The Survival Instinct

"THE SURVIVAL INSTINCT"

Mark McCool

TEXT: 1 TIMOTHY 6:11-12; 2 TIMOTHY 4:5-8

1 TIMOTHY 6:11-12

11 But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.

12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.

2 TIMOTHY 4:5-8

5 But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.

6 For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.

7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:

8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

9 Do thy diligence to come shortly unto me:

INTRODUCTION

In ecology, wild animals live and die with one basic drive. And that drive and that motivation is what is known as the survival instinct. And without instinct they become extinct!

The survival instinct drives them to do two basic things: First - To feed, Secondly - To breed. There is no motivation to do as man to build cities, reputations, and civilizations. Only one thing moves them, and that is the will to survive!

It is interesting to see that many times, when man is stripped of everything of comfort and leisure, even so far as to take away his family, his job or career, his identification as a human being - Anything to break him down - there remains the innate desire to survive! Something that cries out from within that says, "I want to live!"

When animals lose their survival instinct they die. They lose it due to sickness, become old and weak then fall prey to other wild animals, or they die from wounds that will not heal!

I. OUR FOCUS FOR CHRISTIAN SURVIVAL

The Christian life seems to have some very similar comparisons.

Christians, upon new birth, have entered a world that is new to them. The desire of God is pounding in their heart, and the memory of the past accompanied by the prospect of the future is enough to make them want to "make it" all the way for God!

But, it’s not long before life and trials bring adversity; Satan assails with doubts and temptations; and the hurts of brothers and sisters have tested that sacred will to survive!

It is then that you must never lose that survival instinct that God first formed in you! There is nothing in the life that can keep you from making it, if you want to make it!

There is nothing that can separate you from that very thing that gave you that will to survive, which is the love of God!

Romans 8:35-39 - Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Yes, we’re in a battle - We’re persued - but "greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world!"

II. THE POWER OF RESISTANCE

1 Peter 5:8-10 - "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour; Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you."

Resistance is a product of the survival instinct! It shows you will to survive!

III. SPIRITUAL TRAINING - (Honing Our Skills)

Illustration - Captain Scott O’Grady

During the Bosnian Conflict, NATO forces were sent to assist matters in protecting the Croats from Serbian aggression.

During this conflict and while in faithful service, 29 year old United States Air Force pilot, Captain Scott O’Grady, was shot down on June 2, 1995, while flying his F-16 Falcon over Serbian territory.

For 6 days he eluded and evaded the enemy safely, until he was rescued. Though O’Grady’s personal courage and mettle carried him through, he said that it was the training that gave him the extra edge.