Full Park
- AfraOpoku
- July 6, 2026
- Uncategorized
- 0 Comments
It’s World Cup season.
Depending on where you are, it’s the period of high nerves, late nights and almost-right predictions.
One of my favourite things to do is watch the reactions in the individual nations of the countries playing.
The excitement of everyday citizens on the streets is a spectacle to behold with the lows as intense as the highs.
One city had 90,000 people in one street cheering when their country qualified for the next stage.
National armies are posting videos of synchronised celebrations.
Royal family members are celebrating as hard as lay men on the street, and in most countries, patriotism is at an all-time high.
The reality is, what happens on one pitch in 90 minutes, translates into euphoria or heartbreak for millions.
No matter how large, each stadium can only take so many people.
Even with the biggest stadia, only a few have been able to travel for this tournament and of those who travelled, not everyone can afford tickets to every game to support their teams.
In football as in most sports, crowd support has a bearing on how the game is played.
When you’re a player and you can only see a couple of hundred people in your national colours, it’s easy to think you don’t have as much support as your opponent.
Home court advantage is a real thing and teams playing with the 12th man is no myth.
It’s simple logic. The more voices cheering for you, the more energy you have to fight.
That’s a principle that works in football and in life.
On the pitch, the players can’t see the millions supporting them hundreds of miles away but those fans are real.
In life, God tells us we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses.1
I don’t know about you but when I think great, I think tens of thousands and above.
Generations of your lineage that have gone on before. Hordes of angels willing you to succeed. Biblical Patriarchs and Matriarchs high-fiving when you win.
There is more on your side than against you and the fact that you can’t see them doesn’t change that.2
In life, like on the pitch, what you see may put you down.
Sometimes it may look like you’re in the minority and the opposition appears to have more fans than you can ever dream.
That’s a tactic of the evil one to make you feel you’re alone.
You know who is telling the truth?
The Lord; and He says you have a great-great grandfather yelling your name and cheering for you on the days you feel your worst.
You have an ancestor beaming with pride and pumping his chest with every good move you make.
If you believe that heaven celebrated when you came to salvation, why don’t you think heaven celebrates when you do the right thing and take the right stance.3
The faith journey has never been easy but you’re far from alone.
You have more with you than against you and the fact that you don’t see them doesn’t negate that.
Hear that when you’re struggling with a low score.
Remember that when you’re hurt from the latest tackle.
Your cheer-in section would leave you speechless if you could see it.
Go get the ball.
1 – Heb 12 v 1
2—2nd Kings 6 v16
3- Luke 15 v 7