Run To Win

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.