Courageously Going For The Gold 3

Hello Everyone,

The Second Characteristic of a Courageous Winner is that…

Winners Are Always In Training

1 Corinthians 9

²⁵ 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. ²⁶ Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air.

It never stops. It’s a continual process throughout everyday of our lives. I don’t know about you, but I find this to be one of the most exciting aspects of the Believers life.

To think that there’s always room to grow … that no matter how much we age, we can still be learning and growing!  As Believers we need to accept the fact that we are in training, and always will be!

Two aspects of Spiritual Training according to Paul in this passage:

First of all there is…

(1) The Motivation for Training

One of our motivations is there’s a great crowd cheering you on!

Hebrews 12:1

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.

Another motivation is in our text...

v. 25 . . .They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever

• Internal Motives – Pride

• External Motives – Monetary Rewards, Popularity, Prestige

• Eternal Motives – Life is a test and there will be a final exam

1 Tim. 4:7-8

  …train yourself to be godly. ⁸ For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.

(2) The Method of Training

v. 26 Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air.

So far Paul’s model of a Courageous Believer is that they are

• A Contender – they run to win

• Always in Training – they never stop growing.

Greater Things Are Still To Come

Pastor Phil