What should be our focus according Jesus?:
➡️ Acknowledge He is God and there is no other.
➡️ Love God above all people or things.
➡️ Love others like you love yourself.
PRAY: Jesus may You be the focus and priority of my life first above all other activities, people or possessions. I want to learn to love myself and others better and I know I can only do that best by learning to love You most.
What are our tools/weapons?
➡️ Belt of truth– This means holding truth of Gods ways and not following moral relativism.
➡️ Breastplate of righteousness– Questions to ask ourself are: Is our life one of moral integrity and confidence in our right standing with God? Do we have these basic things in our life so when are faith (shield) waivers we don’t get taken out? Also, 1 Peter 3:16 says that if we should suffer for righteousness, others will be put to shame.
➡️ Shoes of the Gospel– Have you just got those nice “shoes” in the closet and you are just sitting on the couch not really prepared? Are you excited and ready to use them? In other words, do you really understand the Gospel and how awesome, soul saving and life changing it is?!
➡️ Shield of Faith– This keeps DOUBT and UNBELIEF off of you.
➡️ Helmet of Salvation– Do you really know in your heart and mind you are saved? (By the way…you CAN know for sure! If you don’t know, ask somebody who you know really has a relationship with God.)
➡️ Sword of the Spirit– Do you have the word of God at hand ready to defend AND attack back with what God says! PRAY (call on God) at ALL TIMES by praying in the Spirit (praying the Word)
And most important of all….
Do this all and KEEP ALERT with all PERSERVANCE!
PRAY: Jesus help me to use what you have given me to fight against my own sin and any subtle attacks against my soul. I want to live for You. So help me to stand in confidence that You have already given me everything I need to glorify You and make an impact for eternity!
In “Fighting 101″ we talked about how we are called to “fight the good fight of faith”. So if we are in a fight and we know the enemy, called the devil, does not play fair, then how are we to fight? What’s the strategy?
The first thing to realize is that we are called to be strong IN THE LORD (v.10). It is God’s power and strength we are asking for and relying on. Beware of trying to fight or stand for God in anything without seeking Him first.
The next thing is through His strength, power and wisdom, you and I have “His armor” to battle with and protect ourselves (v.11). You see God has been fighting Satan a long time. But the good news is that the decisive battle has already been won! Picture it as though God has defeated Satan and chained him up on a long leash. Satan’s ultimate demise is soon. In the meantime, Satan is grasping out to anyone he can get his hands on and pull them down with him. So, God does not leave us without a defense strategy and some tools that help us fight back. You can read verses 14-18 to discover these (the next post, “Fighting 301″ will look at these in detail).
The biggest encouragement here in our fight is in verse 13:
“Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.” -Ephesians 6:13
In other words don’t give up! Persevere! Keep STANDING! To withstand means to stand up against, to resist successfully, to be proof against or to oppose with firm determination. In other words, it is a confidence to know that after we have done everything we know to do…and even if we get knocked down…we can still get up and stand in faith that God has got our back.
Isn’t that great news to realize that we are not “standing” alone! We are “withstanding”. We are standing WITH God!
PRAY: God thank you that you offer so much to me on a daily basis. I know at times I have tried to fight and do things on my own without even considering You. I know You are actually behind all my gifts and abilities. There are numerous natural gifts you have given me, but may you by the power of Your Spirit give me more confidence, endurance and understanding of how You want to work through me to make those more impactful for You.
I told that to a 10 year old boy recently with his mother standing right next to us. Her face immediately winced at me slightly as if I might be molding him for a future in street brawls or at best, a power career in WWF! Of course I quickly continued my point and explained that it was actually a God given attribute (especially prevalent in males) but that many guys use it in selfish and less than God honoring ways.
In 1 Timothy 6:12 we are told to “fight the good fight of faith.” But what we must understand is that our “good” fight is not at its root going to be against someone else. Sure someone may come at you with physical force or slandering words and at times we must defend ourselves. You see at the “root” of that person attacking you is a spirit. And it is not from God. It is from the enemy. Check out the texts below to see who it really is!
The first strategy of Satan is to try to knock out our power source to God which is our faith in Jesus. He does this by hurling attacks though fear, distractions and doubt. So how do we fight against this? How do we make it a “good” fight and not get taken out early in the first round?
Check it out here! Before you do…why don’t you talk to Him.
PRAY: God forgive me if I have ever fought a fight that was selfishly motivated or not honoring to You. Help me to remember that their are forces and spirits that influence others. Help me to recognize this when people or things come against me and may I respond in great faith that is provided by the power of your Holy Spirit in me.
Any kind of human relationship requires energy and effort. And our relationship with God is no different. In fact if we were to see the energy and love that God has spent forth on our behalf, it would be terribly lopsided in His favor. Oh my, how he has loved us!
So if it is our desire to reciprocate this love He has shown us, Paul tells us it will take some effort to do this. Look at the ACTION and EFFORT that is required of us:
➡️ FLEE these things- What things do we need to turn away from (repent) that are leading us astray?
➡️ PURSUE godly attributes- Are we putting ourself around people and places where we are going to grow in these areas today?
➡️ FIGHT the good fight of faith- Do you know you are under attack? Your enemy is your sinful nature as well as Satan. Most people don’t know they have been straight up or subversively attacked their whole life. We have to battle against doubt and unbelief which are the enemy’s old but deadly strategies.
➡️ TAKE HOLD of the eternal life- Are we persistent in “grasping” and remembering the good news of the Gospel? If we have have received Christ into our life, we must not forget “every good thing we have in Christ.” Our identity is in Him, about Him, and continually found in Him!
So as for you man of God, will you run after these things today?!
But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves.– Luke 22:26
To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. –1 Peter 2:21
A Champion literally translated is one who “stands in between the two middles”. He stands in the gap. He fights for those he cares about. His cause is great. In fact, it is greater than himself. Most people think of a champion as one who wins in a sport. And in many cases, it is only about that individual or team rising above the other opposing team to prove that they are greater.
God’s idea of a Champion is greater.
God’s Champion is a God seeker, fighter, lover, and servant.
SEEKER: First and foremost, a Champion seeks after God. His ultimate goal is being so in tune with God that everything he does flows out of that relationship. He hears, feels and knows God’s heart and desires. He is guided by God’s spirit and longs for God’s ways and love to be known and experienced by all. He wants joy and happiness for himself and others and he knows that seeking God is the key.
FIGHTER: Yes he competes. He strives. He works to get better. He wants all that he does to be the best because he knows his life, others and the Cause are at stake. His fight however is for God. And his number one enemy is satan and his own flesh that keeps trying to feed him lies of doubt and unbelief.
LOVER: The great drive to protect and fight comes from his deep love. It wells up in him so much that he does things any ordinary person would instinctively turn and run in fear. A champion is the greatest lover on earth!
SERVANT: A true leader is a servant leader. Jesus himself said, “the greatest one among should be…like the one who serves.” And a leader by definition champions others by serving and using his life… skills, talents, personality and resources…to help others.
We want young men to not just be another winner of a game…we want them to be Champions in life?
Click below to see a visual presentation we are using during our gatherings with our young men and coaches:
But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves. – Luke 22:26
To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. –1 Peter 2:21
A Champion literally translated is one who “stands in between the two middles”. He stands in the gap. He fights for those he cares about. His cause is great. In fact, it is greater than himself. Most people think of a champion as one who wins in a sport. And in many cases, it is only about that individual or team rising above the other opposing team to prove that they are greater.
God’s idea of a Champion is greater.
God’s Champion is a God seeker, fighter, lover, and servant.
SEEKER: First and foremost a Champion seeks after God. His ultimate goal is being so in tune with God that everything he does flows out of that relationship. He hears, feels and knows God’s heart and desires. He is guided by God’s spirit and longs for God’s ways and love to be known and experienced by all. He wants joy and happiness for himself and others and he knows that seeking God is the key.
FIGHTER: Yes he competes. He strives. He works to get better. He wants all that he does to be the best because he knows his life, others and the Cause are at stake. His fight however is for God. Public enemy #1 & #2 is Satan and our own flesh that keeps trying to feed us lies of doubt and unbelief.
LOVER: The great drive to protect and fight comes from his deep love. It wells up in him so much that he does things any ordinary person would instinctively turn and run in fear. A champion is the greatest lover on earth!
SERVANT: A true leader is a servant leader. Jesus himself said, “the greatest one among should be…like the one who serves.” And a leader by definition champions others by serving and using his life… skills, talents, personality and resources…to help others.
Will you be just another winner of a game? Or will you be a Champion in life?
PRAY:
Jesus I need your help to learn how to submit by desires and wills to Your leading in my life. Teach me more how you championed others. I know it won’t be easy, but I know by Your help you will help me to be more of a leader, servant…a Champion…for You!
What is that sin that you keep falling into? In what area of your life do you feel you have blown it so bad that you don’t see how any good can come out of it? Are you feeling hopeless with the depth of your sin or what others sins have done to you?
Take heart….because you are not alone. In fact God holds up one man in particular as “a man after His own heart” but yet he is known as one of the biggest screw-ups of all time too.
David commited two horrible sins. Namely sexual sin and murder. But, did you notice what he said? Consider these questions: Who did he say he sinned against? What did he ask God for? What was the attitude of his heart?
Beyond admitting his guilt and beyond a heart of repentance and humility, we see another amazing thing happen. It is interesting that in the midst of David’s horrible sin, there is a spirit of missions. David’s desire was for God to use his “mess up” to help other people to move out of the dark places and sin in their own lives. And because of David’s repentance and humility, he answers David prayer.
So can God use your “mess ups” and a sinner like you and me? You better believe it!
**Below is a link to a great audio clip that is from John Piper. If you are struggling in sexual sin (or any other for that matter), listen to the short clip and let it minister to your heart.**
If we have lived long enough and are honest with ourselves, we know that something is not right with us and the world. Scripture tells us the problem is sin. Some people are better at sinning than others, but the outcome of a life of sin is a bad deal. In fact, check out what the Bible says…
The first part of that passage says the the outcome (the wages) of a life filled with sin, is death. Just like when you work for someone, in return for your labor, they promise you money (a wage) for your services. The principle of living in sin…or working for sin…is the same: “the wages of sin is death.“ Yikes!
But there is good news if you are tired of working for the “boss” of sin.
“The wages of sin is death BUT….[and that but is huge!]..the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
The good news is that Jesus has come to rescue us from a life of labor for sin. He comes to offer you and I a gift. We just have to receive it.
Do you know how to receive it? If you don’t check this out. But, before you do why don’t you talk to God and thank him for what he has done for you.
PRAY: “God thank you for giving me a way out from a life of being a slave to my sin. And Jesus I really want to know the gift that you offer and I long to receive it.
With all that is good in this world, we also know that there is a lot of bad. So, if God created us for the purpose of reflecting His glory and joining with Him in His good work, then what happened? As we look around the world, something has gone terribly wrong. Check out what the bible says is the problem…
What has caused us to “fall short” of what God wants for us? It is a small word that has huge consequences. “Sin” can be described as having a “rebellious, anti-God attitude”. It is more than just doing a bunch of bad things (i.e. sins), it means we have a natural bent toward being selfish or wanting our own way. It is a “disease of our heart” that needs a cure.
The good news is there is a “cure”! Do you know what it is? Post on the link “Ask or share anything”.
Champion Builders 