7 Keys to Running Your Race Well
Sunday, January 6th, 2013
This time of year many people make resolutions.
Here are the most common resolutions people make every year:
- “I will lose weight”
- “I will stop overspending and reduce my debt”
- “I will get a better job”
- “I will learn something new”
- “I will quit smoking”
In addition to these top 5 – followers of Christ add the next two:
- “I will read my Bible more”
- “I will do my devotions daily”
Since we are pretty good at not following through on resolutions I suggest making the following resolutions so you can feel good about when you DON’T follow through.
I resolve to:
- Eating ice cream while watching the “Biggest Loser”
- Spending more money than I actually have
- Start up smoking
- Spend less time with my family
- Become an alcoholic
- Spend less time with God
- Stop reading my Bible
- Stop doing my daily devotions
- Stop going to church on a regular basis
- Be the most self-centered person in 2013
This is a win/win situation
- If you fail at any of these your life will change.
- If you succeed at any of these you kept your resolution.
One of the biggest obstacles to maturing in journey with Christ is past failures.
No one ever plans to fail but all of us in here have failed.
- All of us have sinned against God in our life time.
- All of us have sinned against others in our life time.
- All of us have failed to please God at some point in our life.
The Enemy (I hate capitalizing his name) uses our past failures to convince us that we are unworthy to be loved by God and we are unworthy to be forgiven.
As you look at the scriptures you notice that Adam and Eve failed and God didn’t give up on them. The people of Israel failed and God didn’t give up on them. Moses, Abraham, Peter, and Paul failed but God didn’t give up on them. And ……. none of them gave up on God.
Our failure doesn’t mean that God gives up on us.
Just like we don’t give up on our kids when they are learning to walk. When they fall down every two steps we don’t call them failures and kick them out because they can’t learn the simple task of walking. What do we do? We are excited for them. We help them back up. We know in our hearts that one or two steps is better than none.
Following Christ is not about succeeding or failing it is about learning to do life a different way. It is about learning about forgiveness, compassion, mercy, and the unconditional love that God has for us.
God is not concerned about our success or failure.
The church has made it about success and failure. Following Christ is about maturity and humility. What we call failure God can transform into faith. What we call success we can turn it into religious or spiritual pride.
Look at the life of Paul. By all religous and church standards Paul was a success.
- He was a good Pharisee
- He was a devout Jew
- He performed his religious duties flawlessly
But God humbled him with a great light. Paul became nothing. He recognized himself as the greatest sinner not the greatest evangelist. Paul was transformed from a prideful pharisee to a faithful follower.
One thing we can learn from Paul is that he didn’t dwell in his past.
Look at Philippians 3:12-14
God is pleading with us (through Paul) to forget the past and strain forward to what is ahead.
While driving forward in your car, how many of you look out your back window or stare in your rearview mirror the whole time? If you did, you would create more wrecks. We look out the front window because we are going forward.
Your past failures and past successes don’t matter when you are folllowing Christ. You cannot succeed or fail in following Christ. You simply mature. You mature in following Christ by being faithful and obedient.
Paul equates this journey of following Christ to a race.
Look at what God says through Paul in I Corinthians 9:24-27.
Following Christ is like a marathon race.
You start with a lot of energy. As the race goes on there are tempations to quit. There are tempations to take shortcuts. There is pain in every mile ran. There are mental blocks you have to run through. There are aches and frustration. There are the tempations just to give up.
Paul gives you 7 keys to running your race well.
- Get going
Get out of the starting blocks. Many followers hardly ever put their faith to the test. In order to run the race we must first begin. In the words of NIKE – “Just Do it.” It is impossible to be victorious without entering the race. Remember, you can’t lose you just need to get out of the blocks.
2. Keep moving
This race isn’t over until we cross the finish line. If you want to win the prize we must pursue excellence in everything we do. Paul is telling us that we cannot settle to watch from the sidelines but we must get involved.
- We must be willing to take action.
- We must be willing to change our attitude.
- We must be willing to keep moving – even when we feel like giving up.
The prize for Paul was a sense of satisfaction that God was using him in minisry. He had used all his energies and talents and gifts for God’s glory, for the good of of His kingdom. The same is true for us. The prize is the sense of satisfaction that God is using me in ministry.
Remember you can’t lose – you just need to keep moving.
3. Get ready
In 1976 the University of Indiana won the NCAA National Title game. When interviewed about their success, Coach Knight said, “the will to succeed is important but what is more important is the will to prepare.”
Life is full of unexpected events and we must be ready at a moments notice. If you want to excel as an athlete you must go into training. The same is true of Christianity. We need spiritual workouts: Time in prayer, time in the Word, time in worship.
4. Get focused
If we want to run the race you must know where you are going. What are you focused on? Paul was focused on the eternal prize.
We all know that the things of this earth will pass away. The things of this earth will rust and decay. The things of this earth only last for a moment.
Our focus should be on that which will remain – the imperishable crown.
Focus on the things that make an eternal difference:
- Serving others
- Loving others
- Loving God
5. Get energized
In this passage Paul said that he did not run the race without having a reason. He asked why in the world would someone fight if they are just going to swing at the air? What is the point of shadow boxing if you are never going to fight anyone?
We need to set a goal before us. Any race that we run, we should aim for the finish line. Do not enter an event; do not enter into a resolution, without having a goal of finishing.
There’s a true story of a man who approached a laborer who was laying bricks and asked him, “what are you doing?” The laborer said, “Can’t you see I’m laying bricks?” The man then walked over to another bricklayer and asked, “What are you doing?” And the workman answered with pride, “I’m building a cathedral.”
Both were physically doing the same thing, but the first laborer was occupied with the present task and the other was concerned with the ultimate goal.
6. Get fruitful
There is a Peace Corps commercial that says, “If you’re not doing something with your life, it doesn’t matter how long it is.” Paul tells us don’t just beat the air. This race is the real thing – make it count.
7. Never quit
The only way you can get disqualified is if you quit. Remember you can’t lose – just never give up.
In the meantime, discipline (in Greek it means to beat one’s body black and blue) your body and mind like an athelete.
Go into strict training.
- Spend time in the Word – even if you have to force yourself to start doing it.
- Spend time in prayer – even if you have to force yourself to start doing it.
- Spend time serving others – even if you have to force yourself to start doing it.
Atheletes don’t always enjoy the conditoning, the preperation, the practice. But they know it is necessary if they are going to run the race well.
How do you plan on running the race in 2013?
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