January 2005
Dakota Community Church
Running To Win
Introduction:
2Timothy 2: 3-7
Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs–he wants to please his commanding officer. Similarly, if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not receive the victor’s crown unless he competes according to the rules. The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops. Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this.
2Corinthians 2: 14-15
But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.
God needs us to win so we don’t stink!
Stinking thinking will cost you the victory. In sports you always hear athletes talking about the mental game.
Teams are said to be in the zone or out of focus.
Quote:
Right decisions done repeatedly over time compound success, wrong decisions done repeated over time compound failure.
You are where you are in life, not because of bad luck, not because of a conspiracy against you, not because of bad parentage; but because of the choices you have made.
What will cause you to lose a race in the natural?
- Not being fast enough, but really if you finish an Olympic race you are a winner!
- Disqualification:
- For cheating; drug use, shortcuts, etc.
- Running in someone else’s lane
- Interference with other runners.
Three choices that will cost you the win:
1. Choosing to play the victim.
This is a very popular choice these days because it releases the person from feeling responsible for the state of their life.
- Victims focus on why they are losing, not on how to win.
- They complain: “It’s not fair.”
- Victims are never responsible for their plight.
- Why would God allow this to happen? They ask.
- Victims turn on their team mates. (The enemy uses this truth)
Illustration:
Whenever a team fights amoung themselves it is always an encouragement to their opponents.
When playing floor hockey with the Jr. High boys (In my youth pastoring days) there was one boy, who had a great shot. Whenever I faced him I would point out to his team mates that he was hogging all the shots. Soon they would be fighting and not passing him the ball. Win for Pastor Dan.
Numbers 14: 1-4
That night all the people of the community raised their voices and wept aloud. 2 All the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron, and the whole assembly said to them, "If only we had died in Egypt! Or in this desert! 3 Why is the LORD bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword? Our wives and children will be taken as plunder. Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt?" 4 And they said to each other, "We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt."
Illustration:
SIGN FOR THE BATHROOM DOOR of A FORMER VICTIM:
Attention Everyone: The Bathroom Door is Closed!
Please do not stand there and talk, whine or ask questions.
Wait until I get out.
Yes, it is locked. I want it that way.
No, it is not broken; I am not trapped.
I know I have left it unlocked, and even open at times, since you were born, because I was afraid some horrible tragedy might occur while I was in there.
But it’s been ten years, and I want some privacy.
Do not ask me how long I will be.
I will come out when I am done.
Do not bring the phone to the bathroom door.
Do not go running back to the phone yelling, “She’s in the bathroom!”
Do not begin to fight as soon as I go in.
Do not stick your little fingers under the door and wiggle them.
This was funny only when you were two.
Do not slide pennies, Lego’s, or notes under the door,
Even when you were two, this got a little tiresome.
If you have followed me down the hall, talking,
And are still talking as you face this closed door,
Please turn around, walk away and wait for me in another room.
I will be glad to listen to you when I am done.
Oh…and yes, I still love you. Mom
SOURCE: Espresso for a Woman’s Spirit by Pam Vredevelt.
2. Choosing to be a spectator.
Most people would rather sit in the grandstands of life and shout criticisms than risk the field of conflict to obtain the crown of victory.
Illustration:
When you become a sports spectator instead of a participant, all the wrong things start to happen to your body. Your weight, blood pressure, resting heart rate and cholesterol all go up. And your oxygen consumption, muscular flexibility, stamina and strength all go down. So it doesn’t take too much to work out that being a couch potato isn’t good for your physical health.
In a similar way being a spiritual spectator – a Christian couch potato - can seriously hinder our spiritual health.
Who knows who Eliab is?
1Samuel 16: 4-7
4 Samuel did what the LORD said. When he arrived at Bethlehem, the elders of the town trembled when they met him. They asked, "Do you come in peace?"
5 Samuel replied, "Yes, in peace; I have come to sacrifice to the LORD. Consecrate yourselves and come to the sacrifice with me." Then he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.
6 When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and thought, "Surely the Lord’s anointed stands here before the LORD."
7 But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."
1 Samuel 17: 28
When Eliab, David’s oldest brother, heard him speaking with the men, he burned with anger at him and asked, "Why have you come down here? And with whom did you leave those few sheep in the desert? I know how conceited you are and how wicked your heart is; you came down only to watch the battle."
- Spectators hate to take risks.
- Status quo is their ideal.
- They resist and sometimes fight change – growth means change!
- Spectators criticize or idolize the players.
As a rule we should never criticize someone who is doing something we are unwilling or unable to do.
3. Choosing to be a dreamer.
Dreamers are forever planning but never executing.
They live in a fantasy world that has no basis in reality.
Dreamers are those who cannot hold a tune but forever talk about rock stardom, those who spend lots of time talking about how they will spend the lottery winnings.
Ecclesiastics 4: 5
The fool folds his hands and ruins himself.
Dreamers quit mid-stream.
If you have a tendency toward this trait you must channel it and get some managers and administrators around you to help.
Winners take the dream and add sweat; work, diligence, fervency, discipline, and drive to it to make it happen.
To Win:
(A.) Define the race.
2Timothy 2: 5
Similarly, if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not receive the victor’s crown unless he competes according to the rules.
1 Corinthians 9: 24-27
Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.
Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.
Hebrews 12: 1
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.
What area of the race of life are you competing in? Where do you want to be a winner?
- Family
- Ministry
- Finance or Business
- Friendships
- Relationship with God, Spiritual Purposes
(B.) Take Charge.
Proverbs 25: 28
Like a city whose walls are broken; down is a man who lacks self-control.
You know me’
I am your constant companion,
I will push you on; or drag you down.
I am the servant of all great men and the master of all failures.
You may run me for profit, or be run by me to ruin.
I care not.
Take me; be easy with me, and I will destroy you.
Be firm with me and I’ll put the world at your feet.
Who am I?
I am habit.
(C.) Refuse to quit.
The desire to quit is the strongest just before you hit the wall.
Galatians 6: 9-10
9Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. 10Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.
