A Warrior Mentality

Last night, when we walked into Arizona’s arena for shootaround, I wondered what our guys were thinking. My hope was that they felt excited, ready to dominate. But let’s be honest: the first human reaction in a big, potentially loud arena is usually nerves. How big is this place? How crazy will the crowd be?

To help them process those thoughts, I took them back to a familiar moment in Scripture.

The Israelites had just been freed from slavery in Egypt and were standing on the edge of the Promised Land, the land God promised Abraham in Genesis 12: “To your offspring I will give this land.” The promise was right in front of them. All they had to do was trust God and step into it.

Numbers 13:17–20, 26–28, 33 Moses sent twelve men to scout Canaan. He told them to examine the land, the people, the cities, the soil, and to bring back fruit. When they returned, they admitted the land was incredible,“flowing with milk and honey.” But then came the fear:“The people are powerful… the cities are large… We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes.”

From this moment come three mentalities that still show up today, especially in competition.

1. The Grasshopper Mentality

A grasshopper mentality is seeing the challenge in front of you as so big that God’s promises seem small. The Israelites knew God’s words, “Be strong and courageous, for I am with you, go take the land…” But they still saw themselves as weak, outmatched, and incapable.

Fear defined them. And when leaders showed fear, the people followed. Attitude reflects leadership.

2. The Complaining / Follower Mentality

Numbers 14 says the people cried out all night and complained to Moses and Aaron:“If only we had died in Egypt!”

Their mindset cost them everything. An entire generation wandered for 40 years because they refused to believe and move.  It all resulted from a complainful, negative report from leaders.

Negative leadership is easy. Fear is contagious. And the truth is this: When you see yourself as weak, you assume everyone else sees you that way too. I told our guys, if you look scared or unsure, your teammates see it… and so do your opponents.

3. The Warrior Mentality

Then Caleb spoke up:“We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.”Two guys went against the grain.  Caleb and Joshua saw the same giants everyone else saw, but they believed what God said. Later, Joshua learned (Josh. 2:9–11) that the people in the land were actually terrified of Israel because they knew God was with them.

Their confidence wasn’t arrogance. It was faith.

In the same way, Arizona has watched film. They know our strengths. They know we’re capable of stepping into their arena and taking ground.

The key is stepping onto the court with a mindset like Joshua and Caleb—a warrior mentality.

How to Develop a Warrior Mentality

1. Believe the promises of God. Don’t just talk faith—walk it.

2. Trust God to overcome what’s in front of you. Jesus has already defeated every enemy (Col. 2:15).

3. Win the battle in your mind. “As he thinks in his heart, so is he.” (Prov. 23:7)

4. Live in your God-given identity.

   You are not a grasshopper.

   You are an overcomer in Christ.

   
   

   It’s a mindset.

The Israelites had the promise but refused to move—so they wandered.

Don’t wander. Don’t shrink. Don’t see yourself as less than what God made you to be.

I challenged our guys to step on the court each night like Joshua and Caleb—Confident. Courageous. Ready to take the land.

War Eagle!