This was a phrase that was made famous by Coach Nolan Richardson and the Arkansas Razorbacks male basketball team back in the mid-1980s to mid-1990s. During his stint in Arkansas, Richardson led his team to an NCAA championship which featured an up tempo game with intense pressure defense. It was this intense pressure defense which was called “40 Minutes of Hell.”
“40 Minutes of Hell” was designed to frustrate and make the opponent uncomfortable. Richardson’s defense provoked its opponents to respond immediately to the pressure, usually resulting in turnover and easy opportunities for his team to score.
A timid opponent was easy prey for this intense defense – as the timid would be scared and make the wrong move. An aggressive opponent was even easier prey for this type of defense. The aggressive opponent’s eagerness to break through the defense would cause opportunities that featured one opponent trying to navigate through
The Devil comes to do the same thing to the believer. He uses pressure to scare us into inactivity or provoke us into making a hasty move which will cost us harm. When you sense the pressures of life, pray and ask God what the next move should be. Don’t act on instinct, look for the peace of God that surpasses all of your understanding and wait to hear what He has to say. That is the only way to survive the “40 Minutes of Hell.”