Run To Win
Scripture Reference: I Corinthians 9:24 - 27 (KJV)
I Corinthians 9:24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. 25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. 26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: 27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway
INTRODUCTION
- Here the apostle Paul is shown to be talking about the participants in well known game.
- The event of running was supposedly the most respected event of the game.
- The fastest man would be almost a god (if you will). Speed was so important to them in fact that they were sometimes known to burn their own spleen because they thought that it slowed them down. This had to be a mistake because that is almost the same as saying that God made a mistake by giving them a spleen. God would never give us a normal natural thing that would hinder his perfect creation. We need not mock God by taking such actions and giving him the grounds to think that we don’t completely trust him.
- Webster defines run as: To move or pass in almost any manner, as on the feet or on wheels. Men and other animals run on their feet; carriages run on wheels, and wheels run on their axle-trees.
MAIN BODY
- In this scripture Paul is talking to the people in a language in which they full well understand. He is advising the people to be motivated in and have passion for the Lord just as they are motivated and have passion for running.
- Paul is trying to get the people to covet the things of the Lord as they covet the prizes of man. He first acknowledges the fact that there will be a prize for only the winner in a race. So we need to run in a manner that we can obtain that prize.
- We know that one of the steps to being a good runner or a good athlete at all for that manner is to deny ourselves. We must be willing to deny ourselves that God can bless us when we run. If we don’t prepare we will not be ready or able to win any race against competitors who are serious. Diet and exercise are essential to our success. This is being temperate
- Diet and exercise spiritually are just as important as it is physically. We must consider and be careful about everything that we put into our bodies because our bodies use our spiritual nutrition to live on. We must also make sure that we give our spirit the proper exercise and activities that it needs.
- Paul reminds us in (verse 25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.) that they are running for a corruptible crown (subject to decay and destruction). Yet the crown that we are running for is incorruptible. To gain the earthly prizes are great and certainly have their place but we must remember that we should always keep our eye on the heavenly prize
By keeping our eye on the heavenly prize winning earthly prizes become easier. When we seek heavenly prizes we ultimately realize how important it is to do all as unto the Lord
So when we train we are not thinking of ourselves but our heavenly father and this should help to push for the last little extra that we need to win
I have heard for my whole life that it is not whether you win or lose but it’s how you play the game
Well the bible gives me permission to run to win so we shouldn’t be satisfied coming in second place
If it so happens that after our best godly effort that we come in second then we should be able to accept this and move on but I must tell you that the God we serve does not find comfort in continuing to come in second.
If the opponent does not represent him then we have even a better chance because God certainly doesn’t want to come second to any other God. That’s the first of the ten commandments
- In (verse 26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: ) Paul says we don’t need to be out here just running aimlessly but we need to have direction and goals to where we want to be. Many of us are failing because we are not planning. We have no plans to succeed so we are doomed to failure. We need to make commitments to the things that we are praying to God for. We are forgetting so many of the things that we ask God for but we think that he is not hearing us or answering our prayer.
- Suppose on the day of the race someone who has been training for six months to be distance runner suddenly decides he wants to challenge someone in a sprint who has been training to sprint for six months. The chances of him losing to the sprinter would be greater because he hasn’t been training for that. When we get to the race and change the event that we are running our chances of losing increase. Then there we go crying to God.
Illustration:
I remember being a little boy and I was so easy to sway to go into another direction than the one that I was going. My mother would always warn me that I needed to change my ways and stick to what I have decided to do. For instance I could be eating dinner and one of my friends could come over and ask if I wanted to play basketball or something. Immediately without a second thought I would drop everything I was doing and be ready to go. My mom would say, “No you can not go now sit down and finish your dinner!” This would always leave me saying to myself how I wished that my mom would understand how important it is for me to go outside and play with my friends. I am sure that she was saying to herself how she wished that I would sit down and finish what I had started without even considering changing my mind. Later on, as I grew to be a young man in my mom’s house this same indecisiveness played a major role in keeping me hooked up with a lot of trouble with my “so called” friends. I would wake up in the morning and have every intention in going to school and finishing all of my classes but by the time 1st period was in session I would be out with the boys doing things I had no business and being places that I should have never been. It was not to later in life that I learned to stick with the thing that I had started.
Many of us need to learn this very lesson right now. We are waiting to the day of the race and changing our minds about what we want to do and we are leaving ourselves in a state of being unprepared and increasing our chances of losing to an enemy that is perpetually preparing for our defeat.
CONCLUSION
- Some of us are spectators and that’s all that we will ever be. However some have decided to enter the race. If you are going to enter the race then be prepared to “RUN TO WIN”.
Let’s Pray
Dear Lord thank you. I love you and need you Lord. There is no way that I could ever think to make this journey called life without you. God thank you for reminding again of how important it is to stick with the thing that I have started in an effort to run to win. I see better now how Satan has tricked me with all of his devices that have sidetracked me and I am now ready to move forward on your word. I repent for any sin that I may have done against your will and I am truly thankful to have this chance to get it right. I ask that you continue to bless me and keep me as I continue to run to win. Amen.
Thank You. May God continue to bless you and keep you. Amen
Your Friend
Minister Juan D. Lane Sr.
