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What is your motivation to win, Christian?
- jeffrowe58
- May 19, 2024
- 5 min read
Last month, as I finished teaching a 12-week Bible study on spiritual warfare, I was asked an interesting question. “What was the personal motivation to begin your research and gain an understanding of this spiritual battle with the dominion of darkness?” I wrote about the primary motivation in my May newsletter. I was sick and tired of being victim to a bully that was tormenting me over my past failures.
That was my immediate, emotional, and gut-level reaction; however, my motivation did eventually evolve to a higher standard, and this blog post exists to disclose that broader goal. If you are struggling in any part of your Christian walk and want to make the transition to living victoriously in Christ Jesus, Scripture is precise and deliberate in its instruction.
Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. (1 Corinthians 9:24-25)
The apostle Paul uses a sports analogy above and references ‘strict training’ (or dedicated preparation) as a key to victory. If true, and I believe it is, then hidden within any commitment to a strict level of training is the motivation to win. And if consistent preparation is the key to victory, there must be an imperative purpose that would cause someone to devote a significant amount of time to that effort.
For a sports team, the goal is to win a championship. They spend hours practicing and studying film to become the best among their peers. But recognize, however glorious that might be, even that achievement is a fleeting honor.
An Eternal Prize!
As born-again Christians, we are awarded an eternal prize that will not fade or tarnish. Our eternal salvation should be motivation enough to live a victorious Christian lifestyle and to be the best that we can be for Christ, and there is nothing wrong with that goal. However, if we are to succeed in our Christian walk, I believe Paul encourages us in his letter to the Ephesians to look beyond that premise alone.
For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Ephesians 2:10)
God created you and I with a purpose and prepared us in advance to carry out that purpose. Developing the habit of daily Bible study and prayer and becoming an active member in the body of Christ through church attendance and fellowship is the preparation to living a victorious Christian lifestyle. But living victoriously in and through Christ is the preparation to carry out the good works that God prepared in advance for us to do, thus glorifying Him. That is the greater goal. Near the completion of His ministry on earth, Jesus prayed to His Father.
When Jesus had finished saying these things, he looked upward to heaven and said, “Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, so that your Son may glorify you. Now this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you sent. I glorified you on earth by completing the work you gave me to do. (John 17:1-4)
Knowing that truth, Satan will come against you at every opportunity and at every step along the way in an attempt to steal your motivation, kill your enthusiasm, and destroy God’s plan for your life. His tactics are not new, but they may seem new to you. Every person and situation is different and his attempt to derail you may only happen once in your lifetime, or it may happen repeatedly (as in consistent temptation in an area of weakness or constant condemnation for past sins).
Good News / Bad News
The good news is everything in God’s word has a purpose toward achieving His goal for your life. Notice the encouragement the apostle Paul wrote to his young protégé, Timothy. “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
The bad news is, no detail of your life is too small for Satan to take notice of. The Bible tests our spiritual awareness and teaches us to stay prepared for the enemy’s attacks. The assaults will come, and if you don’t have the answer immediately, it is a clear signal to the devil that your head is not in the game. And just like in sports, when that happens - momentum shifts, and the enemy intensifies his attack. So, you must be prepared to defend yourself and defeat the enemy’s assaults!
For many Christians the topic of spiritual warfare is still somewhat of a mystery. I spent the first several years of my Christian walk completely unaware of its existence and even longer not giving the topic serious consideration. It was a real game changer when God began to give me ears to hear, eyes to see, and wisdom to discern the enemy’s schemes and attacks. I am certainly not an expert in the subject and there is still much to learn, but from what God has revealed to me, I can honestly say it is good to know that God has my back.
But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was delivered from the lion’s mouth. 18 The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen. (2 Timothy 4:17-18)
As a general observation, there are many things in life that we start and don’t finish. For most of us, the diminishing determination to reach our goal or ambition is the absence of a strong reason why we need to achieve that specific target. Making the determination to mature in your understanding of Scripture and its application to God’s intent for your life is no different. It requires a dogged determination on your part to succeed in that which He has intended for you.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, 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. (Hebrews 12:1)
Does it help you to know that you’ve been chosen (personally selected) by the Creator of the universe and empowered by the Holy Spirit to reflect Jesus Christ and the truth of the gospel to a lost and dying world? Does it also help to know that your sins have been forgiven – paid for in full by the blood Jesus shed on the cross? Has it ever struck you in these verses that you have been invited and fully accepted (by claiming Jesus Christ as your Savior) to partake in the Holy Trinity of God?
If you have yet to find God’s purpose for your life, don’t give up. Trust me, He is more than ready for you to discover the divine motivation behind your salvation. So, I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. (Luke 11:9) When you find your purpose, remember, we run the race not for a temporary and fleeting prize, but for an eternal crown that will not fade or diminish.
Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. (James 1:2)
Are you motivated yet?
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