Pastor column: Have faith to win your race
It’s been said, “Never underestimate a champion’s heart.” Why? The answer is simple … faith. A true champion has a powerful belief system and it starts from within. It starts in the heart.
The late Tom Landry, former coach of the Dallas Cowboys, was asked, “What makes a real champion?” His answered, “A champion is simply someone who didn’t give up when he wanted to.” He explained, “Success is not accidental. We learn how to achieve.” Coach said that the first step to be a champion is faith —believing that you can win. What you have here is that faith will succeed, not only in sports, but more importantly in the game of life!
Paul writes, “Run in such a way as to get the prize” (1 Corinthians 9:24). To win the prize in the game of life takes determined faith. Why compare the Christian life to a race? It’s because you are engaged in a race that will push you to the limit, if you are to win.
Determined faith says, “I can, I will, I am.” It’s totally abandoned in God. What would happen in your own life if you totally abandoned yourself to God … to the point where it affected your lifestyle? To do so, we must run it with determined faith.
Paul says, “Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training” (1 Corinthians 9:25). We must train in such a way that will enable us to compete and to win. We must run with dedicated faith. There must be a total commitment and total effort.
Hebrews chapter 12 says, “… let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us” (vs.1). We must shed the things that slow our progress. All sin trips us up … it impedes our progress. Verse 2 tells us to run “fixing our eyes on Jesus the author and finisher of our faith.” Dedicated faith means we are to use Jesus as our focal point while we run the race we have been given by God. Anything less will spell disaster for the Christian runner.
Again Paul says, “Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly” (vs.26). In other words, we must run with a deliberate faith. Everything we do must be designed to carry us toward that goal. What is the goal? Jesus is the goal, of course … “fixing our eyes on Jesus.” We must be committed to become like Him. That’s the reason we run — to be conformed into His image, molded in His character and this takes a deliberate faith. Is that your goal?
Jesus is not only our goal, but He’s the power to attain that goal … an enabling power, an enlightening power, an energizing power! Praise God!
To win the race of life we must have a determined faith, a dedicated faith, and a deliberate faith. Always remember an eternal crown is at stake and never, ever underestimate a champion’s heart.
Rev. J. Patrick Street is the lead pastor of Redeemer Church in Marion. He can be reached at coachpatstreet@gmail.com.
This article originally appeared on Marion Star: Pastor column: You need dedicated faith to win the race of life
