Another awesome sports weekend wrapped up last night with an epic game between the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots.

In his second game with the Patriots, Cam Newton played well again but was stopped at the goal line as time expired and the Seahawks hung on for the win 35-30.

Seattle’s quarterback, Russell Wilson, was the star of the night as he tied a career-high with five touchdown passes.

According to ESPN Stats & Information research, he became only the fourth player in NFL history to throw at least four touchdown passes in each of his team’s first two games.

Amazingly, it was the first time since 2009 that the Patriots’ defense allowed five passing touchdowns.

Also, as the Seahawks move to 2-0 on the season, Wilson has thrown for 610 yards while completing 52 of 63 passes. According to Elias Sports Bureau, Wilson’s 82.5% completion rate is the highest in NFL history for a quarterback attempting at least 40 passes through two games of a season.

Although Wilson has been a top quarterback for a while now, he hasn’t always received the respect he deserves and even his own team hasn’t been willing to consistently unleash him in the passing game.

The Seahawks’ offensive strategy has been to lean heavily on their rushing attack, instead of putting the ball in Wilson’s hands early and often.

The Seahawks fans had enough of their favorite team not depending more on Wilson and relying on his passing ability, so they started a social media movement called “Let Russ Cook.”

The coaches for the normally run-heavy Seahawks have appeared to agree as they’ve yielded to Russell Wilson throwing the ball more in the first half and continuing into the second.

The Seahawks’ offense is thriving behind their MVP-caliber quarterback and their fans must be pumped that the team has “Let Russ Cook” and are no longer holding him back.

There is a parallel for us as followers of Jesus when it comes to our reliance on God’s Holy Spirit within us. Are we unleashing Him in our lives and depending on His power, help, and guidance early and often?

Or are we holding ourselves back by not fully relying on the Spirit and not tapping into all that is available to us? Maybe it’s time we “Let the Spirit Cook”!

Each day we choose who we give the ball to and whether or not we yield to the Spirit…or our sinful nature.

Galatians 5:16 (NLT) tells us, “So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.”

The problem is, we limit ourselves when we disregard the Spirit’s promptings and subdue what the Spirit is wanting to do through us. If we want to thrive, we need to be Spirit-led and remember these verses:

“Do not quench [subdue, or be unresponsive to the working and guidance of] the [Holy] Spirit” (1 Thessalonians 5:19; AMP).

“And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption” (Ephesians 4:30; ESV).

“Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think” (Ephesians 3:20; NLT).

Today, let’s learn from the Seahawks who are no longer stuck in their run-heavy offense, but rather fully embracing the quarterback’s ability that’s been available to them all along.

Thankfully, we don’t have to be stuck in our old ways. We’ve been given a very powerful Spirit that is available within us, so let’s hand over the reins..and “Let the Spirit Cook”!

I’m Bryce Johnson and you can UNPACK that!

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, thank You for sending Jesus to save me from my sin. I’m so thankful I now have the Holy Spirit living within me and I pray I would yield to Him instead of quenching or grieving Him by going my own way. I pray the Holy Spirit would be unleashed in my life. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

1. How would you describe the difference between living Spirit-led and quenching the Spirit?

2. What prevents us from fully embracing and tapping into the Spirit within us?