Before Thursday the Northern Iowa University’s mens basketball team hadn’t won a game in the NCAA tournament since 1990.

Their starting center, the first 7 footer to ever play for Northern Iowa, averaged a mere 3.6 points and 2.1 rebounds his freshman year. His sophomore year he missed games because of a bulging disc in his lower back. At that point in his career fans had to wonder if he might be a bust.

But that 7 footer, Jordan Eglseder, and the Northern Iowa basketball team persevered.

Today Jordan Eglseder is Northern Iowa’s leading scorer. And today, Northern Iowa’s team pulled off an amazing upset to defeat overall number 1 seed Kansas.

Check out the great highlight video below

For twenty years the University of Northern Iowa’s basketball team has been trying to win a game in the NCAA tournament. Today they won their second NCAA tournament game in three days.

Perseverance is a huge part of the Christian faith. In Matthew 7:7 Jesus says, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” According to Bruce Winston in his book, Be a Leader for God’s Sake, the Greek words for ask, seek, and knock “imply a continual state of activity. These words could actually read:

Ask and keep on asking

Seek and keep on seeking

Knock and keep on knocking”

(Winston, p128)

It’s essential for us, as Christians, to persevere in prayer,

For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.

Jesus said in Matthew 7:8

Consider the following excerpt from Traveler and the Chaplain:

“How is asking for the Holy Spirit going to increase my level of enthusiasm?” Traveler asked.

“The Bible says that when the Philistines came against Samson…”

…the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him, and the cords that were upon his arms became as flax that was burnt with fire, and his bands loosed from off his hands. (Judges 15:14 KJV)

Through the empowerment of the Holy Spirit Samson then went on to defeat 1,000 of the enemy by himself!  When you receive the empowerment of the Holy Spirit your passion increases, among other things.  You said that you wanted more enthusiasm?”

“Yes.”

“Interesting word.  We get our word enthusiasm from the Greek word en-theos which means full of God’s spirit.” (Jon Courson lecture, 3/12/2008)

“Hmm,” Traveler said.  He was beginning to understand.  “So how do I get it, or Him?  The Holy Spirit?”

“You ask God,” the Chaplain replied.

“I just ask God?”

“Jesus said,

‘If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!’” (Luke 11:13)

“So, pray,” the Chaplain said.  “Just ask God.  Ask Him for the Holy Spirit, every day.”