Category Archives: Word of Faith

Barren? 5 Secret Steps to Take for Childbirth!

Posted by Dec 31, 2016 Holy Word, Family, Word of Faith 2 Comments
Barren? 5 Secret Steps to Take for Childbirth!

Barren Christians are not cowards, but they are the unique children of God that endure a tough trial of faith. A barren situation in marriage attracts external pressure from people, oppression, confusion and anxiety. But, I thank God that His power is above barrenness.

The Lord’s first commandment to us is to give birth to children. The book of Genesis chapter 1 verse 27 and 28: “So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

The information from CDC shows that infertility in the US affects about 12% of the reproductive-age population. This includes 7.3 million women and their partners.

It is God that opens the womb of a woman for childbirth. This article is for couples waiting for God’s fruit of the womb. So, I would expose the right steps to take for a barren womb to receive glorious children from the Lord.

  1. Prayers and not Barren Complaints

Barren Christians that complain every day in the church cannot receive any child from the Lord. The right step to take is putting your trust in God. Practice a prayerful lifestyle, and the Lord will hear your request.

Jesus says: “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.” (Luke 11:9-10)

For instance, the complaints and hunger strike of Hannah did not give the barren woman a child. But, when she went into the presence of the Lord to pray, her status changed from barrenness to fruitfulness.

First Samuel chapter 1: “…Then Elkanah her husband said to her, “Hannah, why do you weep? Why do you not eat? And why is your heart grieved? Am I not better to you than ten sons?”… And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to the LORD…

And Elkanah knew Hannah his wife, and the LORD remembered her… So it came to pass in the process of time, that Hannah conceived and bore a son, and called his name Samuel, saying, “Because I have asked for him from the LORD…””

Ten years of barren complaint cannot give childbirth, but a moment of faithful prayers can make God to open your womb.

  1. Walk with God

The Lord is an Unquestionable God. He knows the best time to give you His blessings. In most cases, the barren status of Christian couples is an opportunity to understand how to walk with God.

To walk with God is not limited to attending church services and night vigils. It involves understanding the covenant of God for your life, and your obedience to His commandments.

For instance, Abraham walked with God and the Lord changed his barren life. Genesis chapter 17 verse 1 says: “When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am the Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless.”

Note: This dispensation of grace does not imply that you have no commandments to obey. Don’t be deceived by the massive number of false preachers in the Christendom.

To walk with God means living a holy lifestyle in His divine power. Disobeying the commandments of Jesus (Matthew chapter 5, 6, 7…) can delay the fruitfulness of a barren couple.

Romans chapter 6 verse 15 says: “What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not!”

Do not walk before the false Prophets, Satanists or Witch Doctors; they have nothing better to offer you.

  1. Be Patient in your Strong Faith

The Psalmist said: “For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.” (Psalm 30:5)

If you pray and walk in the presence of the Lord daily, then patiently wait for Him to open your womb. He will do the childbirth faster than how you thought. Make yourself available for the gospel services such as evangelism. And you will get pregnant in the course of the service to the Lord.

The father of John the Baptist, Zacharias was delivered from the barren marriage, because he was a patient child of God. Let’s read few verses from the book of Luke chapter one: “…And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless… 

But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years. So it was that while he was serving as priest before God… But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.”

The devil may tempt you to do ungodly child rituals, don’t listen to him. No one can give you a glorious child except the LORD.

  1. Engage Yourself in Hospitality

Share what you have with the poor children. Give to the poor orphans and the widows. It is a good practice for every child of God. Your hospitality to the needy can make God to open your womb.

I want you to learn from the experience of Abraham. He was prayerful and walked with the Lord for many years. But, his barren life was instantly changed to childbirth when he showed hospitality to the “hungry visitors”.

Listen to the reward of his hospitality in Genesis chapter 18 verses 14: “Is anything too hard for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.”

  1. Love Your Marriage Partner

Love is not about the wedding ring, or the size of your bed. Love is about sacrifice and understanding. Love is neither partial nor selfish. Love is not after your money or properties of your partner. Love in marriage needs intimacy.

My meetings with some barren couples showed that the strength of their intimate love with their partners is extremely low. For instance, a couple who married for ten years never lived together for a year. The husband works in a far distance and the wife is not ready to move her business to her husband’s place. The husband died, and the poor woman remained barren.

Couples living far apart are exposed to the high risk of barrenness, because they violate the instruction of the Lord. The LORD says: “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.”

Barren couple that lives together like strangers cannot break the yoke of barrenness. So, selfless love is needed to uphold the physical, spiritual and emotional status of couples waiting upon the Lord for childbirth.

 

It is God alone that gives children. And the five steps discussed above had been tested and confirmed genuine as the best ways to stop the barren period in couples. Give your life to Jesus through a genuine repentance, and you will surely laugh like Sarah.

“And Sarah said, “God has made me laugh, and all who hear will laugh with me.” (Genesis 21:6)

8 Great Promises of God for You!!

Posted by Dec 26, 2016 Holy Word, Church, Word of Faith 1 Comment
8 Great Promises of God for You!!

Promises of God are His vows for you to enjoy your life on earth and in heaven. Everett Storms engaged in the count of God’s promises in the bible. It took him one and half years to come up with a total sum of 7,487 promises by God to man.

This platform cannot explain all the promises of the Lord, but I will discuss some of the great promises with you today:

1. When you find it difficult to please God and the devil whispered the speech below for you:

“It is impossible to be holy… it is not possible to please God…”

Don’t leave the narrow path for the broad way. But, read His promises for you in the book of Ezekiel chapter 36 verse 26 to 27:

“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.”

2. When you cannot fight your battle and you become weary, recite these promises of God:

“But thus says the LORD: “Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible be delivered; For I will contend with him who contends with you, And I will save your children. I will feed those who oppress you with their own flesh, and they shall be drunk with their own blood as with sweet wine. All flesh shall know that I, the LORD, am your Savior, And your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.” (Isaiah 49:25-26)

3. If the doctors tried their best, but no positive result, then claim the promises of God for your healing:

“For I will restore health to you. And heal you of your wounds,’ says the LORD, ‘Because they called you an outcast saying: “This is Zion; No one seeks her.’” (Jeremiah 30:17)

4. You may suffer home related issues, racism and oppression. Always calm yourself with the promises of God that say:

“In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” (John 14:2-3)

5. Are your neighbors making a jest of you? Or are you going through tough situations as a Christian? Hmm! I want you to recite these God’s promises as the tears roll down your cheek:

“And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” (Revelation 21:4)

6. It is not an easy task to endure the hard times. But, always strengthen your heart with the promises of the Lord written in the book of James chapter 1 and verse 12:

“Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.”

7. When you are physically or spiritually tired, the Lord promises to strengthen you.

“He gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might He increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall, But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:29-31)

8. Please, do not commit suicide when your heart is heavy. And do not seek for rest from the devil. Listen to the promises of the Lord for you:

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)

How to Enjoy God’s Promises

  1. Acquire the Mustard-Sized Faith

Your faith is the most essential attribute to the fulfillment of God’s promises in your life. For instance; the promises were written in the book of Isaiah that Jesus will comfort the brokenhearted. But, He could not comfort the blind men without the faith. The book of Matthew chapter 9 verse 27 to 30 says: “…two blind men followed Him, crying out and saying, “Son of David, have mercy on us!”… And Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They said to Him, “Yes, Lord.” Then He touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith let it be to you…”

If you don’t have faith in the promises of the Lord written in the Bible, then it will be difficult for you to enjoy the promises of the Lord.

2. Obedience to God’s Instructions

I am aware of some generic promises which do not need obedience. For instance; the rainfall is for the good and bad people. But, the fulfillment of some special promises of the Lord for His children needs obedience to the will of God.

In the Old Testament, the Lord gave the Israelite the commandments to obey. Their Obedience led to the enjoyment of His wonderful promises as recorded in the book of Deuteronomy chapter 28 verses 1 to 14.

In the New Testament, the Lord Jesus gave us the commandments to obey as well. Read Matthew chapter 5, 6 and 7 for details.

So, obedience to the instructions and guidelines of the Lord is a vital role you must play every day. And the promises of the Lord shall come to pass in your life.

3. Proclaim the Promises

God’s promises are free of charge. You don’t have to pay for the enjoyment of God’s promises upon your life. When you see God’s promises in the Bible, read it aloud and believe the fulfillment in your life.

 

The promises of God in the Bible are for every child of God. So, confess your sins, obey the instructions of Jesus and proclaim the promises with Faith. And you will enjoy the goodness of the Lord on earth and in heaven. Hallelujah!!

Perfection: How to Become Perfect as God

Posted by Dec 7, 2016 Holy Word, Church, Gospel Evangelism, Word of Faith Leave a Comment
Perfection: How to Become Perfect as God

Jesus teaches His followers to be perfect as their Father in heaven is perfect. This teaching was not controversial in the midst of the disciples, because no one asked Jesus to explain the meaning. And no one argued with Him about the impossibility of the practical teachings.

But, it is unfortunate that the teaching of perfection is a strong argument in our midst today. I always smile when people beside me say statements like: “It is impossible to be perfect like God… Human beings on earth cannot be perfect… You cannot be equal to God… Blasphemy! …etc.”

My question to everyone is: “Can Jesus ask us to do something that is impossible?”

I would explain the intention of Jesus in this article as regards the need for you to become perfect as your Father in heaven is perfect. Before I proceed, I want you to listen to this story:

“One day, an expert in time management was speaking to a group of business students and, to drive home a point, used an illustration those students will never forget. As he stood in front of the group of high-powered overachievers he said, “Okay, time for a quiz” and he pulled out a one-gallon wide-mouth mason jar and set it on the table in front of him. He also produced about a dozen fist-sized rocks and carefully placed them, one at a time, into the jar.

When the jar was filled to the top and no more rocks would fit inside, he asked, “Is this jar full?” Everyone in the class yelled, “Yes.”

The time management expert replied, “Really?” He reached under the table and pulled out a bucket of gravel. He dumped some gravel in and shook the jar causing pieces of gravel to work themselves down into the spaces between the big rocks.

He then asked the group once more, “Is the jar full?”

By this time the class was on to him. “Probably not,” one of them answered. “Good!” he replied. He reached under the table and brought out a bucket of sand. He started dumping the sand in the jar and it went into all the spaces left between the rocks and the gravel. Once more he asked the question, “Is this jar full?”

“No!” the class shouted.

Once again he said, “Good.” Then he grabbed a pitcher of water and began to pour it in until the jar was filled to the brim. Then he looked at the class and asked, “What is the point of this illustration?”

One eager beaver raised his hand and said, “The point is, no matter how full your schedule is, if you try really hard you can always fit some more things in it!”

“No,” the speaker replied, “that’s not the point. The truth this illustration teaches us is: If you don’t put the big rocks in first, you’ll never get them in at all.”

If you reflect on this short story, then I want you to ask yourself this question: what are the ‘big rocks’ in my life. If your big rocks are fruits of the Spirit (such as; love, long-suffering, self-control…), then put those characters in your ‘jar’ first. That is the only way you can understand the perfect status the Lord want you to be with Him.

What Does Jesus Mean By ‘Perfect’?

Let’s read the full passage for proper understanding of the word ‘perfect’. The book of Matthew chapter 5 verse 43 to 48 says: “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’

But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, “that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.

“For if you love those who love you, what rewards have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? “And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? “Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.

Jesus specifically taught His followers about ’Agape Love’, ‘Impartial Love’, and ‘Perfect Love’.

Jesus changed the Law of Moses to a perfect law. He does not want us to hate any human being (though they might be your enemies). Jesus wants us to imitate the perfect love that our Lord practices on every person. For instance, the Lord gives natural resources such as sun, rain and mineral resources to both the Christians and non-Christians.

So, practice the perfect love even as your Father in Heaven is perfect in love. The failure of this generation to adhere to the teachings of perfect love led to high rates of crime, terrorism, divorce and worst of it all is the terrible division among the Christians.

It is saddening to hear a pastor referring to another pastor of a different denomination as his enemy. Hmm! Thank God there is no church denominations in heaven…

Is it a Difficult Task to be Perfect?

Note: you are not in a competition with the Lord. To be perfect as your Father in heaven is perfect does not imply flexing your muscles with the Lord.

To be perfect implies a positive change of attitude to bad people around you. It’s all about the character of love. Your need to be perfect does not involve the struggle to climb on the throne of God. But, you are expected to imitate the Lord’s kind of perfect and pure love with your friends and enemies.

To Be Perfect Means:

1. Love your enemies

2. Bless those who curse you

3. Do good to those who hate you

4. Pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you

Every child of God is required to practice the four steps above. No argument!! (Matthew 5:45a)

I am sure you won’t tell me that it is difficult for you to love! Love is an attitude that everyone finds it easy to either release or withdraws. So, Jesus is asking you to release your heart of love, not only to your friends, but also to your enemies.

If you help those who do not love you, then you are practicing perfection.

If you love those who are not from your race, then you are perfect.

Don’t be deceived by false preachers who give you the impression that you cannot be perfect (in love). You have all it takes to love…

You can be perfect. A true follower of Jesus must practice perfect love. Children of God do not (sin) disobey the instruction of Jesus. The book of first John chapter 3 verses 9 says: “Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.”

So, I want you to understand the following facts:

Your call to become perfect is to love, and help your friends and enemies.

 

It has nothing to do with competition with the Lord.

 

You can be perfect, if and only if your lifestyle is controlled by the fruits of the Spirit. Read Galatians chapter 5 verse 22 to 24 for the details on the fruits of the Spirit.

 

The power to love is in your hands. So, to become perfect in love is not a difficult task.

 

May the Lord empower you with His Word of Salvation in Jesus name – Amen

10 Ways to Read and Understand the Bible

Posted by Oct 13, 2016 Holy Word, Church, Gospel Evangelism, Word of Faith 2 Comments
10 Ways to Read and Understand the Bible

The Bible is undoubtedly a mysterious Book that unfolds the solutions to all problems and challenges. The understanding I got from the Bible shows that it is the only Book that consistently expresses the personality of God.

The Bible explains your purpose on earth and the right direction to live a successful life. It guides you on how to enjoy peaceful eternity.

But, it is unfortunate that Bible illiteracy is increasing every day in the church.

The Bible in America, a new report from American Bible Society and Barma group, revealed that: In 2016, 71 percent of practicing Catholics and 84 percent of practicing Protestant expressed the desire to read the Bible more.

In spite of this positive perception of the Bible, the percentage of Americans who viewed the Bible as a book of teachings written by men had risen from 10 percent to 22 percent of the past six years.

In this same period, the percentage of Americans who viewed the Bible as a sacred had dropped from 86 to 80 percent. So, the majority of Americans hold the Bible in high regard, but Bible skeptics are on the rise. This must stop!

I will explain the best ways to find the Bible as an interesting book to read and understand.

What is the Bible?

God designed the scriptures to act like a reminder application to us. The Bible composed of 66 books written by 40 authors. And the Lord appointed all the authors for the purpose of divine documentation.

The Lord wrote the first Bible with His Hand. The Lord’s motive was to make sure that His children live according to His instructions. Exodus chapter 32 verse 15 and 16 say: “And Moses turned, and went down from the mountain, and the two tablets of the Testimony were in his hand. The tablets were written on both sides; on the one side and on the other they were written. Now the tablets were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God engraved on the tablets.”

The Old Testament and New Testament were not collated for fun or literature review, but for guidance on how to live right with the Lord. Second Timothy chapter 3 verse 16 and 17 say: “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

The Bible is an extraordinary Book and it is also the genuine map for the journey of life.

How to Deal with the Bible

1. Acknowledge the Bible

Respect the Origin of the Bible and believe the motive for the existence of the Holy Book.

2. Choose a distraction-free area

A silent place is very essential for Bible study. You cannot understand the scriptures in an atmosphere filled with the noise of your electronic gadgets. Shut down your internet connection if you are reading through your electronic devices. The pop-up messages from your social media platform are strong distractions.

3. Pray before reading

To read and understand the scriptures requires the presence of the Lord. So, your prayers to the Lord before reading the scriptures are highly essential. Invite the Holy Spirit to your premises as your co-reader and you will enjoy the company.

4. Consistent reading

You cannot understand the Bible if you read it once in a week. My experience with the Word of God shows that; a day’s failure to read the scriptures is equal to a month’s loss of divine understanding.

A vital step to take for the proper understanding of the word of God is to allot some minutes of Bible study every day.

5. Start small

Some people thought reading ten chapters or the whole book at a time is the best way of understanding the scriptures. That is not always true! God does not give everyone an equal level of intelligence (either physical or spiritual gift).

So, if a passage is the length you can read to avoid ‘overcharging’ of your brain, then stop your bible study at that point. I recommend you begin Bible study from the New Testament, and go ahead to the Old Testament. The New Testament has a simpler picture of Christ’s salvation. Don’t bind yourself to the number of verses or chapters you read, because they were introduced many years after the scriptures were written. Chapters were introduced to the Bible in the 1200s, while Verses were inserted around 1550.

The number of complete stories, instructions, poems, visions or parables you read from the Bible determines your level of understanding.

6. Don’t pick the Bible with a pre-set argument

Many people find it difficult to understand the Bible, because they search for verses that will support their carnal decisions. Thus, their ears will be deaf and their eyes will be blind to the true meaning of the scriptures.

This habit led to misconception, which is a great scandal in the Christendom today.

Read the Bible with an open mind teachable by the Holy Spirit. No one can understand the mind of God in every scripture through a carnal or theological concept.

I ran into trouble when I interpreted the scriptures in my own ways. It exposed me to contradictions and terrible confusion. But, I never had problem anymore, since the day I accepted the Holy Spirit as the only Interpreter.

7. Choose the right Bible Translation

A lot of fake Bibles are available, and such translations can hinder your understanding. For instance, the new NIV translation version, Jehovah witness bible etc. are dangerous books to read.

I recommend New King James Version. Its translation comes from the original languages of the ancient scripts (Hebrew and Aramaic).

8. Pen and Jotter

You will have the full understanding of the scriptures if you jot the explanation of the Holy Spirit.

9. Identify the Context and Content

You will understand the passage in the Bible, if you are able to identify the perspective of the author. When reading the bible, always analyze the content and context of the passage. Such analysis in the presence of the Holy Spirit broadens the scope of understanding the subject. For instance, when Paul says: “we are no more under the law”… He did not imply that Christians can live a lawless life. He meant that we are no more under the Jewish law of sacrifice, because Jesus Christ had sacrificed Himself on the cross for us.

10. Meditate and Pray

Before closing your Bible, always read the points you jotted. And put the jottings into practical application. Meditate on the word of God, and pray to the Lord.

James chapter 1 verse 22 to 25 say: “But be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.”

 

The process of understanding the Bible does not end on your reading table. You will have a full understanding when you practice the lessons you read in the scriptures daily.

Christian Race: How to Avoid Falling Away!!

Posted by Jul 11, 2016 Holy Word, Church, Gospel Evangelism, Word of Faith Leave a Comment
Christian Race: How to Avoid Falling Away!!

Christian race is a lifestyle that is tasking and it is worthwhile because the umpire of the race is Jesus Christ. The beauty of the Christian race is that it has a finish line and the winners shall be rewarded with beautiful mansions and eternal peace in heaven.

I had an interesting experience on track events during my primary school inter-house sport. My dad trained me to always obey the rules of the race; to hear the gunshot before moving, to focus on the finish line, to move fast with all my strength, and never to look back.

During the competition, he was always on the field to encourage me to move fast, even when am comfortable with the second place. I always came home with gifts at the end of every race. So, the secrets of my winnings were consistent training and obedience to the rules of the race.

Similarly, we need to follow some rules before winning the Christian race. The finish line for everyone is the courtyard in heaven. And only the winners of the Christian race will receive the massive gift of heavenly mansions.

Don’t let your heart be troubled in this race. Jesus says in John chapter 14 verse 1 and 2: “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.”

Let me share with you the winning tactics:

  1. Understand the significance of the Christian race

The significance of the race is to get Christians ready for their eternity into the glorious gifts at heaven. Jesus advised in the book of Luke chapter 13 verses 24: “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able.”

Thus, it is important to be an active Christian and not a passive one who is just a church goer.

  1. Get yourself qualified for the Christian race

You must forsake the things of this world and give the power of your choice to Jesus. Then your faith in Jesus Christ qualifies you for the Christian race. John chapter 14 verse 23 says: “Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.”

  1. Acknowledge the Right Goals

The Lord wants us to regain our rightful status. So, He admonished the Israelite in the book of Leviticus chapter 19 verse 1 and 2: “And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy.”

In the New Testament, Jesus told us to be perfect just as our Father in Heaven is perfect. (Matthew 5:48)

All the goals of every child of God centers on transformation into the Christ like nature. So your main goals include:

(a) To run a Christian race with the strength of God’s holiness.

(b) To be faithful to God in your stewardship.

  1. Run the Christian Race

Don’t trek on your track, but run the Christian race. Examples of those trekking are; people who hardly study their Bible, they don’t take the word of God with all seriousness and they are sluggish in their spiritual dealings with God.

You have to run and win the Christian race by: reading the bible always, complete obedience to the word of God, love God with all your strength, and press on without looking back to your past. Luke chapter 9 verse 62 says: “But Jesus said to him, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”

  1. Throw away every heavy laden

One thing I dislike in track events is the half-clothed of the athletes. I asked a coach the reason for such outfit and he said: “The burden of heavy cloth will hinder the performance of the athlete”. I was not comfortable with his response, but I pondered on the effect of the heavy burden.

I realized that we can’t run the Christian race with any form of heavy burdens. For instance, heavy laden could be; addictions, excessive attention to television, magazines, the internet, lukewarm friends or procrastination.

All these heavy laden cannot make you a winner in the Christian race.

So, drop the lifestyle that gets you depressed to the feet of the Lord.

Jesus says in the book of Matthew chapter 11 verse 28 to 30: “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

  1. Uphold Strict Discipline

The grace of the Lord is available for everyone to be successful. But, you must play your role of obedience to sustain this grace in your Christian race. Scriptures says that we can’t continue in sin and ask grace to abound (Romans 6:1-2).

Most of the winners in sport exhibit strict discipline during their training for any competition. For instance, they restrain themselves from sex, alcohol, parties, gluttony and drugs. Wow! If a worldly athlete could be so disciplined in his training, then no Christian should have any excuse to justify indiscipline.

You have to discipline your body, soul and spirit in the way of the Lord. Paul shared his experience with us in first Corinthians chapter 9 verses 26 and 27: “So I run straight to the goal with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing. I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified.” (NLT)

  1. Don’t Judge Yourself

In the course of your Christian race, do not look back to compare yourself with others. Jesus Christ is the Judge of the Christian race. So, always compare your status with the biblical standard of God.

Don’t rate yourself with the standard of anyone, church doctrines or customs of the land. Such ratings might make you look like a ‘super Christian’. Let the word of God control your speed and you will never fall away.

 

Christian race is challenging, but your faithful obedience to God will make you a winner. Give God the chance to rule your life and your race on earth will not be a loss. Be an active Christian on earth and you will be a winner in heaven.

Revelation chapter 21 verse 4 to 7 says: “And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son.”