Fuel for the Faith
Matthew 4:1-11; Galatians 5:7; 1 Corinthians 9:26-27; Hebrews 12:1-2
DIGGING DEEPER
KEY QUOTES:
"Knowledge of God's Word + Application of God's Word in Daily Context = Transformation in Life."
"God affirms us in the highs and confirms us in the lows."
"We need the Scriptures to fuel us throughout the race. We need the Holy Spirit to empower our faith to overcome the obstacles we will face."
"Jesus chose the path God marked out for Him, a pathway that would take Him to the cross. He chose the pathway of death that brought life rather than the pathway that brought death. Make sure every choice, every decision you make, is for God's glory."
"The treasure of God's kingdom is gained by dying to your will and ways and living in and for God's will and ways. That's what it means to worship God supremely."
Hebrews 12 teaches valuable truths about how to pace ourselves as we run the Christian race, enduring and finishing the race God has put before us. These guidelines for living a flourishing Christian life include:
Get rid of anything and everything that hinders our race.
Eliminate sin, especially those sins that entangle us.
Stick to the race God has marked out for us.
Fix our eyes on Jesus, for he will perfect our faith.
Endure hardship as discipline from God, which makes us more resilient and strong in our faith.
Practice holiness, righteousness and peace so that we produce a fruitful harvest.
Build up feeble areas so falling doesn't occur.
Be thankful and worship God with reverence and awe.
Take encouragement from those around you who are a positive influence and spur you on to complete the race.
Through the power of the Holy Spirit, we are fueled to finish our race, enduring until the end as we represent God to neighbors and nations so that all may come to know God and His love for us.
WHAT NOT TO MISS
The Main Point:
To do well in the race, you'll need to arm your faith to overcome the obstacles you'll face. To maintain the pace, you'll need to fuel your faith throughout the race.
1) Who/what will we face as obstacles in this race of faith? (Matthew 4:1; 1 Peter 5:8)
It is in the wilderness the Devil, Satan, comes after you.
You can't see the devil or his demons, but you can see their effects.
Temptation is defined as anything that prevents you from becoming like Jesus and thus imaging Jesus.
Temptations are opportunities for confirmation.
Temptations reveal how well your training and your prepping are going.
Satan comes when we are vulnerable, weak, tired, least prepared and not expecting it.
Satan will attack your identity.
Satan will use your weak points, use Scriptures and try to twist them, use God's plan and the cost of God's plan to get you to take the easy way out.
Two other obstacles we encounter are the world (Ephesians 6:11-12; 1 John 2:15-17) and the flesh (Galatians 5:19-21; 1 Peter 2:11)
2) How do we fuel and arm our faith in this race? (Matthew 4:1-10; Deuteronomy 8:3; Deuteronomy 6:16; Deuteronomy 6:13)
You need to be led by the Spirit and the Scriptures.
You need to believe in the Lord's sufficiency.
You need to trust the Father's love.
You need to live for God's glory.
God will bring blessings to neighbors and nations.
I don't bypass God's will for Satan's ways but I bypass Satan's ways for God's will.
I worship the Lord exclusively, even if it costs me everything.
3) Where is our care team to serve us through this race of faith?
Then, the angels came and attended Jesus. (Matthew 4:11)
Attended in Matthew 4:11 is the word for deacon, minister.
Who is your care team? The care team should be the church with other brothers and sisters who attend and minister to one another when we are worn out, successful, need encouragement, prayer etc.
LIFE APPLICATION
Make a list of ways to fill up with fuel that enables you to run the race God has given you with faithfulness and endurance. These could include prayer, reading and studying scripture, meditating, being grateful, listening to Christian music and walking in nature. Also, think about things that drain your tank and consume the fuel you put in. Some of these things that drain us are inevitable since we live in a sinful and imperfect world. But if you can, substitute things that build up your endurance for those that drain your power to persevere.
SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
How do you pace yourself when given an enormous task to complete?
How do you arm yourself to overcome the obstacles and temptations you encounter as you run your race?
What role does the Holy Spirit play in persevering in the spiritual race set before you?
What does the Bible teach about how Jesus encourages, motivates and fuels us to finish the race set before us?
What fuels you up so you can successfully run your spiritual race?
DAILY DEVOTIONAL BIBLE PASSAGES
Day 1: Run with Endurance - 2 Timothy 4:7; Galatians 5:7; Psalm 119:32
Day 2: Look to Jesus - Acts 5:31; Isaiah 45:22; Micah 7:7
Day 3: Do Not Get Weary - Isaiah 40:31; 1 Corinthians 9:24-27; Philippians 3:14
Day 4: Don't Sin - 2 Timothy 2:22; 1 Thessalonians 5:22; 1 Corinthians 10:13
Day 5: Pursue Pleasing the Lord - 2 Corinthians 5:9; Hebrews 11:6; Hebrews 13:16
PRAYER
Lord, You have given me great examples in the Bible of people who faithfully overcome temptations and complete the race You gave them. There is much that I can learn from these giants of faith who were human, just like me, and triumphantly finished their races. Show me ways to pace myself as I consistently serve You, my church and the community as I give my time, talents and resources. I want to be fueled by the Holy Spirit with Your power and Your might so that neighbors and nations will come to know and believe in you.
