Building Endurance While the Race of Faith Continues

Reverend Leo H. McCrary II

You are in a race of faith and this race is not easily run. One must prepare themselves so that they may face and overcome every challenge.

Introduction

Let’s pick up where I left off in this series as I preached about walking in victory and not hanging our heads in defeat.  God has promised and assured us of victory; however, just because victory has been assured to us, that doesn’t mean we can lie around and do nothing.  We are in a race of faith, which means there is a finish line ahead of us that we must not just get to, but we must cross it, and we must win. 

Running a Race of Endurance

Now, some of you will say that you are ready to run in the race of faith.  However, I feel that it is incredibly important that you understand the kind of race you’re saying you are ready to run.

In Hebrews 12:1, the writer of the epistle, whom I believe is Paul, encourages us to run with endurance the race that is before us.  Are you ready to run an endurance race?  Now, an endurance race is not the kind of race that you can simply get out of bed or off the couch and run.  No, an endurance race is the kind of race that you must put in the work and train for.

A marathoner’s preparation

Those who run in marathons will tell you that they have to train and prepare themselves for the challenges of the race.  They first begin by laying a foundation, consistently running and building up their endurance to meet the goal distance of the marathon.  Along with consistent running, they will also include cross-training so that they can increase strength in other areas of their bodies.  

So as not to overwork their bodies, those who run in marathons speak of the importance of learning to listen to their bodies.  When their bodies are tired, they will rest and recover to prevent burnout and injury.   Then, along those same lines, they help their bodies by eating a healthy diet, so that their body is provided with good energy.

Lastly, those who run in endurance races speak of the importance of mental training – building up their mental strength and resistance.  Marathoners will tell you that their biggest enemy in the marathon is not the distance, nor is it those they are competing with.  Their biggest enemy is the voice in their back of their heads telling them that they’re tired, that they need to rest, and give up.  Marathoners must defeat their own voice telling them to give up, so that they may succeed.

Do you think that the marathoner’s training and preparation can help believers to endure the race of faith?  Do you think their preparation can help you face the challenges that will be presented to you in the race you run?

The External Challenges You Face

Now, if you don’t believe you will be challenged in your race of faith, I’m here to tell you that you are certainly one who needs to prepare.  Here’s a wake-up call for you:  You will be challenged.  The race of faith is difficult, and if you do not train or prepare yourself, you won’t make it to even see the finish line.

As we saw in the first sermon in this series, the devil will test and challenge your faith and resolve.  Satan will do everything he can to break and shatter your spirit.  Moreover, he knows your weak points and how to get in your head to get you to beat yourself up.

Along with Satan, in Hebrews 12:3, the writer tells us to look at the challenges that Christ faced.  “Consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary in your souls,” the writer said.  

Christ was hated by the world as they spoke against Him, and even called Him outside of His name.  The scribes and the Pharisees said that He didn’t know God, nor did He know God’s law, accusing Him of being a liar (John 8:13-14).  They called Him outside of His name by accusing Him of being a worker of Beelzebub, the king of hell (Matt. 12:24-27).

Have you ever been spoken against because of your faith?  Have you ever been called outside of your name?  Jesus told the disciples that a disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master (Matt. 10:24).  

You will face hostility from sinners, and they certainly do have the ability to weary the soul.  See Job’s story and how his friends speaking against him was Job’s breaking point.  We live in a world today where the workers of wickedness are pushing many to their breaking point.

Training Is Necessary

Are you strong enough to endure such hostility as you run the race of faith?  Do you think you can endure the race of faith without training and a hard work ethic?

Jesus said, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God (Luke 9:62).”

To the Corinthian believers, Paul encouraged them to run in a manner of discipline so that they could obtain the prize before them, the imperishable crown.  

The writer of the epistle to the Hebrews encourages those running in the race of faith to strengthen their hands and knees as they run.  As I am someone who watches track and field events often, this is a statement that makes me think of the end of races.  

The race commentators will often compare those who manage to ‘keep their form’ at the end of the race to those whose form falls apart.  When one begins to lose their form, their hands and knees aren’t pumping, they lose pace, and are unable to power through the finish line.  However, the ones that can maintain their form often seem to run with more fire as they power through the finish line for the win.  

The writer is encouraging believers to run in a manner where they maintain their form during the race and power through the finish line.  To maintain such form in all the challenges you face, training and a hard work ethic are required.  You must build up the strength to be able to keep such a form.  You must build up your discipline to stay the course and not give up when the challenges seem to become overwhelming.

Preparation for the Win

In 1 Corinthians 9:27, Paul wrote about how he learned to discipline his body and bring it into subjection so that when he preached (or ran), he would not be disqualified.  We must do as Paul did in his preparation so that we may run and win.

Resistance training

Let’s take our cue from Paul and from marathoners by first laying a foundation – remembering what we are running for.  Jesus told us to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness (Matt. 6:33).  We are working our way to God’s kingdom, building up our endurance by taking steps day by day to increase our faith.

Day by day, we must learn to go to God and call on His name.  Day by day, we must put forth the effort of leaning on God and not on ourselves.  Day by day, we must learn to make wise decisions, rather than sinful, by permitting the Holy Spirit to lead and guide us.

Rest and recovery with the Spirit

As marathoners learn to listen to their bodies and rest and recover, you and I must learn to do the same with our spirit.  Many of us don’t care for our spirit as we ought to, but it is incredibly important for you to care for your spirit – listening to it.  

There will be times when you will need to rest and recover, spiritually, and in those times, you must meditate.  I don’t feel like we Christians do enough meditation where we focus internally, in our souls.

When you take a moment to listen to your spirit, you will be connected directly to the Lord.  You see, your spirit is the place where the Holy Spirit dwells in communion with you.  It is in that rest and recovery state that the Holy Spirit will renew your strength and mount you up with wings as eagles, and further help you run to obtain the prize (Is. 40:31).

Keep a healthy diet

Moreover, we must also develop healthy ‘eating’ habits.  To be clear, I am not talking about healthy eating habits of the food that we physically eat, though we certainly should develop a healthy diet.  

Spiritually speaking, to strengthen yourself, you must learn to consume the word of God.  Surely you have heard the phrase, ‘You are what you eat,’ right?

What the spirit consumes is what will sustain it and come out of it.  So, if you’re consuming filth, filthiness will sustain you, and will come from you will be filthy.  You can’t expect to run a good race if your diet is a poor one.  As Jesus taught, “Every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.  A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit (Matt. 7:17-18).”

However, if you consume the word of God, God’s word will sustain your spirit throughout the race.  The word of God will provide you with the necessary sustenance that will give you the proper boost of energy you will need to complete the race.  

The Extra Push from God

In those days when the race and its challenges seem to become too overwhelming for you, there is something you must know.  You see, as every team and athlete has coaches to help put them into a winning position, you also have a coach/trainer who will help to push you to victory.

Chastened by God

In Hebrews 12:5-11, the writer teaches us about the chastening of the Lord.  To chasten means to discipline, to correct, or to punish.

The writer, quoting Proverbs 3:11-12, reminds us not to despise the chastening of the Lord, nor be discouraged when God rebukes us.  “For whom the Lord loves He chastens, and scourges (whoops) every son whom He receives.”

We like to paint a picture of God being a nice, gentle giant, but don’t let those who don’t know the Lord fool you.  When you get out of alignment with the Lord, I am not going to mince any words, God will whoop you!

I think of how Jonah had received the assignment to go preach to the Ninevites, and he shook his head no, and got in a boat to go away from God’s assignment.  How many of us tell God what we aren’t going to do?

Jonah found himself cast out of the boat into the sea, and into the belly of a great fish, where he spent three days and three nights.  Then, when Jonah completed the assignment, unhappily, he found himself sweating in the sweltering heat of the sun as God had a lesson for him to learn.

David, a man after God’s own heart, had to also be chastened by the Lord when he erred in his running of the race of faith.  After his sin with Bathsheba, David tried to hide and cover up his sin, not just from the people, but from God.  David and Bathsheba lost that son as God chastened David, teaching David a lesson that he accepted and learned from.

God whoops my butt all the time, let me tell you.  Some of you may look to us pastors with high expectations, but we pastors, just like you, are still sinners who fall short of God’s glory.  God whoops our butts really good, chastening us, and He has to chasten me all the time because I am no good.  I am like a filthy rag in both my thoughts and actions, and God has to constantly wash and wring me out.

Chastened out of love

From Hebrews 12:7-11, the writer explains that God does not chasten us because He despises us, but rather, it is quite the opposite.  The Lord chastens us as a father chastens His children out of love.

The writer plainly says, “If you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons.”  All of God’s children get a wringing from the Lord because He loves and cares about us.  God knows that we can do better and is not happy when we fall into error.  

If you think for one second that God condones sin because He shows you mercy, again I say to you, do not be mistaken.  If there is one who proclaims to be a child of God and would say that they have never been punished or rebuked by God, they are not a child of His.  You see, all of us sin and fall short of the glory of God, and God chastens us because He does not want us to be mired in sin or to fall in love with it.

The writer then stated, “Not chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful.”  Athletes, no matter the age or profession, will all tell you that they have days of practice and training when they are annoyed with their coaches.  Yet, in the end, after the games are played, they look back fondly on their coaches and trainers, giving them thanks.

God chastens us, and when He does, it is not pleasurable.  I learned a thing or two in my 5 years of dialysis, I had to make corrections in my life and mindset.  Today, because God is still chastening me, I am having to make corrections because I am not perfect.  

God’s chastening can be both eye-opening, painful, and annoying, yet His training has helped me to overcome that voice that like to speak about what I can’t do.  God’s chastening has helped me to overcome my own fear, worry, and doubt.  In helping me to overcome my own shortcomings, God has helped me to be able to withstand the works of the wicked ones, including Satan himself.

Along that train of thought, the writer of this epistle stated, “Nevertheless, afterward [God’s chastening] yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.”

You see, Satan opposes us to defeat us.  We ought not view the chastening of God in the same light as opposition to us.  No, the Lord chastens us so that we can finish the race and obtain the prize He has assured us we will receive if we run faithfully.

Put Forth the Effort

There is a race to be run, even though the victory and prize have been assured.  Therefore, if you desire to obtain that prize, don’t just lie around here and not move in faith.  No, let us run this race faithfully, with an understanding that we have to cross the finish line.

Let us understand that even though the victory and prize have been assured to us, it will still take great effort for us to finish the race.  We have the coach and the training that will help us to run, to power through, and finish the finish line.  So, let us have the mindset of putting forth the effort to run and win this race.