Why You Should Watch Facing the Giants Movie

Have you watched the film, Facing the Giants? Whether your answer is yes or no, you will love reading this post. Discover the lessons from this movie and know how to apply them in your life!

I first watched Facing the Giants way back 2006 and I would say, it is one of the most inspiring and best Christian movies of all time. No wonder it got a near perfect 5-star rating from about 2,000 Amazon customers.

Well, I have the privilege to watch Facing the Giants again last night and would like to share with you why you should watch this powerful and insightful film. Of course, I want to tell you that like other Christian movies, there are some elements in this movie that I don’t agree with or I don’t like. If you’re curious, you can read my fundamental beliefs here.

Nevertheless, the movie is something worth your time. So, without much delay, let me share with you the lessons I learned from the movie.

(Thinking of buying a DVD copy of Facing the Giants? Click here.)

facing the giants

Movie Summary

To start with, I believe it is fitting to give you a little summary of the movie.

Grant Taylor is a Christian high school football coach who just can’t make a winning season for six years. Faced with the prospect of getting kicked out from the team, Grant desperately asks why he always lose in spite of his hard work and dedication.

To make things worse, along with other problems I don’t need to mention, Grant and his wife are distraught with the medical findings that they can’t have children even though they were trying hard for four years.

Obviously, they are both devastated and it seems that their life has been a series of bad news.

Out of desperation, he cried out to God. After a brief talk with a pastor and reading the Bible, he made a commitment to make football as a way to worship and glorify God.

He brought a new philosophy to the team that whatever they do, in or out of the field, must be dedicated to God. Thus, they started their journey toward the state championship.

Here’s the trailer of Facing the Giants:

Don’t be afraid of failure

In one scene, Larry is talking to his son, David.

David is a soccer player. He was thinking of trying out for the football team at Shiloh High School but just afraid to do so.

David said, “What if I don’t even make it to the team?”

His dad responded, “Well, you’re already not on the team. You can’t get any more not on the team than you are right now. David, you can’t be afraid of failure. Everyone fails at some point.”

I believe his dad was right. The fear of failure can stun a Christian’s growth. It can prevent him/her from following God’s commandments and laws.

If you are afraid of failure and you think you will fail before you even started, then chances are, you will fail. What you believe will eventually become your reality.

Yahshua, or popularly known as Jesus Christ, said this:

“Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours” (Mark 11:24).

Of course, this does not mean that absolutely, 100%, anything you ask from God will be given to you. It only means that when you ask for something, you should have the faith to believe that God does really have the power to give it to you as long as it is part of His will.

I wrote an article several years ago entitled, “5 Incredible Reasons Why You Should Not Be Afraid of Failure.” You might want to check that one out.

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Don’t talk ill behind a person’s back

Grant is about to leave the school campus but he heard a group of men trying to put him out of the team. They argue that Grant isn’t a good enough coach and he is a dead weight. He has enough time to prove his worth. They go on to say that he has to go.

Now, I know there will be some time that discussions are made to solve problems. However, it is not good to discuss things without even hearing the side of the person concerned. It is unfair and it does not give the person a chance to defend his side.

The Bible has something to say about talking behind a person’s back.

“Better is open rebuke than hidden love. Faithful are the wounds of a friend; profuse are the kisses of an enemy” (Proverbs 27:5-6).

“A dishonest man spreads strife, and a whisperer separates close friends” (Proverbs 16:28).

Christ even mentioned. “Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother” (Matthew 18:15).

Many friends, relationships, and churches have been destroyed because people fail to apply Matthew 18 principle as well as what the wisest man mentioned about dealing with our differences.

Therefore, if you have something against your brother, go and tell that person. Discuss the problem instead of telling other people about it.

Aim for the crown that never perishes

Grant, starting to introduce his new team philosophy, asks a question:

“Who won the state championship a decade ago?”

No one can remember. No one can give the right answer.

The point is that if your main goal in life is to obtain worldly glory, fame, and riches, you are making the BIGGEST mistake in your life.

Yes, people will talk about you but only for a while. However, people will forget. They won’t care anymore.

The Bible says, “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” In other words, if you are living this life only for earthly riches, then you will surely fail at the end.

The Apostle Paul wrote:

“And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown” (I Corinthians 9:25).

If you want to learn more about this topic, please read my recent article, “What Does It Mean to Lay Up Treasures in Heaven?”

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Give God the glory

I think one of the most important lessons from this movie is giving back the glory to God.

In this most often secular world, it is rare to hear people giving God the credit of their accomplishment. It is rare for you to hear world-famous athletes thanking God for the trophies they have won. You won’t hear much about talented people glorifying God for their skills and abilities.

But as Christians, things should be different for us. We must always give the glory back to God. Not because God needs it, but it teaches us the lesson that we are nothing without God.

Giving God the glory constantly reminds us that all that we and all that we have come from Him.

Grant’s new team motto was, “Praise God when we win. Praise God when we lose.”

In the movie, David asks his father why God made him small and weak. His father answered:

To show how mighty he is.”

That is such a powerful statement.

We read in I Corinthians 1:27-28:

“God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty… that no flesh should glory in His presence.”

Should Christians play football?

My greatest objection to the movie is football. Now, I know, it is not a popular opinion or belief among Christians, but I believe football is something that we should not actively take part in.

As Christians, we are called to love one another (Matthew 22:39) and do violence to no one (Luke 3:14).

As a true follower of Jesus Christ, it is not difficult to see how football breeds violence. For you to win the game, you must VIOLENTLY tackle opponents, resulting in multiple injuries and long-term physical ailments.

And how does football affect its spectators? Generally, they are also infected with the same mind of hostility. The more violent the game, the more reaction is obtained from the audience.

Yes, the game is exciting, but we must not put entertainment between us and God.

If I were given the opportunity to decide, there are other sports that the movie could have used rather than football. They can still portray the same lessons and share the same message by using other non-violent sports.

Final words

These are just some of the lessons I learned from the movie. If you have watched the movie or you are planning to watch it, please feel free to share your thoughts in the comments box.

Indeed, Facing the Giants is a great film you might want to watch to learn important moral lessons. However, just filter out the bad and negative from the movie.

With that being said, enjoy the movie, learn the lessons, and apply them in your lives!

(If you want to get your DVD copy of Facing the Giants, please consider using my Amazon Affiliate Link. It will surely help in paying the bills and keep this website running. Thank you!)

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