Running the race to win the price 1 Cor 9:24-27

In this world, we are all in a race called the race of life. Paul used a language that the Corinthians understood when he said about athletes. They understood the strict training these athletes undertook and their need to run in such a way as to get a prize

In life, every athlete who wants to win a prize works extremely hard to win the leafy crown awarded to the victor, a prize that would one day wither. In contrast, believers are in training to win a crown that will last forever. (Read Rev 2:10).

As believers, we must discipline ourselves to run and fight according to the rules of God our creator (loving God and loving others as ourselves) or else be disqualified. This disqualification means not getting a prize and the losing of our salvation.

God wants all He created to win His prize when he will say to us, ‘well done my faithful, come and inherit my kingdom… This prize is made available to all. But only those who will endure the race of this life till the end will win the prize. The storm of this life will come because its what the devil is using as a tool to distract us from focusing on the race set before us. In another word, the storms which are different with each one, are obstacles to derail us from fixing our eyes on the prize. (Jesus Christ)

Dear friends, this is the time we need to run back to God, confessing any wrong & we, in turn, forgive people their wrongs. Let us focus on the study of His word and for us to trust and fix our eyes on Him in surrender. We must press on, do all we can to focus on the race so that we will not be rubbed from the prize which is ahead of us.

Paul said, ‘I forget those things which are behind, and I reach forward to those things which are ahead’ (phi 3:14), the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Christ second coming is advancing, its close, hence we must be of great concern to finish the race well, having the prize of ‘well done’. There is a crown to be won at the end of the race but there might be somethings that might make some of us Miss God.

Let us look at the word MISS:

M: Mind, our minds turn to focus on mental capacity rather than spiritual possibilities. The mind will always see our weaknesses, disabilities etc but as believers, we must train or set our mind on the spiritual possibilities that are available for us through Jesus. So, one’s mind can make them miss God. the mind says one is sick but God’s spiritual possible said one is healed (Rom 12:1-2). We must believe God’s words because they are true. Jesus Christ surpasses the mental capability.

I: imitate; imitating others experiences rather than having yours in Christ. Don’t be someone else, or don’t be a fake, rather be you i.e. be the original you (Act 19:13-16)

S: Sight, we should set our sight on eternal things rather than temporary things (Mat 6:19-21) We should store our treasures in heaven. And one of the ways to store treasure in heaven is the sharing of the good news of Jesus Christ with others…

S: stubbornness; We should yield to the Lord’s guidance, through the leading of the Holy Spirit. We shouldn’t be stubborn as the mule when Christ tries to lead us nor should we be like the horse (Ps 32:9).

My brothers and sisters, the prize awaits us is worth us doing all we can to stay on course, not allowing anything to cause us to miss God and His kingdom.

Another way one can also miss God is by one dimming the little light of God they have within them: How?

The devil has three principal tools he uses to pull as many people that would allow him to get into them by the choices people make. These are money, sex and power… Let us see how

Money: money on its own is good but the love of money is bad why because the love of money produces greed, selfishness, wickedness etc. The love of money makes one a servant and a slave to money whereas money in God view for us, is for it to be our slave, not our master or lord. That is why it is said ‘the love of money is the root of all evil’. 1 Timothy 6:10

Sex: I call this a five minutes pleasure, this just 5minutes has…, and is still leading many astray in the form of fornication and adultery. If we look at the act of sex, is the only act I think where body, mind and soul are in unity to please the flesh. In God’s view, sex is meant to be enjoyed in marriage {bible marriage, not societal marriage}.

Marriage was not made for extramarital affairs… Heb 13:4 says, ‘Marriage must be honoured by all, and the marriage bed be kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral’.

The Bible calls sex in all form outside marriage as sexual immorality. Here are some texts with regards to sexual immorality: 2 cor 12:21, Ephe 5:3, Gal 5:19, 1 cor 6:9, 18, 1 The 4:3-5 proverb 5:15-19 etc

Power: Power is control over persons or things. Power given to one by God is good but it's not for the one to be a control freak… is for the one to be humbled before God and others. When power is given by God only good things come to us, even when it goes wrong, it will come together for good Rom 8:28

With power, some force themselves to get power from evil sources, knowingly or unknowingly. Unknowingly because they can get people to give them man’s title just for fame; & for others to hail them. But before such a person releases the power has gotten into them then the evil step in through bad influence. ‘bad company ruins good character’ 1 Cor 15:33

My friends these things are a wake-up call for us to sit up in our walk with God, a way to self-cross examine our self and to help us run to God for His grace which is available (1john 1:9).

Make no mistake, the prize is so precious to miss out or not to be a winner, don’t worry about yesterday, focus on the now and make choices that will let us to the prize. Therefore, my beloved in Christ run your race to be a victor because God in His grace has given us the opportunity of now, let us not say we will tomorrow because tomorrow is not ours and it might be too late.

Let us learn from the days of Noah, people were warned but they didn’t listen. Today we are been warned to turn back to God, for God does not want anyone to perish that is why He is asking us to turn a leave. He will not force us; we must make our choice to yield to His warnings or not

However, he who have ears, let him hear what the Spirit is saying… Mat 11:15, Mat 13: 9 & Rev 2:29

Amen.