THE RACE FOR THE CROWN (PART 3 OF 6)

20th NOVEMBER 2022

“I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: 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” – 2 Timothy 4:7-8

One of the missing links of the Christian life is our unwillingness and inability to accept suffering as part of our journey to Christhood. To follow Jesus, we must be prepared to carry our cross, and that entails a lot! To carry the cross is to live a life of sacrifice while we focus on the crown! But the crown does not have to be in the afterlife, for eternal life starts from now while you are still here on earth! Therefore, as you overcome each travail step by step, you are greatly rewarded with everlasting joy in the lessons that you have learned! Therefore, while we shall continually face tests and trials in the areas of our moral judgement, or where we have failed in obedience to God’s word, or whenever God feels that we have to be tested and tried, we certainly will earn the joy that comes from loving Jesus as we follow His footsteps!

Obedience to God’s word is the bedrock on which we are judged, tried and tested! Paul was tested in the areas of his weaknesses throughout his missionary journey, and in the end, he declared with confidence in 2 Timothy 4:7, ^‘I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. But the good fight we are called to fight as Christians, together with the race we are expected to run, are not easy tasks, I must tell you. BUT ‘the race’ and ‘the good fights’ become easy when we become ‘active doers of the word of God, and we can listen to God talk to us! God does not want us to suffer or make any mistakes. That is why He gave us His word and the Holy Spirit to be our teacher and Guide. But oftentimes, we missed the guidance of the two and allowed lust and free will to mislead our appetites into making wrong choices in overly critical situations.

PRAYERS

Father in the name of Jesus Christ, I thank you for this infirmity and travails; I ask for thy grace to overcome the vicissitudes confronting me. Father, I know that you have permitted this trial to occur. Therefore, I purge myself of all moral weaknesses, and I declare that the power of the Holy Spirit sanctifies me. I bear no grudge against anyone. I freely forgive all those who wronged me. Therefore, I am free from every bondage of ill health, emotional trauma and psychological prison. From this moment onward, I overcome every inner and outer void standing between me and fulfil your plan and purpose for me. I am victorious, and I remain a conqueror. Thank you, father, for giving me a new life. AMEN.

FURTHER READING:  Romans 5:3–5; Hebrews 5:8; Matthew 19:21