As we continue to explore the concept of mastering the technique required to shoot the free throw shot with precision, I am spiritually led to that OT bible story of David and Goliath. You remember the young lad who would become known as a giant killer. David who would later reign as King. If you remember, David was instructed to choose five smooth stones and his sling-shot as his weapon. However, there is no record that he would be required to use all five stones. He would only need to focus and concentrate on his target, which coincidentally was the head in order to be successful in his mission. David had prepared himself well. He used his weapon often and developed a comfort level that would allow him to freely use his ability to accurately shoot, and hit his target with precision.

“And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone sunk into his forehead; and he fell upon his face to the earth.  So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him, but there was no sword in the hand of David.  Therefore David ran, and stood upon the Philistine, and took his sword, and drew it out of the sheath thereof, and slew him, and cut off his head therewith. And when the Philistines saw their champion was dead, they fled” (Samuel 17:49-51).

Although the Bible does not record this, using my spiritual imagination I would suggest if it were necessary; the young champion probably could have hit the same target five times based upon his intense concentration, training, and preparation. It is my goal in this chapter to introduce to the reader the importance of utilizing the power of the mind when we use our imagination to concentrate on a target to achieve our ultimate goals of success. The Holy Bible is filled with stories where imagination, mind control, and effective intense concentration would be used to achieve unlimited success. Case and point, the Tower of Babel was a task that would demonstrate the concept of teamwork and show us how a group of individuals working together in agreement could form an alliance and with concentration, imagination, and faith; they could conquer any task with good success. In fact, it was recorded in the Bible that when God looked down on these people and saw they were unified on this target and about to accomplish their goal of building a tower that would reach heaven; He said when these people work together in agreement they would be able to accomplish any goal using their imagination and concentration.

Actually, when we concentrate on a target we use our imagination to see (with our hearts eye) the task completed. We can actually see this goal and witness the task as accomplished. We are in essence meditating on the thing that we want to complete. Historically, we can trace this technique from a biblical perspective as early as the first man and the time of Creation. The Scriptures teach us that God created man in His very own image or imagination. Another consistent formula that He used was the fact that each and every thing he created, He actually spoke into being. For instance, God said everything before it was…In applying these principles to the game of basketball and perfecting the act of shooting the free-throw with extreme accuracy; we must first close your eyes and imagine or visualize the shot going through the hoop.