Have you ever played sports at a high level of some kind? If you have, then you know what I mean by “trash talk”.
Trash talk is the chirping that goes on between competitors in an attempt to psych each other out.
Dictionary.com defines trash talk as, “disparaging or boastful language used especially to demoralize or intimidate opponents”. Classy players don’t use trash talk. It’s the players who lack class who typically engage in trash talk.
It is solely meant to throw an opponent off his game so he can be beaten.
If we traced the history of trash talking I have no doubt we would discover that one person lifted this competitive strategy to an entirely new level – boxer Mohammed Ali. Ali was the king of trash talk. He would belittle and berate his opponents prior to the fight and during the fight. He would make up songs, he would make up rhymes: all in an attempt to anger his opponent and throw him off his game.
He would give his opponents a nick name and mock them incessantly. For the 1975 Thrilla in Manilla fight with Joe Frasier he called Frasier the “Gorilla”. He made up a rhyme and repeated it ad nauseam,
“It will be a Killa and a Thrilla and a Chilla when I get The Gorilla in Manila.”.
He would trash talk during the fights as well. It is widely believed it was his rope-a-dope technique combined with relentless trash talk during the 1974 Rumble in the Jungle with George Foreman that lead to Ali’s victory. He’d cover up, lean against the ropes and let Foreman tired himself out punching him. Ali would tie up Foreman to rest and whisper in his ear,
“They told me you could punch, George! They told me you could punch as hard as Joe Louis. That all you got, George?”
The trash talk infuriated Foreman, got him off his game, he tired himself out with wild punches, and opened himself up to Ali’s potent offense. Ali won the fight, though considered a significant underdog.
If we continue to go back to trace the history of trash talk we’ll discover Mohammed Ali is not the king of trash talk, Satan is. He invented it.
A very good friend of mine was recently asked to share his testimony at a large corporate event. My buddy is a good communicator and has spoken publicly many times. He typically talks about business though. This time was different, and so was the opposition. He called me to talk and to pray together. He couldn’t get his thoughts straight, he felt overwhelmed, insecure and unqualified to speak. When we talked again after the event he felt terrible about what he did, questioned if he added any value, and really felt like he blew it.
Demonic trash talk.
Just like Mohammed Ali trash talked his opponents to get them off their game in order to beat them, so our spiritual enemy trash talks to get into our head, get us off our game, get us to question our value, and get us to embrace insecurity, fear and timidity and ultimately concede defeat.
If you were a boxer or MMA fighter whose opponent was trash talking would you agree with them and concede the fight? No, of course not. On the basketball court, hockey rink, or football field would you quit playing just because a member of the other team taunted you…
“You don’t have what it takes to be here. You don’t belong here. Get off the field and leave this to real men – not wimps like you. Who do you think you are? You got nothin’!”
Of course you wouldn’t!
You would ignore the opposition’s taunts and play your game. You would shut him up by playing your best, focusing on what’s true, and working with the team toward victory.
We have to do the same in life. Our spiritual opposition trash talks incessantly in an attempt to put us off our game. Don’t cave in to the trash talk. Ignore it, counter it with the Truth and work with your team toward victory.
Recognize demonic trash talk for what it is: a ploy to get you off your game by an opponent who is intimidated by who you are in Christ.
John 8:31, 32
“To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, ‘If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.’”
John 8:44
“You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.”
Revelation 12:10
“Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: “Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ. For the accuser of our brothers, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down.”