Philistine, “You come to me with sword, spear, and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD of Heaven’s Armies—the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 Today the LORD will conquer you, and I will kill you and cut off your head. And then I will give the dead bodies of your men to the birds and wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel! 47 And everyone assembled here will know that the LORD rescues his people, but not with sword and spear. This is the LORD’s battle, and he will give you to us!” In the Praise of the Lord there can be specific questioning of the opposition’s legitimacy. Psalms 114:1-8 (NLT) 1 When the Israelites escaped from Egypt—when the family of Jacob left that foreign land— 2 the land of Judah became God’s sanctuary, and Israel became his kingdom. 3 The Red Sea saw them coming and hurried out of their way! The water of the Jordan River turned away. 4 The mountains skipped like rams, the hills like lambs! 5 What’s wrong, Red Sea, that made you hurry out of their way? What happened, Jordan River, that you turned away? 6 Why, mountains, did you skip like rams? Why, hills, like lambs? 7 Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob. 8 He turned the rock into a pool of water; yes, a spring of water flowed from solid rock. When obstacles arise that would inhibit/prohibit progress, questions should rise about their past effectiveness. 1Co 2:6-9 (NLT) 6 Yet when I am among mature believers, I do speak with words of wisdom, but not the kind of wisdom that belongs to this world or to the rulers of this world, who are soon forgotten. 7 No, the wisdom we speak of is the mystery of God—his plan that was previously hidden, even though he made it for our ultimate glory before the world began. 8 But the rulers of this world have not understood it; if they had, they would not have crucified our glorious Lord. 9 That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.” Isaiah 41:21-24 (NLT) 21 “Present the case for your idols,” says the LORD. “Let them show what they can do,” says the King of Israel. 22 “Let them try to tell us what happened long ago so that we may consider the evidence. Or let them tell us what the future holds, so we can know what’s going to happen. 23 Yes, tell us what will occur in the days ahead. Then we will know you are gods. In fact, do anything—good or bad! Do something that will amaze and frighten us. 24 But no! You are less than nothing and can do nothing at all. Those who choose you pollute themselves. Areas of natural opposition need to be seen for what they are before the breath of God - are taken down in this declaration. 2Co 10:3-5 (TPT) 3 (3-4) For although we live in the natural realm, we don’t wage a military campaign employing human weapons, using manipulation to achieve our aims. Instead, our spiritual weapons are energized with divine power to effectively dismantle the defenses behind which people hide. 5 We can demolish every deceptive fantasy that opposes God and break through every arrogant attitude that is raised up in defiance of the true knowledge of God. We capture, like prisoners of war, every thought and insist that it bow in obedience to the Anointed One. To every thought that would demean and defeat - overcome by the talk of who we are vs who he is. Col 2:8-10 (NKJV) 8 Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. 9 For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; 10 and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power. Alive together with Him in His triumph over and disarming of every opposition. Col 2:13-15 (NKJV) 13 And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, 14 having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. 15 Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.