Deliverance from Competition

America is known for its spirit of competition. Whether it's in the area of commerce, or business, sports and even politics, our country thrives on the thrill of competition. There may be such a thing as "healthy competition," but this spirit has no place in the Body of Christ. Unfortunately, this spirit of competition has found its way in the church, and it is serving as a distraction from focusing on and building the Kingdom of God.

A spirit of competition grows out of a spirit of comparison. One of the problems with the church is that we spend too much time "comparing" ourselves with one another and thereby fostering the spirit of competition amongst the believers. We compare our congregations, who has the most members. We compare our sanctuaries, who has the biggest church. We compare our preachers, whose pastor can "preach the best." We even compare our relationship with God, who is the most "spiritual." None of this is of God. But it all grows out of the spirit of competition, which leads to a spirit of comparison.

There's nothing wrong with being "the best." But being the best doesn't have to be about being "better" than somebody else. Being the best means being the best that you can be and being the best that God has called you to be. If you're focused on being the best that God has called you to be, then you won't have the capacity to compare yourself with the next believer, or the next preacher, or the next congregation. You'll simply be focused on fulfilling the question, "Lord, what would you have me to do?"

Saints, let us not be deceived by the spirit of this culture. Let's grow up in the Spirit and get beyond self-comparisons with others and trying to be "better" or as good as someone else. Let's focus on what God has called us to do, who He's called us to be, and receive deliverance from the spirit of competition.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, in the name of Jesus, we ask Father that You deliver us from a spirit of competition. Father, let our self-esteem and self-worth grow out of our identification of who You've called us to be in Christ Jesus. Take our eyes off this brother and that sister, what You're doing with them and how You're blessing them. Give us a spirit of contentment and dedication to those things for which You've called us to do, and let our primary focus be to please You. We love you Father, and we count it done, in Jesus' Name, Amen.