“Run to Win”
1 Corinthians 9:24-27
07/26/2009
Dr. Dane Boyles
1 Corinthians 9:24-25
24
Do you not know that in a race all the
runners run, but only one gets the
prize? Run in such a way as to get the
prize.
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.
1 Corinthians 9:26-27
26
Therefore I do not run like a man
running aimlessly; I do not fight like a
man beating the air.
27 No, I beat my body and make it my
slave so that after I have preached to
others, I myself will not be disqualified
for the prize.
“Run to Win”
• When you think of Paul’s life, do you
think of a marathon?
“Run to Win”
• Why would anyone put
himself through a
marathon if he didn’t
think he could win?
• Run to win!
“Run to Win”
• God intends for us to hustle.
• We believe that the Holy
Spirit calls us to strive to
succeed to be victorious.
• Run to win!
“Run to Win”
• The apostle Paul is not the only New
Testament author who wrote about this.
12 Blessed is the man who perseveres
under trial, because when he has
stood the test, he will receive the
crown of life that God has promised
to those who love him. (James 1:12)
1 Peter 5:4
4 And
when the Chief Shepherd
appears, you will receive the crown
of glory that will never fade away. (1
Peter 5:4)
Hebrews 12:1
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.
Hebrews 12:2
2 Let
us fix our eyes on Jesus, the
author and perfecter of our faith, who
for the joy set before him endured
the cross, scorning its shame, and
sat down at the right hand of the
throne of God. (Hebrews 12:2)
“Run to Win”
10 Be
faithful, even to the point of
death, and I will give you the crown
of life. (Revelation 2:10)
11 I am coming soon. Hold on to what
you have, so that no one will take
your crown. (Revelation 3:11)
“Run to Win”
“Run to Win”
Three excuses, or three lies, the devil
wants you to believe.
1) You can’t win because of who you are.
“Run to Win”
• People blame DNA.
“Run to Win”
• Do you think God would put you here
and not build you to succeed?
• You’ve been fully equipped to live by
faith.
“Run to Win”
The secular view
of DNA is that you
are designed to
fail.
The sacred view is
that you were born
to succeed.
“Run to Win”
• Don’t take “No” for an Answer when
Jesus says YES.
• Run to win!
“Run to Win”
2) You can’t win because of how you were
raised.
• Where is the point where excuses stop?
• The throne of Jesus Christ is the point.
“Run to Win”
• When you stand before Jesus, you
discover:
no one ever stops learning.
no one ever stops changing.
“Run to Win”
• Everyone has
baggage.
• God has a baggage
exchange program.
 One day at a time,
we bring our
luggage to the
cross.
 One day at a time,
Jesus sets us free.
Matthew 11:28-29
“Come to me, all you who are
weary and burdened, and I will give
you rest.
29 Take my yoke upon you and learn
from me, for I am gentle and humble
in heart, and you will find rest for
your souls.
28
Matthew 11:30
30 For
my yoke is easy and my burden
is light.”
Hebrews 12:1
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.
Hebrews 12:2
2
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the
author and perfecter of our faith, who
for the joy set before him endured
the cross, scorning its shame, and
sat down at the right hand of the
throne of God.
• Run to win!
“Run to Win”
3) You can’t win because other people
won’t let you.
• This is one of the most power excuses
of all time.
“Run to Win”
What makes this so easy is that we
want to blame others for our failure.
But Jesus does the exact opposite.
2 Corinthians 5:21
21 God
made him who had no sin to
be sin for us, so that in him we might
become the righteousness of God.
“Run to Win”
• When you and I walk with Jesus we
learn something about character and
responsibility.
13 You are the salt of the earth.
14 You are the light of the world. A
city on a hill cannot be hidden.
(Matthew 5:13a,14a)
“Run to Win”
• Our environment
doesn’t have to
determine our
behavior.
• Character is
knowing what’s
right and having
the courage to
follow through.
“Run to Win”
• Jesus allows us
to see ourselves
and others as we
really are.
• We are sinners
saved by grace.
• We are loved.
• And so we run to
win!
“Run to Win”
… not run like a man running
aimlessly; not like a man beating the
air. (1 Corinthians 9:26)
26
2 Timothy 4:7
7
I have fought the good fight, I have
finished the race, I have kept the
faith.
2 Timothy 4:8
8
Now there is in store for me the
crown of righteousness, which the
Lord, the righteous Judge, will
award to me on that day--and not
only to me, but also to all who
have longed for his appearing.
Amen.
“Run to Win”
What I want you to remember about
yourself:
• God made you to succeed.
• God made you to take responsibility for
yourself.
• God made you to be a person of
character.
“Run to Win”
1 Corinthians 9:24-27
07/26/2009
Dr. Dane Boyles