Running the Race

Michael L. Flemming

Roadblocks. Mountains. Walls. Obstacles that keep us from the goals we desire to attain in this life. Were we to reach these obstacles and decide they were insurmountable, and the challenge too great, we would fail to reach our chosen destination.

As it is with the natural being, so it is with the spiritual being. Stumbling blocks will arise in our life that will try to hinder us from reaching our spiritual potential. We are in the greatest race of all time, and our adversary does not want us to cross the finish line.

We can take encouragement from the many events in the life of the Apostle Paul. He had many things rise against him to try to stop him from crossing the finish line. He did not allow those events to hinder his stride because he had the following mindset:

Hebrews 12:1-2, “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (KJV)

This paradigm served Paul well! The Bible records some of Paul’s obstacles in 2 Corinthians 11:24-27, “Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.” (KJV)

Through all of this, Paul remained true to his Master. Child of God, stand fast – Paul did! The Word of God records the following words, spoken near the end of his life, in 2 Timothy 4:7-8, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.” (KJV)

Paul made a profession through those powerful words that still stands in the hour in which we live! Hold fast, for our reward shall come! The Apostle put it this way in Galatians 6:9, “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” (KJV)

Run the race to win!

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