… those who are wholeheartedly present, passionate, and pulsating in their pursuit of Him. (2 Chronicles 16:9)
Everyone wants an A-gamer on their team. The energy, determination, devotion, competence, and confidence with which these individuals face the challenges before them make them formidable forces to be reckoned with, often guaranteeing the success of their endeavors. As the term suggests, A-gamers are those who bring the best of themselves and their performance to the table. They don’t just show up physically, they are fully present each time and give their utmost in every occasion; never casual or careless in their demeanor. They give the best of themselves to the tasks they take on, relentlessly championing their cause to the point of irrefutable victory. They are typically undeterred in focus and resolution, and never settle for anything less than over-the-top output and outcomes.
Spiritually speaking, A-gamers are people who cultivate and maintain hearts of excellence toward God, giving Him the highest and the best of themselves, not for the sake of competitive sports, but for the gains of a competitive life.1 They compete against forces of darkness, adversities, and prior versions of themselves to attain the highest and best rewards a life of excellence in God affords.2
In his timeless classic and daily devotional My Utmost for His Highest, Oswald Chambers captures the attitude of a classic A-gamer in his rendition of Philippians 1:20-21. “It’s as if Paul were saying, “My determined purpose is to be my utmost for His highest – my best for His glory.” To reach that level of determination is a matter of the will, not of debate or of reasoning. … My Undeterredness for His Holiness. “Whether that means life or death, no matter!” (v.21). Paul is determined that nothing shall deter him …“
Spiritual A-gamers naturally evolve into Kingdom A-listers, although this is not immediately discernible to the average onlooker.3 Such people may often appear ordinary and unremarkable, typically lacking the celebrity characteristics4 customarily fawned over, yet in God’s eyes, they are noteworthy and compelling Kingdom stars5 on their way to resplendence!6
Classic Examples of Spiritual A-Gamers Who Engaged Attributes that Made them Kingdom A-Listers
~ Abraham, Isaac & Jacob – built altars/memorials of worship to God after every victory and encounter they had with Him.7
~ Rebecca – went the extra mile in demonstrating kindness and hospitality to a total stranger,8 expecting nothing in return, and became part of an eternal dynasty of A-listers.
~ Rahab – cultivated a deep reverence for God from what she had heard of Him and risked her life, family, and wellbeing to advance His cause, her bottom-of-the-barrel life transforming to glory and an A-lister progeny.9
~ Moses, David, & Daniel – cultivated deep intimacy with God in the obscurity of their secret place.10
~ Paul – the late-comer who became the New Testament frontrunner. His incessant press to know God more intimately and inclination for going over and above for Him (with a little help from his intensely driven and riveting personality!) distinguished him as one of the greatest influencers of all time.11
Less Obvious A-Gamer/A-Lister Examples
~ Joshua – kept lingering in the tabernacle of God’s presence to observe, get to know, and bask in Him. This marked him as Moses’ successor and one of Israel’s greatest generals & military strategists12 (not to mention my all-time favorite general).
~ The Gibeonites – foreigners originally marked for annihilation but who overwhelmingly transformed their trajectory by a healthy fear and reverence for God and His people. They intertwined their destinies with God’s chosen by indenturing themselves to serve them, so much so that God later advocated for them against His own people when the latter wronged them!13
~ Mary – said yes to God so His salvation plan could be birthed on earth despite the resultant shame and social stigma she would incur.14
~ Ruth – exhibited unparalleled devotion and loyalty to a mother in-law who had no capacity to reward her, thus incorporating herself into Israel’s genealogy. She became king David’s great-grandmother and one of the Messiah’s notable ancestresses, notwithstanding her status as an immigrant from a despised land!15
~ The Foreign Nationals who adopted God’s ways and other people who remained unmarried to serve His purposes – He gave them places of honor and prominence in His house as a perpetual memorial and legacy which surpassed any that children could confer.16
Historically, these A-gamers cum A-listers had one thing in common – they consistently went over and above in their heart’s honor and press for God, endearing themselves to Him and His purposes, changing the course of eternally-relevant history forever. They didn’t stop at an insatiable passion for Him; they took personal responsibility for their domains. They took on attitudes such as: “Not on my watch!” … “If it depends on me, it will not fail!“17 … “We are well able to take the land!” … “Knock ’em out!”
Friend, have you determined to bring your A-game to know, love and serve God? Have you purposed to take personal responsibility to make His beauty, name, and fame known in your sphere of influence? May your A-game living become a tremendous testament to His magnificence, and may your A-lister status give you a place and a name in Heaven’s Hall of Fame for eternal generations!
**For questions on how to get to know God personally, develop an A-gamer/A-lister pursuit of Him, or other inquiries, please email: [email protected]
For Your A-Gaming, Listing & Listening Pleasure 🎶
More Than This (CeCe Winans & Todd Dulaney)
https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=5lVwri-0cgM&si=xe7V211cngdJBeG2
You Are Yahweh (Phil & Matthew K. Thompson/Jubilee Worship)
https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=U4BSOXwCPBE&si=wzcNWcDq9p-VbVPH
Who Is Like You? (Dunsin Oyekan)
https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=4cPN3vOEmsI&si=oaVq5EBPgfq9PG8B
After All These Years (Todd Galberth)
https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=Ph2qjm1TIhc&si=qIRDJ4LCjz-_5eTJ
I Have A Savior (CeCe Winans)
https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=StTJcEPvVp4&si=jeLAwzXq4TpOOgf_
Bibliography
- 1 Corinthians 9:24-27; Hebrews 12:1-2; 2 Timothy 4:7-8 ↩︎
- Philippians 3:12-14; 2 Corinthinas 2:9 ↩︎
- 2 Chronicles 16:9; 2 Samuel 7:8-11; Isaiah 56:4-5 ↩︎
- Isaiah 53:2-3; John 1:10-11; 1 Peter 2:7; Acts 7:35-36; 1 Corinthians 1:26-29 ↩︎
- Hebrews 11:2-40; Zephaniah 3:17-20; Zechariah 2:8; Malachi 3:16-17; Deuteronomy 7:6 ↩︎
- Isaiah 60:1-3; Philippians 2:14-15; Matthew 5:13-16; 1 Peter 2:9 ↩︎
- Genesis 12:8; 13:4; 22:9; 26:25; 35:1 ↩︎
- Genesis 24:15-32 ↩︎
- Joshua 2:1-12 ↩︎
- Genesis 3:1-14; Exodus 33:7-22; 1 Samuel 16:11; 17:34; Psalm 78:70-71; 23:1-6; Daniel 1:8-16; 2:16-23; 6:10-11 ↩︎
- 1 Corinthians 15:8-10; Philippians 1:20; 3:7-14; Colossians 1:24 ↩︎
- Exodus 33:11; 24:13; Numbers 27:12-33; Deuteronomy 31:1-32:47 ↩︎
- Joshua 9:3-27; 2 Samuel 21:1-9 ↩︎
- Luke 1:26-38; Matthew 10:38-39; 16:24-26 ↩︎
- Ruth 1:8-22; 2:11-12; 4:11-16; Matthew 1:5 ↩︎
- Isaiah 56:3-8; Luke 2:36-38 ↩︎
- Quote by Apostle Joshua Selman of Koininia Global; 2025 Come Up Hither Conference, U.S.A. ↩︎