THREE THINGS TO DO TO WIN THE “RACE”
If you aspire to win the “race,” then do these three things:
1. Get rid of every “encumbrance” and sin “that cleverly places itself in an entangling way around
[you].”dy To name a few:
• THE CRAZE FOR SEX (I John 2:16 – Living) (Colossians 3:5; I Peter 2:11; 4:2;
Ephesians 2:3; Titus 3:3)
• THE ENTICEMENT OF THE EYES. (I John 2:16 – NAB) (Genesis 3:6; 6:2;
Josh 7:21; Job 31:1; Matt 4:5-7; Luke 8:14; 18:22, 23; 12:15)
• THE PRIDE THAT COMES FROM WEALTH AND IMPORTANCE (I John
2:16 – Living) (Psalm 73:3-12; Esther 1:3-7; Daniel 4:30)
• MALICE — Vicious intentions; the desire to hurt others. (Ephesians 4:31, 32;
Colossians 3:8; I Peter 2:1)
• HYPOCRISY — Playacting: “On the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the
inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.” (Matthew 23:28) (Psalm 32:3; 34:14;
James 3:17; I Peter 2:1; 3:10)
• ENVY — Jealousy, spite, ill-will: “Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each
other.” (Galatians 5:26) (I Samuel 18:8, 9; Psalm 37:1; 73:3; Proverbs 24:1, 19; Galatians
2:21, 26; James 3:14, 16)
• SLANDER — Evil speaking, defamation, backbiting: “”Wives are to be women worthy
of respect, not malicious talkers but temperate and trustworthy in everything.” (1 Timothy
3:11b) (I Peter 4:4; Ephesians 4:31; Colossians 3:8; 1 Timothy 3:11; Titus 2:3)
• THE LOVE OF FAMILY OVER LOVE FOR CHRIST — “Anyone who loves his
father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more
than me is not worthy of me.” (Matthew 10:37) (Luke 9:59-61; Luke 14:26)
• ANXIETY — “The worries of this life… come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful.”
(Mark 4:19a,c) (Luke 17:26-30; 21:34; Matthew 6:24, 25; Philippians 4:6,7)
2. Run the “race” before you with patient endurance. (Hebrews 12:1) (Hebrews 6:15; Ro
mans 2:7; 8:24, 25)
3. Keep your eyes on Jesus and emulate His example. (Hebrews 12:2, 3) (Luke 6:40)
“Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with
perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our
faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand
of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not
grow weary and lose heart.” (Hebrews 12:1b-3)