Steps to Conquer the Race Called Life
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Life has a way of presenting its-self and can sometimes get the best of us. Despite out efforts to live our best life now, life may not always be easy peasy. Sometimes in life we are dealt a bad hand. Sometimes we may go through difficulties. A sickness may occur, we may lose a job, we may get into an accident. Sometimes we experience difficulties in this life. But In our lesson today Paul gives us some ways and steps to conquer life. He teaches us how to win with a bad hand. When we look at Hebrews 12:1
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.
Verse one opens up real simple to us and tell us that we are surrounded with a huge crowd of witnesses. We are not alone on our journey of faith. The 11th chapter shows us there have been a great multitude of witnesses who have gone before us. Each of them had their own testimony. In every example, we see they had to walk by faith. This is what we are called to do. 2 Corinthians 5:7 lets us know “For we walk by faith, not by sight.
So in this life we live in we are going to have to have some faith like those that came before us. We see in that 11th chapter of Hebrews that they make mention of the faith of many. By faith, Abel brought an acceptable offering to God. By faith, Enoch walked with God.
By faith Noah built an ark. Are you making your offering by faith, are you walking by faith and are you working by faith? By faith Abraham left a land he was familiar with to go to a land he didn’t know anything about. It was by faith that Abraham took his son Isaac and offered him as a sacrifice. It was by faith The people of Isreal were able to cross the red sea. It was by faith that David defeated Goliath. Daniel, Joshua, Samuel Gideon, they all pleased God and conquered their trials by faith. It was by faith . That’s All I’m trying to tell you in this life we are going to have to have faith. For the bible Says its impossible to please God if we don’t have faith. Look at your neighbor and ask them do you have faith? The songwriter puts it like this. We Have Come This Far By Faith. Is there anybody here that can testify that they kept their faith in God and he made a way for you. You were wondering how you were going to pay that bill or where your next meal was coming from and it didn’t look good but you kept on believing and keeping your faith in God and just when you thought the lights was going to cut off somebody came by with a love offering and just when you think you didn’t have a meal somebody came by with some groceries because God looks out for those who have faith and trust him. Don’t ever stop having faith and trust in God because my bible teaches me, “There is nothing too Hard For my God”. Look down your row and say there is nothing to hard for My God. I don’t know about you but there is nothing to Hard For My GOD!!!!
So We have the examples of those who were faithful so all we have to do is just look back when we need a reminder. When you need a faith booster just look back on those who had great faith. When we see what God has done for them, it should encourage us to keep running our race by faith. God is not a respecter of persons. What he does for them, he’ll do for you.
So Our First step, in order to conquer the race, is you need faith boosters.
Now we see Hebrews 12:1 Clause B tells us
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.
Now when you look at the natural world we see track runners when they are preparing for a race they train with weights to become faster. But after the training is over and when it is time for the race they lay aside those weights because they don’t need anything holding them down or back in the race for the prize. So i ask you today. What is weighing you down? What sin keeps tripping you up? You must come out and lay aside whatever is holding you down. You know what it is that is breaking your focus from Jesus. Turn it a loose. Let it go, Cut it off, Its time to get rid of the baggage and focus in on Jesus. You been in it long enough you see no results when you are doing it your way. Give it to Jesus. Lay aside the weight and focus on Jesus. The bible says we can cast all our are cares on him for he cares for us. The hymn writer put it like this What a friend we have in jesus all our sins and grieves to bear what a privilege to carry everything to God in Prayer.
So our 2nd step is to lay aside everything that hinders us from running the race.
The third step is Perseverance through adversity. We can’t sit down. We can’t stop in the middle, but we must run and continue to run.
The race we are in is not a sprint but it is long enduring race. In this race of life you must have perseverance to keep going. In life their will be times when you want to throw in the towel there will be times when you want to give up but don’t keep enduring. Everyday won’t be sunshine. Sometimes you have to go through somethings so that you can be a testimony to show others and so that God can get the glory. Paul the writer of this text knew first hand what is was like to persevere. Paul could’ve quit he was lied on beaten up put in jail but Paul still persevered. He still wrote to the churches in Romans 8:35-39
Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”) No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.
And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Paul understood he couldn’t let anything separate him from Gods love thats why he constantly persevered through all his trials and tribulations cause he knew what prize was before him if he continued to persevere.
For the bible says in James 1:2-3
Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.
When things arise in life thats not the time for you to sit down and give up but it is time for you to keep going and to give an extra push so you can build your endurance so that when more storms rise in life you will be able to persevere through it. For there will be Glory after this.
The bible reminds me that in Ecclesiastes 9:11
I have observed something else under the sun. The fastest runner doesn’t always win the race, and the strongest warrior doesn’t always win the battle. The wise sometimes go hungry, and the skillful are not necessarily wealthy. And those who are educated don’t always lead successful lives. It is all decided by chance, by being in the right place at the right time.
The bible reminds me in James 1:12
God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.
The bible reminds us in 2 Timothy 2:10-12
So I am willing to endure anything if it will bring salvation and eternal glory in Christ Jesus to those God has chosen.
This is a trustworthy saying:
If we die with him,
we will also live with him.
If we endure hardship,
we will reign with him.
If we deny him,
he will deny us.
In this race you will have to endure but in your enduring don’t give up. Go through the storm but don’t stop in it but keep going. Build your endurance up by praying and reading the word, so you can persevere through adversity when it comes your way.
Our 4th step is to
Keep your Focus on Jesus.
I know it may be hard to believe because I love basketball, but I ran track as well. The advice my coach gave us was to keep our focus. We had to keep our eyes on the finish line. Well, the same applies in our Christian race. We have to keep our eyes on Jesus, who is the author and finisher of our faith. No one running in a race looks all around. When we get up in the morning, are our eyes on Jesus or on our phone? Are we reading the word of God or reading the news, emails or strolling through social media? Where is your focus? When running in a race, you cannot be easily distracted by other runners or the crowd.
Paul talking to the Galatians asked them, “You did run well, who hindered you from obeying the truth? Some of us started this race running well. But somewhere along the way, we got sidetracked. We stopped running. We started looking at those who are falling by the wayside. We started looking around instead of ahead. We have to keep our focus on Jesus.
Jesus was our perfect example. He had his race to run. “He endured the cross, despising the shame.” He did not get distracted or turn aside. “ He kept his focus on pleasing the Father. “Not my will, but thy will be done” was his prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane. His focus was on the prize. It was for the joy set before Him. The cross was not an easy place. He was falsely accused. They mocked him, spit on Him. They placed a crown of thorns on his head. They beat Him. They hung Him on a cross. They pierced him in the side. This doesn’t seem like joy. But he looked beyond this to you and me. He saw my renewed and restored fellowship with the Father. He saw beyond the cross. He finished his race and we must finish our race.
Step 4 is to keep our focus. We must keep our focus of Jesus, who is the author and finisher of our faith.
Jesus is at the start of our race and the end of our race. Yes, there will be challenges in our life. These are like hurdles while running our race. We don’t slow down, but we continue to run and when we get to the hurdle, we are able to cross over. When jumping hurdles, you lead with the knee. When facing challenges, we lead with the knee. We kneel in prayer. When the hurdle is cleared we continue to run. Don’t let challenges slow you down. Keeping running. Don’t take anything extra while running. Alot of times we have to much stuff with us. We have too many people with us, but we must lay aside everything that hinders us in this race. Lay aside the weight and the sin. We can run weighed down, but it will slow us down and make it harder to get through the challenges and over the hurdles. Lay aside everything that hinders and let us press toward the prize for the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Press on through adversity and keep your focus on Jesus. We will be victorious. We can conquer this race called life if we follow these steps in Hebrews. Run your race church and run well. For in the end, we will gain the victory.