Running Life’s Spiritual Race with Endurance

Running the Right Race

Hebrews 12:1,12-13

Theme Passage

Heb 10 35 Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. 36 For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise

Hebrews 12 Hebrews 12 1 Therefore we also, since 1 Therefore we also, since

we are surrounded by so great a cloud we are surrounded by so great a cloud

of witnesses, let us lay aside every of witnesses, let us lay aside every

weight, & the sin which so easily weight, & the sin which so easily

ensnares us, …ensnares us, …

Hebrews 12 Hebrews 12 1 …& let us run with 1 …& let us run with

endurance the race that is set endurance the race that is set

before us,…before us,…

Hebrews 12 Hebrews 12 12 Therefore 12 Therefore

strengthen the hands which hang strengthen the hands which hang

down, & the feeble knees, 13 & down, & the feeble knees, 13 &

make straight paths for your feet, make straight paths for your feet,

so that what is lame may not be so that what is lame may not be

dislocated, but rather be healed.dislocated, but rather be healed.

““It doesnIt doesn’’t matter how you play if t matter how you play if

you are playing the wrong game, it you are playing the wrong game, it

doesndoesn’’t matter how you run if you t matter how you run if you

are running the wrong race… it are running the wrong race… it

doesndoesn’’t matter how you live if you t matter how you live if you

are living for the wrong reasonare living for the wrong reason””

a) Vision to see the race before us

1… and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us…

a) Vision to see the race before us

Endurance requires vision, a clouded future or too many uncertainties sap our strength.

a) Vision to see the race before us

Phil 3 12 I don't mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection! NLT

a) Vision to see the race before us

Phil 3 12 But I keep working toward that day when I will finally be all that Christ Jesus saved me for & wants me to be. NLT

a) Vision to see the race before us

Phil 3 13 No, dear brothers & sisters, I am still not all I should be, but I am focusing all my energies on this one thing: NLT

a) Vision to see the race before us

Phil 3 13 Forgetting the past & looking forward to what lies ahead, NLT

a) Vision to see the race before us

Phil 3 14 I strain to reach the end of the race & receive the prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us up to heaven. NLT

a) Vision to see the race before us

Does the life God has for me energize me or is my

spiritual life tired from not knowing where I am going?

b) Preparation for the race before us

1 … since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, & the sin which so easily ensnares us…

b) Preparation for the race before us

12 Therefore strengthen the hands which hang down, & the feeble knees,

b) Preparation for the race before us

13 & make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed.

b) Preparation for the race before us

Preparation=Purposeful training. The more purposeful we are, the more we prepare. The better prepared we are, the more endurance we have.

Strengthen MyselfStrengthen MyselfEndurance requires strength. Endurance requires strength. To build spiritual strength we To build spiritual strength we have to both have to both removeremove things things that hold us down (past, sin, that hold us down (past, sin, failures, regrets, etc.) and failures, regrets, etc.) and empowerempower ourselves with ourselves with GodGod’’s Spirit, power and love.s Spirit, power and love.

Straight Paths

Trying to move around too many Trying to move around too many obstacles drains our endurance. obstacles drains our endurance.

b) Preparation for the race before us

I Cor 9 24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. NIV

b) Preparation for the race before us

I Cor 9 25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. NIV

b) Preparation for the race before us

I Cor 9 26 Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. NIV

b) Preparation for the race before us

I Cor 9 27 No, I beat my body & make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize. NIV

b) Preparation for the race before us

Am I preparing myself so that I have endurance or is my

strength being drained because I don’t train myself spiritually?

Running Life’s Spiritual Race with Endurance

Running the Right Race

Hebrews 12:1,12-13