A Faith That

Works.
“Running God’s
Race” Hebrews
12:1

Let me ask three

critical questions
• What have you felt like giving up
on? Is it your dreams, goals,
marriage? Do you feel like giving
up on God, or do you feel like
giving up period?
• What have you left undone, a
commitment, project, promise,
vow, or pledge?
• What’s holding you back,
distracting you? Is it a relationship,
fear or worry, job or possessions,
how about misplaced morals or
values?
These are critical questions when we consider what the writer of Hebrews says, “Therefore we
also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight,
and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set
before us.” (Hebrews 12:1 NKJV).
The Bible describes life like a race, not a quick, hundred-yard dash, mind you, but a marathon.
And while everyone runs in this race, not everyone will finish well. They’ll get discouraged,
distracted, hurt, or they’ll just give up. Eventually they’ll find themselves sitting on the sidelines
with their dreams unrealized and giving up on their God given potential. They leave a lot of

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things in life unfinished. They start out well, but soon they get tired, bored, and
distracted. They never finish and life feels unfulfilled. They’ve strewn the rubble of
uncompleted project, unfulfilled commitments, and unrealized promises throughout the
course of their lives.
The Apostle Paul talks about this life as a race saying if we want to receive the
prize of heaven at the end, we’ll need to run it according to the rules, 1 Timothy 2:5.
But still people live life saying, “Life Happens.” Yet what’s also true is that life is what we
make of it. Our character is not determined in how well we start the race, but how we
finish it. Therefore, Paul could say,
“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the
righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all
who have loved His appearing.” (2 Timothy 4:7-8 NKJV).
Tonight, we’ll be looking at how we can finish this race well, even when we feel
like giving up. We’ll be looking at four things everyone needs to do if they want to finish
well and hear the Lord say, “Well done good and faithful servant; enter into the joy
of the Lord.” (Matthew 25:21 NKJV)
Remove the Hindrances. We need to remove those things that drag us down
and hold us back from being everything God has called us to be. “Let us lay aside
every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us.” (Hebrews 12:1b NKJV)
Now this is not a gentle removal. The wording means violently taking off and
throwing it away. If you were water skiing in your wetsuit and you fell in the water, you’d
be violently tearing away your clothing before you sunk to the bottom.
God has created us uniquely; therefore, God has created a unique race for each of us.
The problem is the expectations others place upon us, and that’s because they
want us to run their race. These expectations can become distractions. We can only
live the life God has given, and we won’t finish the race well until we let go of these false
expectations of others. If we live by any other expectations than God’s expectations for
us, then we’re not going to be living God’s best.
The writer of Hebrews tells us that if we want to finish well, we’re going to have to
simplify. We need to get rid of the baggage, remove the diversions, eliminate the
distractions, and whatever else that weighs us down and prevents us from running the
race God has set before us. One of the main distractions is all the stuff we acquire, that
is, our possessions. Jim Henson of Muppet fame made a movie called Labyrinth. In the
movie a teenage girl went searching for her baby brother that had been stolen. One of
the scenes has her in her bedroom with a little old Muppet woman who kept piling her
possessions on her back. The more she became weighed down with all the stuff she
began to forget her mission and purpose.
That’s what happens to us. We start to worry about keeping and holding onto all
the stuff, and in the process, we’ve lost our way. We become so distracted by the stuff
that we soon find ourselves out of the game and onto the sidelines of life. Another big-
time hindrance is our past. Our past really weighs us down, and that’s because we’re
loaded down with either guilt and shame over what we’ve done, or resentment and
bitterness over what others have done to us. Even when there seems to be nothing in
our lives, God can use the little that remains to effect tremendous blessings in our lives
and the lives of others.

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 As Christians we need to follow the example set by Jesus and shut the door on
any traps or attempts to ensnare us by the enemy. He only wants our destruction.
Fortunately, the Lord wants to protect us and bless us, so he has given us the tools we
need to combat the devil’s schemes. Living a life of obedience and godly character will
truly help us in waging war against the enemy. Speaking and praying Scriptures in order
to rebuke Satan is also an example that Jesus gave, and I believe that it is a powerful
way to ward off the devil as well. Lastly, keeping our minds pure and associating with
others that are likeminded will also help us live lives that are honoring to God. Amen!