It is always appropriate to sing to and praise God. 1 Thessalonians 5:16, “Rejoice always.” Ephesians 5:19,20, “speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making music with your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 

However, it is not appropriate to ask God to help your team win a game. When you sing praises to Him, are you hoping that your songs will gladden God, and that as a result, He will give your team the victory? That would not be an appropriate motive. We desire to praise God because He is God. Not for self-gain.

Our objective as Christians is to glorify God in all we think and do. God is the focus, not an earthly desire. “You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures.” James 4:3. Winning a game gives the team and spectators pleasure, and it is a fun, leisure time activity. We all need breaks from work. But to ask God to give a victory is not a Christian’s goal. If a player prays, “May I play with fairness and grace as a witness illustrating Christian principles,” that would be fine. As Paul wrote, “Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” 1 Corinthians 10:31. 

A consecrated, Christian life is spent serving God. Jesus said his focus was to tell people about God and His wonderful plan, “for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth.” John 18:37. The apostle Paul also had only one goal: “But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead, I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus” Philippians 3:13,14 (CSB). Remember, when we accept Jesus as our Savior and give our wills and our lives to do God’s will, we are sacrificing our own preferences. Jesus said, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. Luke 9:23. To pray for victory in a game would be a selfish prayer.

Jesus emptied himself of self-will. Even in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus prayed “saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done” Luke 22:42. Let us follow our Lord’s example.