In It To Win It

I want to ask a question today that I know may be somewhat challenging: are you a Winner or a Loser? Some people may subscribe to the belief that "all of us are winners". Personally, I would beg to differ. Everybody is not a Winner. There are some losers in Life. The scripture definitely supports the belief that we are not all winners when it says, "know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize?" (1Corinthians 9). This lets us know that not everybody is a Winner.  I ask this question because for where Christ is taking His chosen in the Kingdom, the only way to get there is to be a Winner. You can't get to the Promised Land, you can't enter the Kingdom of God with a slack and slothful effort and attitude (Hebrews 4). We have to be In It To Win It.

The Apostle Paul says in the 3rd chapter of Philippians that he pressed toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. He also said that if he didn't remain "spiritually fit", that he could preach to others and then become "disqualified" (1Corinthians 9). Saints, if we're going to make it to where God has ordained us to be in the Spirit, we're going to have to Press for the Prize. Are you pressing? I know some of us are tired. I know some of us are worn out. I know the Journey up to this point has taken a lot out of us. But if you know in your heart that you haven't crossed the finish line (in regards to God's Divine Will and Revelation for your life), then you've got to Keep Pressing. You can't give up, you can't back off and you can't retreat. You can't become idle and you can't resort to self-indulgence or carnal comforts. You have to continue to Press.

Then saints, we have to be Disciplined. This is something that I'm seeing lacking in a lot of believers, particularly those in the Ministry. We can't just depend on our Gifting and our Anointing. Yes, our Gift will make room for us (Proverbs 18) and yes God giveth Gifts and Callings without Repentance (Romans 11); but in order to sustain that for which God has called and gifted you to fulfill, you must have Divine Character. That's why the development and nurturing of righteousness and patience and holiness and love is so vital to the Christian witness (Romans 5, 2Timothy 2). In order to do this we must be Disciplined. This is why Jesus says that we have to Bear our Cross if we're going to follow Him (Matthew 16). This is why we are admonished to Crucify the Flesh with the affections and lusts (Galatians 5). There has to be a certain level of Discipline, a certain degree of Focus, a certain level of Commitment and Sacrifice in order to allow the Holy Spirit to develop the godly character required to win the Prize and fulfill the Divine Destiny for which God has ordained His Chosen.

Finally saints, we have to be committed to Suffering. I am inclined to believe that there are more than a few ministries that "sputtered out" at the end of many Ministers' lives because of their refusal and reluctance to Suffer for the Cause of Christ. There's a culture that has been cultivated in the ecclesiastical community that projects onto many of our preachers a status of "Christian Celebrity". We see these preachers on tv, we buy their books and go to their Conferences; and we're just blessed when they minister the Word of God. Nothing's wrong with appreciating the Vessels of God, but something is wrong when you begin to treat them like a Rock Star. This is why every servant of God, regardless of your calling and office, doesn't need to get acclimated to the calls of "Hosanna", but rather embrace the cries of "Crucify Him, Crucify Him". The Bible clearly says that we are called to Suffer with Christ (1Peter 2). Let us not run from this Calling. And we won't, If we are In It To Win It.