THE CHRISTIAN RACE
Memorise: And if a man also strive for masteries, Yet is he not
crowned, except he strive lawfully. 2nd Timothy 2:5
Read: Philippians 3:13-17, (KJV)
13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but
this one thing I do,
forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching
forth unto those
things which are before,
14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling
of God in Christ Jesus.
15 Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded:
and if in any thing
ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto
you.
16 Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us
walk by the same rule,
let us mind the same thing.
17 Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them
which walk so as ye have us for an ensample.
Bible in one year: Isaiah 11:1-14:27, Psalms 33:1-11
MESSAGE
Apostle Paul admonished us in his
epistle to forget those things that are behind us as we journey through the
pilgrimage of this earth. We should not allow the things of this world to
distract us from the goal of eternal dwelling. A Christian cannot lay hold of
that which he strives for if he is still distracted by the ephemerals of life.
The greater a person grows in the knowledge of Christ, the greater his desire
to be with Jesus will be. This is why my hope for Heaven is strong.
As a Christian who wants to dwell
with Jesus, you have to deliberately submit yourself to the narrow way of
Christian living. We must give our attention to those things that will endure
the passing of this material world. As a soldier of the cross, you must allow
your life to be influenced by those whose minds are set on things above. We
must live up to the spiritual nature of the gospel after which we are called.
We must continue to grow in the grace and knowledge of God.
It is necessary to allow the Word
of God to direct your life as you press on to greater spiritual heights. This
is the only way you will be able to communicate the nature and character of God
to the world. We have to submit ourselves to the gospel, and allow the Head of
the Church (Jesus Christ) to give us direction in all our ways if we are to end
as divine champions. Those who will be champions for Christ will be people of
rugged determination who have set their minds on certain goals. They will pursue
these goals relentlessly until they begin to see the kind of reward they desire
in Christ. You will never find a believer who understands the nature of the
Heavenly race retreating because he is being discouraged. They will never give
any excuse for non-performance neither will they allow failure to be placed at
their door step. They have only one life to live and they do everything to
please Jesus Christ, the Author and Finisher of their lives.
There are many people who have
lost their miracles and blessings because they stopped too soon. They were not
determined enough, they gave in to certain impossibilities as they journeyed
through life. This is a lie of the devil to cheat you of your blessings in
Christ Jesus. Nothing is ever impossible before God according to Luke 1:37.
In my little walk with Jesus, I have met a lot of people who said what they
wanted to do at some point in their lives was impossible. The moment you agree
that it is impossible, it becomes impossible. There are people who believe that
it is impossible to live holy and this is why holiness is not a venture for
them. Unfortunately, it is a strategy of the devil to deny them the blessings
of living a holy life. There are young converts who have been discouraged by
their leaders. They discovered that there is a great difference between what
their leaders teach and what they practice, hence they give up their faith.
This is why it is very dangerous to put your trust in any human being. Put your
trust in God because He is the only one who will never fail you. Make Jesus
your Senior Partner. Know that if God is for you, nobody can be against you.
Know that if God is the one backing you up, there is no amount of conspiracy
against your life that will ever come to pass. No matter the size of the enemy
and the direction of the attack, you are divinely secured. 12 August 2016 open
heavens
Prayer Point:
Father, please let me finish my race without
losing any battle in Jesus’ name.
Open Heavens Daily Devotional, written by Pastor E.A
Adeboye
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