Untitled Sermon (110)

STRIVING FOR SOMETHING GREATER

INTRODUCTION:

MOST PEOPLE WHO PREPARE FOR COMPETITION ARE OUT TO WIN NO MATTER WHAT IT TAKES TO ACCOMPLISH THEIR GOAL.

CHRISTIANS STRIVE FOR SOMETHING GREATER AND IT IS TO FINISH THEIR LIFE HERE ON EARTH WITH THE APPROVAL OF GOD SO THEY WILL RECEIVE THEIR REWARD.

PAUL GAVE AN OUTLINE HOW TO STRIVE FOR SOMETHING GREATER.

RUN TO FINISH.

KNOW THE COURSE.

STAY FIT.

A. RUN TO FINISH

1 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.”

THE RACE OF LIFE IS NOT FOR THOSE WHO ARE NOT ABLE TO FINISH, BUT FOR THOSE WHO ARE WILLING TO FINISH.

SOME OF US WHO RUN IN THIS CHRISTIAN RACE IS ONLY OUT TO COMPETE, BUT NOT TO WIN IT ALL.

BUT IN ORDER FOR YOU TO OBTAIN THE PRIZE YOU MUST FINISH AHEAD OF YOUR COMPETITION.

WHAT DISQUALIFY MANY OF US WE DO NOT KNOW HOW TO STAY IN OUR LANE.

OUR LANE IS IN GOD’S WORD. WE CANNOT TAKE SHORTCUTS EXPECTING TO DODGE OBSTACLES.

TO OBTAIN MEANS TO GRASP OR SEIZE UPON. IN ORDER FOR YOU TO OBTAIN SOMETHING YOU MUST BE BETTER THAN YOUR COMPETITION.

ALL OUR HOPE IS BUILT UPON THE REWARD WE WILL RECEIVE FROM GOD WHEN JESUS COME BACK.

SATAN IS OUT TO DISCOURAGE US OR TRY TO GET IN OUR WAY WHILE WE IN THIS RACE.

BUT IF YOU’RE OUT FOR SOMETHING GREATER , YOU WILL MAINTAIN YOUR FOCUS UNTIL YOU ACCOMPLISH YOUR GOAL.

Philippians 2:16 “holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.”

B. KNOW THE COURSE

1 Corinthians 9:25 “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.”

EVERYONE WHO ENTER A RACE MUST KNOW WHAT THEY UP AGAINST AND WHAT IT WILL COST THEM TO FINISH.

WE MUST NOT ONLY KNOW THE COURSE, BUT MUST STAY THE COURSE IN ORDER TO WIN OTHER’S OVER.

WE ARE NOT OUT TO OBTAIN SOMETHING THAT IS PERISHABLE, BUT SOMETHING THAT IS IMPERISHABLE.

AND THAT IS LIFE ETERNAL.

WE ARE IN A FIGHT AND THERE IS ONLY TWO THINGS THAT IS STANDING IN OUR WAY TO THE FINISH LINE AND THAT IS YOURSELF AND SATAN.

BUT IF YOU CAN CONQUER THOSE TWO THINGS, YOU CAN FINISH YOUR COURSE WITH JOY.

Ephesians 6:12 “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”

C. STAY FIT

1 Corinthians 9:26–27 “I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: 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.”

IN ORDER FOR YOU TO FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT OF FAITH, YOU MUST STAY FIT AND BE READY FOR BATTLE.

OUR FITNESS COME THROUGH THE DISCIPLINE OF OUR BODIES.

IF YOU ARE NOT FIT, YOU WILL NOT HAVE THE ENDURANCE TO FINISH THE RACE.

IN THIS CHRISTIAN RACE THERE WILL BE STRUGGLES AND SUFFERING.

BUT IF YOU SUFFER FOR THE SAKE OF CHRIST, YOU’RE BLESSED.

THE WORD SUBJECTION MEANS THE ACT OF BRINGING YOUR BODY UNDER CONTROL, PARTICULARLY WHEN YOUR BODY WANTS TO ACT AGAINST YOUR SPIRIT.

WE HAVE A WAR WITHIN US AND IF WE CAN WIN THAT WAR , NOTHING ON THE OUTSIDE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO HINDER WHAT’S GOING ON IN THE INSIDE.

THE ONE THING I HAVE LEARN THAT THIS CHRISTIAN RACE IS NOT FOR THE SWIFT, BUT THOSE WHO ARE ABLE TO CROSS THE FINISH LINE.

Romans 8:13 “For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.”

MORTIFY MEANS TO PUT TO DEATH; TO TAKE AWAY.

WE NEED TO LEARN HOW TO SAY NO TO OURSELVES AND LET GOD TAKE AWAY ANYTHING IN US THAT IS NOT LIKE HIM, THEN WE WILL BE ABLE TO STRIVE FOR SOMETHING GREATER, WHICH IS OUR REWARDS IN HEAVEN.