Enduring the Race: Following Jesus with Humility

Devotional

Day 1: Endurance in the Race of Faith

In the Christian journey, believers are called to run the race set before them with endurance, fixing their eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith. This race is not about seeking miraculous signs or performing wonders but about daily commitment to follow Christ, laying aside every weight and sin that entangles. Just as an athlete sheds unnecessary weight to run effectively, Christians are encouraged to remove anything that hinders their spiritual progress. The ultimate example is Jesus, who endured the cross for the joy set before Him, which was the joy of fellowship with the Father. This joy is the fullness of joy found in God's presence, as described in Psalm 16:11. [03:43]

Hebrews 12:1-2 (ESV): "Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God."

Reflection: What is one "weight" or sin that you need to lay aside today to run your race more effectively? How can you practically fix your eyes on Jesus in your daily routine?

Day 2: Joy in God's Presence

True joy and fulfillment are found in God's presence, where there is fullness of joy. This joy is not dependent on external circumstances but is rooted in a deep relationship with God. When believers lack this joy, it is often a sign that they are not dwelling in His presence. The Christian life invites individuals to seek this joy by prioritizing time with God, allowing His presence to transform their hearts and minds. This joy is a gift that sustains believers through trials and challenges, providing a sense of peace and contentment that the world cannot offer. [15:24]

Psalm 16:11 (ESV): "You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore."

Reflection: Reflect on your current relationship with God. Are you experiencing the fullness of joy in His presence? What changes can you make to prioritize time with Him and cultivate this joy?

Day 3: The Path of Humility and Submission

The way of the cross involves denying one's self-will and submitting to God's will, just as Jesus did. This path of humility requires believers to be willing to be misunderstood and even put to death by others, trusting that God will raise them up. It is a life of denying personal desires and seeking the anointing of the Holy Spirit to empower them to say no to their own will. This is the secret to living a victorious Christian life, where the life of Jesus is manifested in and through believers to others. [23:55]

Philippians 2:5-8 (ESV): "Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross."

Reflection: In what area of your life are you struggling to submit to God's will? How can you seek the Holy Spirit's help to deny your self-will and embrace humility today?

Day 4: Servant-Hearted Leadership

Leadership in the home and church should be characterized by humility and sacrificial love, much like a father who serves his family without seeking recognition. Believers are called to exercise authority with the same servant-heartedness that Jesus demonstrated. This means leading with a heart of service, prioritizing the needs of others above personal gain or recognition. By doing so, leaders reflect the love and humility of Christ, creating an environment where others can thrive and grow in their faith. [50:36]

Mark 10:42-45 (ESV): "And Jesus called them to him and said to them, 'You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.'"

Reflection: How can you demonstrate servant-hearted leadership in your home or church this week? What specific actions can you take to serve others without seeking recognition?

Day 5: Spiritual Warfare and Submission to God

The Christian battle is not against flesh and blood but against spiritual forces. By refusing to fight with people and choosing to submit to God's will, believers maintain authority over the enemy and live in the power of the Holy Spirit. This involves recognizing the true nature of spiritual warfare and relying on God's strength rather than human effort. By submitting to God and resisting the devil, believers can stand firm in their faith and experience victory over spiritual battles. [59:07]

Ephesians 6:12-13 (ESV): "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm."

Reflection: Are there any conflicts or battles in your life where you need to stop fighting in your own strength and submit to God's will? How can you rely on the Holy Spirit's power to overcome these challenges?

Sermon Summary

In our journey as followers of Christ, it is crucial to fix our eyes on Jesus and run the race set before us with endurance. Hebrews 12 provides a profound insight into what God has provided for us, which is far greater than the miracles of the Old Testament. While the Old Testament is filled with stories of miraculous events, such as the parting of the Red Sea and the shutting of lions' mouths, God has given us something even better. This better thing is the call to follow Jesus, endure the cross, and live a life of humility and submission to God's will.

The essence of the Christian life is not found in performing miracles or seeking signs but in the daily act of taking up our cross and following Jesus. This involves laying aside every encumbrance and sin that entangles us, much like an athlete shedding unnecessary weight to run a race effectively. Our example is Jesus, who endured the cross for the joy set before Him, which was the joy of fellowship with the Father. This joy is the fullness of joy found in God's presence, as described in Psalm 16:11.

The way of the cross is a path of humility, where we are willing to be misunderstood and put to death by others, trusting that God will raise us up. It is a life of denying our self-will, as Jesus did, and seeking the anointing of the Holy Spirit to empower us to say no to our own desires. This is the secret to living a victorious Christian life, where the life of Jesus is manifested in us and through us to others.

As leaders in our homes and churches, we are called to exercise authority with the same humility and servant-heartedness that Jesus demonstrated. Our leadership should be characterized by sacrificial love, much like a father who works tirelessly for his family without seeking recognition. In the same way, we should serve our church communities, not for the sake of gratitude or honor, but as unto the Lord.

Key Takeaways

1. The Christian life is about running the race with endurance, laying aside every weight and sin, and fixing our eyes on Jesus, who is the author and perfecter of our faith. This requires a daily commitment to follow Him and endure the cross for the joy of fellowship with the Father. [03:43]
2. True joy and fulfillment come from being in God's presence, where there is fullness of joy. This joy is not dependent on external circumstances but is rooted in our relationship with God. When we lack this joy, it is a sign that we are not in His presence. [15:24]
3. The way of the cross involves denying our self-will and submitting to God's will, just as Jesus did. This is the path to true anointing and spiritual power, as it allows the life of Jesus to be manifested in us and through us to others. [23:55]
4. Leadership in the home and church should be characterized by humility and sacrificial love, much like a father who serves his family without seeking recognition. Our authority should be exercised in a way that reflects the servant-heartedness of Jesus. [50:36]
5. Our battle is not against flesh and blood but against spiritual forces. By refusing to fight with people and choosing to submit to God's will, we maintain authority over the enemy and live in the power of the Holy Spirit. [59:07]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:22] - Examples of Faith in the Old Testament
[01:00] - Something Better Than Miracles
[02:42] - Running the Race with Endurance
[04:11] - The Better Thing: Following Jesus
[05:34] - The Anointing of the Holy Spirit
[07:24] - The Way of the Cross
[10:26] - Fixing Our Eyes on Jesus
[13:07] - The Joy Set Before Us
[17:30] - Jesus' Autobiography: Doing God's Will
[23:55] - The Better Thing: Denying Self-Will
[31:38] - The New and Living Way
[39:31] - The Dying of Jesus
[50:36] - Leadership in Home and Church
[59:07] - Our Battle Against Spiritual Forces

Bible Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:

Hebrews 12:1-4
Psalm 16:11
John 6:38

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Observation Questions:

What does Hebrews 12:1-4 suggest about the "better thing" God has provided for us compared to the miracles of the Old Testament? ([03:43])
How does Psalm 16:11 describe the joy found in God's presence, and how is this related to the sermon’s message about true joy and fulfillment? ([15:24])
According to John 6:38, what was Jesus' primary purpose in coming to earth, and how does this relate to the concept of denying self-will? ([17:59])
What examples from the sermon illustrate the idea of laying aside every weight and sin to run the race with endurance? ([04:00])

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Interpretation Questions:

How does the sermon interpret the concept of "enduring the cross" as a better thing than performing miracles? What does this mean for a Christian's daily life? ([04:41])
In what ways does the sermon suggest that true joy is independent of external circumstances? How does this align with the message of Psalm 16:11? ([15:24])
How does the sermon describe the relationship between humility, leadership, and sacrificial love in the context of home and church? ([50:36])
What does the sermon imply about the nature of spiritual battles and the importance of not fighting against flesh and blood? ([59:07])

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Application Questions:

Reflect on your daily life: Are there any "weights" or "sins" that you need to lay aside to run your race with endurance? What steps can you take this week to address them? ([04:00])
Consider a recent situation where you felt a lack of joy. How can you seek to enter God's presence to find fullness of joy as described in Psalm 16:11? ([15:24])
Think about a time when you had to deny your own will for the sake of following God's will. How did that experience impact your spiritual growth? ([17:59])
In what ways can you exercise humility and servant-hearted leadership in your home or church this week? Identify one specific action you can take. ([50:36])
Reflect on a recent conflict or disagreement. How can you apply the principle of not fighting against flesh and blood to maintain spiritual authority and peace? ([59:07])
Identify a person in your life who may misunderstand your intentions. How can you demonstrate humility and love towards them, even if it means being misunderstood? ([06:04])
How can you cultivate a habit of fixing your eyes on Jesus daily? Is there a specific practice or routine you can implement to help you focus on Him? ([10:26])

Sermon Clips

God has provided something better for us, I want to ask you because most Christians don't believe that, most Christians today particularly in charismatics they think the great thing is to raise the dead and heal the sick and do all types of Miracles well there are no Miracles that anybody's ever done that can equal some of the things mentioned here. [00:01:29]

The better thing than raising the dead, better thing than pulling down the walls and Jerry could better think than the greatest Miracles that man has ever seen is to follow Jesus along verse 12 middle, enduring the cross, that is the better thing I don't know whether all Christians understand that. [00:04:23]

The way of the cross is the way of life and the way of anointing I didn't know all this about Hebrews 11 40 and 12 that I'm speaking to you now, but God opened my eyes that day that if I am willing to let other people Push Me Down and Jesus did not resist. [00:07:21]

The author of my faith must be Jesus Christ, and very often we say we lack Faith because your faith you got your faith from somebody else's testimony or you followed some man, Paul said follow me as I follow Christ, so even if you look at a man who's a good example you must always look Beyond him to the Christ he's following. [00:11:42]

The joy set before him was fellowship with the father there was no Greater Joy for Jesus than fellowship with the father, so I've seen this that I lose fellowship with God if there's some area where I have not taken up the cross some little thing it could be at home. [00:14:10]

In your presence there is fullness of joy, there is only one place of the universe where there's fullness of joy, that is in the presence of God, so I see two things anytime there's no joy in my life I don't I mean fullness of joy not just a little bit any time there is no fullness of joy in my life. [00:15:14]

The autobiography of Jesus what he wrote about himself in one sentence, he described his entire life in John chapter 6 and verse 38. I Came From Heaven to do one thing, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me that is the autobiography of 33 and a half years of Jesus life. [00:17:46]

The fullness of the Holy Spirit was to enable him to say no to his own will, so why is God fill me with the Holy Spirit not to preach powerful messages, that's part of the anointing, but the primary purpose of the fullness of the holy spirit in my life is so that I can say no to my own will every single moment. [00:33:11]

I will not fight with flesh and blood in any situation, I will not fight with my wife at home under any situation, even if I know I'm 100 right and she is 100 wrong that's not always the case, it's never the case actually we are always somebody in the wrong, every husband is somewhere in the wrong all the time. [01:02:45]

I want to have authority over demons we struggle and we wrestle not against flesh and blood, and I've seen this Brothers, every single time I've encountered a demon, the demon has left the person man or woman with one sentence, every single time. [01:03:15]

I want to listen to your voice, hear what you have to say to me all the time in conclusion, I turn you to Matthew 4 4 the first words of Jesus after his he was anointed with the Holy Spirit, he was anointed with the Holy Spirit in the last verses of Matthew 3. [01:08:07]

Man shall not live from bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God, to say father I want to hear you today, I want my ears to be open, it says about Jesus in Isaiah chapter 15 and verse 4. [01:09:46]

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Enduring the Race: Following Jesus with Humility

Devotional

Day 1: Endurance in the Race of Faith

Day 2: Joy in God's Presence

Day 3: The Path of Humility and Submission

Day 4: Servant-Hearted Leadership

Day 5: Spiritual Warfare and Submission to God

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Chatbot

Enduring the Race: Following Jesus with Humility

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