Go Your Own Way

The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles.  The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.  2 Corinthians 5:7

Just like an athlete who trains to be the best in his/her specific sport, for us to live victoriously requires us to live in deep dependence on God and God alone on a daily basis.

The world usually associates victory with success, not stumbling or falling and making mistakes.  But too often, when we are successful in life, we tend to go our own way, forgetting about our loving Father and depending on our own limited strength and resources.

Coming to a place with God where we rely solely on him is not necessarily the path of ongoing success; often times we must encounter multiple failures before we are able to totally depend on Him.  However, with each failure, we grow in our reliance with Him and live the lives of blessed assurance that we will be victorious in this life and the next.

Praise be to God!

All I Do Is Win

In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. Romans 8:37

Like any athlete that excels in their sport, if they are not constantly encouraged, their performance will eventually decline.

As Christians, this is a valuable lesson for us to learn as well.  When we listen to the feelings of doubt that God is distant, we fall trap into the lies and deceit of the enemy who wants us to live our lives feeling defeated.  When we do this, we certainly don't live like citizens of the Kingdom of God.

We must learn to live without fear-not being afraid to take risks or be bold in our faith.  Hardships will come our way and battles will be difficult, but the love and power of Jesus will always remain undefeated. 

God wants us to overcome and not be overwhelmed!