Having a mindset of running races with endurance and determination to finish is a training plan for victory for the Christian.
Hebrews 12:1 - Therefore, having so vast a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, and throwing off everything that hinders us and especially the sin that so easy entangles us, let us keep running with endurance the race set before us fixing our attention on Jesus, the pioneer and perfector of the faith...
NIV In 2008 the New England Patriots won every game on their schedule.
Heading into the post season, they won every one of their playoff games.
And in the 2008 Championship game, they beat the San Diego Chargers to become the AFC Champions.
At this point, New England had an unblemished record and was on the verge of becoming only the second team in history to have a perfect season.
Only one game and one team stood between them and rewriting the history books.
As it turned out, the whole world watched the prospects of a perfect season go out the window as the Patriots lost Super Bowl XLII to the New York Giants by the score of 17-14.
That evening as the Patriots walked off the field after suffering defeat, all remembrance of their winning season drifted into obscurity.
So many times we set off on a quest for answered prayer, or to see resolution in our lives in one way or another but we don't reach our goals.
Starting out on the journey is the easy part.
Having the determination and endurance to continue to the end is the difficult part.
Particularly when we can't see the finish line.
I have started out on many journeys in my life and looking back on some of them now, I thank God I couldn't see the finish line.
If I had known how long my race was going take, I probably would never have started out on it.
And if I had never started, I would never have grown in my walk with God and in my confidence in the fact that I can rely on His Word.
Victory in life is reserved for those who have a mindset of running races until the end.
Starting out in a blaze of Glory is great, but if you don't have enough spiritual fortitude to run your race until victory is obtained, what good did it do to start out with great fanfare? Whether you're dealing with prayer, healing, the salvation of a loved one, the developing of a relationship...
in whatever journey you're about to embark upon, set your face forward and refuse to give up.
Eliminate quitting as an option.
Turn your prayer dial to the on position and then break it off.
Make up in your mind that you're not going to be defeated and you will never quit.
When you become fatigued in your race (and you most certainly will), keep in mind that the Joy of the Lord is your strength.
God, through His Holy Spirit will be with you and is in you to give you the endurance you need to keep running your race until you see victory in every area of your life...
IF...
you don't give up, cave in and quit! And by the way, regarding the New England Patriots 2008 season, very few people (other than diehard football fans) remember their near perfect season.
They only lost one game, but still no one remembers.
Why? Because the idea of running races until the end wasn't the mindset they had on that Sunday afternoon in 2008.
They tripped right at the finish line.
But if you ask the average fan what team was able to hang on until the end...
the only team in NFL history to ever record a perfect season, most not only know the team, but they remember the players, the stats, and they remember the day they saw history being made.
Make history in your life.
Stay strong in the Lord and make up your mind that running races that are set before you with determination and endurance is how you're going to live out your life for Christ.
Hebrews 12:1 - Therefore, having so vast a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, and throwing off everything that hinders us and especially the sin that so easy entangles us, let us keep running with endurance the race set before us fixing our attention on Jesus, the pioneer and perfector of the faith...
NIV In 2008 the New England Patriots won every game on their schedule.
Heading into the post season, they won every one of their playoff games.
And in the 2008 Championship game, they beat the San Diego Chargers to become the AFC Champions.
At this point, New England had an unblemished record and was on the verge of becoming only the second team in history to have a perfect season.
Only one game and one team stood between them and rewriting the history books.
As it turned out, the whole world watched the prospects of a perfect season go out the window as the Patriots lost Super Bowl XLII to the New York Giants by the score of 17-14.
That evening as the Patriots walked off the field after suffering defeat, all remembrance of their winning season drifted into obscurity.
So many times we set off on a quest for answered prayer, or to see resolution in our lives in one way or another but we don't reach our goals.
Starting out on the journey is the easy part.
Having the determination and endurance to continue to the end is the difficult part.
Particularly when we can't see the finish line.
I have started out on many journeys in my life and looking back on some of them now, I thank God I couldn't see the finish line.
If I had known how long my race was going take, I probably would never have started out on it.
And if I had never started, I would never have grown in my walk with God and in my confidence in the fact that I can rely on His Word.
Victory in life is reserved for those who have a mindset of running races until the end.
Starting out in a blaze of Glory is great, but if you don't have enough spiritual fortitude to run your race until victory is obtained, what good did it do to start out with great fanfare? Whether you're dealing with prayer, healing, the salvation of a loved one, the developing of a relationship...
in whatever journey you're about to embark upon, set your face forward and refuse to give up.
Eliminate quitting as an option.
Turn your prayer dial to the on position and then break it off.
Make up in your mind that you're not going to be defeated and you will never quit.
When you become fatigued in your race (and you most certainly will), keep in mind that the Joy of the Lord is your strength.
God, through His Holy Spirit will be with you and is in you to give you the endurance you need to keep running your race until you see victory in every area of your life...
IF...
you don't give up, cave in and quit! And by the way, regarding the New England Patriots 2008 season, very few people (other than diehard football fans) remember their near perfect season.
They only lost one game, but still no one remembers.
Why? Because the idea of running races until the end wasn't the mindset they had on that Sunday afternoon in 2008.
They tripped right at the finish line.
But if you ask the average fan what team was able to hang on until the end...
the only team in NFL history to ever record a perfect season, most not only know the team, but they remember the players, the stats, and they remember the day they saw history being made.
Make history in your life.
Stay strong in the Lord and make up your mind that running races that are set before you with determination and endurance is how you're going to live out your life for Christ.
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