Winning in the Kingdom

Call to Prayer

Title: Winning in the Kingdom

By: Daniel Peter

Date: 11.03.2024

Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.  1 Corinthians 9: 26-27 NIV

Many times, the Lord uses allegories to convey His heart to us. An allegory is “a story, poem, or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning”. As it relates to our walk with Him, the terminology of sports is sometimes used by Him to help us understand His mind about it. In every sport, each participant strives to be the winner. Just like in sports, each one of us should strive to win in the kingdom. However, unlike in sports, we don’t compete with others.

One who understood this mystery was Apostle Paul, who referred to himself to be like a runner and a boxer. Just before he finished his assignment on earth, he said “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness… (2 Timothy 4:7-8)”. His statement revealed that he didn’t just compete, but he won and was expecting a reward. Like Apostle Paul, how do we win in the kingdom?

Discipline is something every athlete who desires to win should have, irrespective of the kind of sport. Athletes subject their bodies to strenuous exercise in preparation for the competition. In the same manner, those who are to be winners in the kingdom will have to subject the flesh. Apostle Paul said “… I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize (1 Cor. 9:27). There was a UFC fighter who mentioned that for many years, he has only eaten for performance (he eats only food that would help him compete), which rekindles the words of King Solomon when he said “Blessed are you, O land, whose king is of nobility and whose princes eat at the appropriate time—for strength and not for drunkenness (Eccl. 10:17)”. For you to win in the Kingdom, your flesh needs to be in subjection (You need discipline).

Again, for athletes to win, they have to compete in accordance to the rules of their sports. Recently, there have been lots of people in Africa attempting to break different world records. However, some have been disqualified by the Guinness Book of Records because they did not observe their rules. An athlete doesn’t compete on his terms, but must submit to the rules of the sport. So it is in the Kingdom; for us to be winners, we must observe its rules (its principles and precepts). Apostle Paul affirms this when he said “… anyone who competes as an athlete does not receive the victor’s crown except by competing according to the rules (2 Tim. 2:5)”. For this reason we must seek to know and understand the law of the new covenant, which is love. Without love, there’s no profit, there’s is no victory (1 Cor 13:1-3, 1 John 5:4, Gal. 5:6).

As we run the race, let’s run in a way that we will obtain the prize.

Prayer Point:

Let’s thank God for His word today. Let’s ask Him to help us subject our flesh and He should grant us understanding of His word so we can win in the kingdom.