Pastor Sam Peter
Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us. Heb 12:1
The Lord laid in my hear to speak about the race that each of us are in. It is so important that we realize that we are in a race. Often there are many hindrances that prevent us from running the race effectively. Remember that our salvation is eternal. We did not get our salvation by our works. It was finished right at the cross, when Jesus died for our sins. But since we live in our flesh, we will have challenges that try to pull us down.
If I drop a pen, it immediately falls down. However, if I throw it up, it goes up for a while and then falls again. It depends on the force that is always trying to bring a body down. So it is with the race. The sin that entangles and the burden that is heavy can hinder us from running the race that is set before us.
We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, (2 Cor 10:5)
My nephew recently told me about LeBron James. How he is so focused at the final stages of the tournament that he keeps himself completely away from media and other distractions, from food that is unhealthy. We know that athletes wear the lightest clothes possible. If one can be so focused for attaining worldly success, how much more careful we should be in running this spiritual race!
Cast Aside Burdens
Up to the time I was in my twenties, I needed to often go to a parsonage and collect the produce consisting of coconuts, pineapple, jackfruit and bring it. It involved a walk of about 1 mile to the bus stop. The load of the produce was so heavy and it used to be a very difficult walk. Without the load, it was a pleasant walk. I wish I did not have to carry the burdens, because it was very difficult! In our life, we need to lay aside our burdens. Our burdens could be related to our health, our finances, our emotional situations, things related to our job, something related to our children or even our grandchildren. The Bible reminds us to cast our burdens on to the Lord for He cares for us.
We all know that Paul had to deal with a thorn in the flesh.
Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me—to keep me from exalting myself! Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me. And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” 2 Cor 12:7
Do remember that the mighty apostle Paul whose falling shadow and handkerchiefs touched by him were able to heal sick people, but when he had a thorn in the flesh, he had to endure it. He prayed three times for it to be removed, but God did not do that. Sometimes things happen in our life to shape us, to discipline us. Let us depend on the grace of God which strengthens us and helps us to bear the burdens.
Lay Aside The Temptations
In running this race, we also need to lay aside the sin that easily entangles us by overcoming temptations.
Let’s look at the temptation of Adam and Eve in Gen 3.
When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Gen 3:6
When Eve saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she just ate it. God does not want us to be defeated by temptation as Adam and Eve were. God has given us many resources to succeed in this fight against temptation, but I want to focus on two of them:
Word of God: The word of God is very important when you are trying to deal with sin. When Jesus was tempted after 40 days of fasting and became hungry, Satan confronted him. Satan asked him to convert the stone to bread. But Jesus refused stating that “Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. Each time He was tempted, Jesus responded with the word of God. When the right word of God comes to our mind, we can overcome the temptations. For God to remind us with the word of God, we need to fill our mind with the word of God. Let us spend more time to fill our minds with God’s word.
Fellowship: Fellowship is also a very powerful factor that helps us gain victory over temptations that we face. Small close-knit relationships in the body of Christ are so important. In some places of worship, people go join the worship, pay tithes, and go home. That’s not God’s plan for fellowship. We ought to bear one another’s burdens and encourage one another. We ought to encourage and support the weaker brother. Sometimes in prayer, sometimes in finances or with other means, by giving a call or visiting with a word of encouragement.
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 2 Tim 4:7
Towards the end of his life, Paul was able to say that he finished the race and kept the faith. We need to run the race with perseverance and faith so that we can finish our course successfully.
Going back to Heb 12, let us remember the writer’s admonition about growing weary.
Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. Heb 12:3
Sometimes we try to do many things but become discouraged in our own minds. “I am doing so many things to encourage our church, to encourage myself, but nothing is working out.” That’s why we need to remember always that God who began a good work in us will carry it on to completion.
…being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Phil 1:6
May God enable us to complete the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.