A Spiritual Strength Course For The New Year

This is the last letter that the Apostle Paul ever wrote. Paul is writing to a younger Timothy, and he is passing the baton, wanting to make sure that Tim is up to the responsibility. Paul has already experienced what Timothy has yet to experience, and he knows it is going to take great spiritual strength to survive and to be effective.

Paul reminds Timothy that he will have to stir up the gift of God inside, if he is going to fulfill the task ahead. Paul uses analogies to remind Timothy of what will be necessary if he will lead himself and others to a faithful life in Christ.

Spiritual Strength Training Requires The Commitment Of A Teacher

2 Timothy 2:2 And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit you the same to faithful men who shall be able to teach others also.

We must have a process of learning so we can teach someone else, so that they can teach someone, and keep passing it on.

Spiritual Strength Training Requires The Discipline Of A Soldier

2 Timothy 2:3 Endure thou therefore hardship, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

We must have the disciplined life of a soldier. We will suffer hardships, but we cannot get caught up in the world of civilian affairs. We must all the time be seeking to please our Commander. Soldiers are for battle, warfare and difficulty. One must be disciplined in order to face that. Paul was suffering and he reminded Timothy that he would have to suffer hardship along with him because that is what it is like to be a soldier.

Soldiers in active service do not entangle themselves in the affairs of everyday life and they follow the orders of their leader.

Colossians 3:23 And whatsoever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not unto men.

The Christian life is often hard. That is what we were designed for. That is why we have the Holy Spirit, and the armor of God available to us, because it is a fight. That’s why we have Christ as our High Priest interceding for us, because we are in a fight.

Spiritual Strength Training Requires The Determination Of An Athlete

2 Timothy 2:5 And if a man takes part in a competition, he does not receive the crown if he has not competed according to the rules.

If we are running to win, it will take maximum effort, and a mentality that refuses to quit. Paul said we should “run to win the prize of the high calling in Christ.” It is no sin to want to win the race that Christ has called us to.

A Gymnastics motto: “I will do today what others will not do, so that tomorrow I can do what others cannot do.”

Are we willing to pay the price in order for God to do through us what is needed? Are we willing to do that which others are not willing to do, and to pay the price to achieve and to become all that we were designed by God to become?

All the while, doing it alone for God’s glory. We must have a mental commitment to winning. Too often, Christians do not really reach their full spiritual potential because they do not really want to reach it. There’s no honor in losing, but there is honor is constantly staying focused, in process, steadily growing and improving. However, if a guy throws a race, he’s a bum; only maximum effort is honored. Maximum effort is required and we must follow the rules so that we are not  disqualified. We cannot take shortcuts and break the rules in order to win, especially in our spiritual lives.

Spiritual Strength Training Requires The Dedication Of A Farmer

2 Timothy 2:6 The farmer who works hard must be the first to receive a share of the crops.

The hard working farmer plants, cares for the crop and waits. Then the harvest comes and he sees the result of his hard work.

It’s phenomenal to see Jesus change a life as a result of our own spiritual life’s involvement.

A dedicated Christian is someone who teaches what he’s learned, who sees himself as a soldier made for hardship, made to be cut off from the world and made to fight to please the Commander. A dedicated Christian is an athlete who runs to the maximum of his ability, steadily becoming stronger, to win the prize the Lord has promised. And he keeps the rules.

A dedicated Christian is one who sows the seed. He gets to taste the fruit which is the great joy in the Christian life. He/she sees what God does in the lives of others as a result of what He has done in our lives, and…

There is nothing on this earth that compares.

Plan and pursue a Spiritual Strength Course for you and your family in 2016. Make this a year of No Regrets.