The moment the gun goes off the sprinters bolt out of their starting blocks with one thing in mind, to be the first to cross the finished line. Many times, the finish can come down to several runners pushing with everything they have to thrust themselves past the others to win by inches. Paul exhorts believers to run the race of faith with victory in mind, not to just participate but to win. (1Cor. 9: 24-26)

Yet, so many people get drawn into the catastrophe of just existing and not finishing strong. Many have lost their tenacious spirit to push for the prize of victory. The wind has been taken out of their sails by a society that says, “Everyone Gets a Trophy”. I totally understand that we need to encourage and mentor the younger by rewarding and giving praise. But we also need to encourage them that whether it is in the natural or spiritual, hard work, endurance and discipline will help them achieve the prize at the end of the race. No one likes pain and agony. But for the sake of finishing as a winner the athlete goes through discipline of getting rid of things that will hinder their success.

The Christian also must endure to finish their race. It takes work and much persistence to keep going forward and not quit. In Heb. 12:1-2, the author writes “…let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus…”.

As followers of Christ we often allow bad habits and wrong actions to trip us up through our journey just as the athlete. Paul exhorts the believers in Col 3:8-10 to, “put off the old man with his deeds”. In other words to get rid of any anger, lying, filthy language and the list goes on. We must be willing to cleanse ourselves of any conduct of our former lifestyle without Christ and anything that would hinder us from finishing the race.

                  Stop nonchalantly going through life and begin running your race of faith to win for the King.   (tweet)

Jesus Himself at the end of His earthly ministry prayed to the Father in John17:4-5 saying, “I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do.” We also see at the end of the apostle Paul’s life he wrote in 2 Tim 4:6-8 to young Timothy saying, “the time of my departure is at hand…I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” Paul ended his race achieving the victory in which he says he would receive a reward by God. Let us have that same mind as we run our race of Faith.

It is an act of worship and brings glory to God when we live our life pleasing to Him. In 1 Cor. 9;25 it says, if those in a race run for a earthy prize how much more should we run to win a imperishable crown from Christ. In Rev. 4:10-11 we get a glimpse of the twenty-four elders that cast their crowns or rewards at the feet of Jesus and say, “You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor “. They give their heavenly rewards back to the Lord as worship to Him.

As believers when we finish our race victoriously it is evidence of our love and worship for God. So I encourage you to stop nonchalantly going through life and begin running your race of faith to win for the King.