BECOMING A CHAMPION
It is said of Abraham Lincoln, that before he became one of the greatest presidents America has ever had, that he tried but failed in many different positions, but with the spirit of determination, he was able to become the president of this country in 1860. Abraham had in him a desire and a determination to be a champion.
Has it ever been your desire to be a champion in your life, have you ever had that spirit and determination, may be to be even a champion in your class, village or in any area of your life?
Those who are satisfied with low attainments fail of being workers together with God.
When Paul was writing his second letter to a young man Timothy in 2 Timothy 4:1, 2,3,4,5, he challenged this young minister to strive, to endure hardness to become a champion of Jesus. You will remember that from the time Paul was converted, he himself endured hardness, persecutions and afflictions, that he became a great champion of Jesus Christ.
By the time he wrote his second letter to this young man Timothy, he had already done his best for Jesus that he even felt he was ready to die as a great champion of his master Jesus Christ. 2Timothy 4:6, 7, 8.
To Paul standing a few hours before his persecution, he knew he was not just loosing his life but was giving it up for Jesus who died for him, he was ready to die because he had done his best for his master.
many times we are blinded by the possessions of this world yet time comes and we live them all behind. but we can be confident like Paul if only we have lived our lives for Jesus.
One thing that helped Paul to keep on keeping on was a fact that he was constantly looking forward to the great and glorious return of our Lord Jesus Christ, he lifted up his eyes beyond every obstacle and challenge in his way he realized that Jesus is the only answer to all the longings in this world.
This letter is not only for Timothy but a challenge most especially to us young people living in the very end time, that in all our ambitions in life, all our endeavors in life, this desire should be above all others, to become champions of Jesus Christ. As like Paul, this is the greatest achievement a young man can attain in this world, the same made Paul died with hope that he had indeed fought a good fight.
Illustration
A young man was dying from cancer, he said he was not afraid of cancer but he was afraid to die because he felt he had not done enough with his strength for Jesus who died for him.
Higher that the highest human thought can reach is God’s ideal for His children. Godliness, godlikeness is the goal to be reached. Education p.18
FOUR WAYS IN WHICH TO BECOME A CHAMPION OF JESUS
BE STRONG. 2 Timothy 2:1
Talking about strength we may be tempted to think of the strongest men in the whole world, but here am talking about spiritual strength, the kind of strength that is found in the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. It’s the kind of strength that David depended on to fight a giant like Goliath, that Daniel depended upon to stand before Kings and to hung out with hungry lions that Jesus depended upon to accomplish His mission in this world. It’s no other but the strength of prayer and reading God’s word by faith.
To be strong means to totally depend upon God in everything that we do and not to lean on our own understanding. this can be done through constant prayer and reading of His word.
ENDURANCE. 2 Timothy 2:2
Paul encouraged this young man to endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus. Satan seek to discourage us, to even press big obstacles in our way but if we are to be champions of Jesus, we need to endure hardness, to be patient, to press on. Paul himself endured hardness, the disciples endured hardness, Jesus lived in this sinful world, He endured hardness away from His Father’s home, was despised, forsaken, bitten, spit upon yet He endured pain and suffering simply because he had a mission to fulfill, He said in John 16:33 and so Philippians 2:5
Paul compared hardness to a soldier sent to war, he faces many challenges on the battlefield but he endures hardness and that makes him a good soldier. in the same way we are all Christians and soldiers of Jesus.
SEEK GOD'S GUIDANCE. 2 Timothy 2:4
To become a champion of Jesus then you must be ready to lift Him up above the pleasures and cares of this world, because the world is under the control of one who is at enmity with God. We need to depend upon Him each and every moment of our life. Paul depended upon God for instruction and guidance, he says in Philippians 3:14. Though Jesus was God, throughout His life here on earth, He depended upon the divine Guidance of His heavenly Father. He spent time in prayer and reading God’s word for guidance. Psalms 119:105. Jesus would wake up early in the morning while it was yet dark, He went to a solitary place and there He prayed to His Father in heaven
FOLLOW GOD'S INSTRUCTION. 2 Timothy 2:5
We become champions of Jesus by following His rules, instructions; no other but His Ten commandments, guidelines of our lives simply because we love Him, we obey Him.
Illustration.
A great marathon runner, won the race only to realize that he forgot to register his name before beginning to run and this led to the loss of a medal he would have won, instead it was given to the second person to him who followed the rules of the game.
THOU THEREFORE, MY SON, BE STRONG IN THE GRACE THAT IS IN CHRIST JESUS.
