Finish Strong
Missionary friends of ours, Jacob and Julie, that our church supports, have served in the country of Spain for many years. They have been so effective and have had much fruit from their labor. One of the things that they have done is take their ministry to the streets and find people wherever they might be and minister to them. They preach the gospel message in various ways: by object lessons, illustrated sermons and testimonies and then they give opportunity for people to respond to the message.
It has been nearly 6 years since Julie lost her battle to cancer. One of the things shared at her funeral was that Julie finished strong. All her life she had told people about Jesus and even when she could barely walk she was still reaching out to people. It was said of her, “She didn’t just cross the finish line in heaven, she raced across the finish line!”
Paul said in 2 Timothy 4:7-8, “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, 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.” This passage that Paul writes, are some of his last words before his death. Paul had a long and difficult race.
We know that Paul started out arresting Christians, but he had a glorious conversion and the rest of his life was spent reaching out to those who needed the Lord. Many times he was thrown into prison for sharing the Gospel. As we look at the passage above we can see 3 key elements that were evident I know in Julie’s life, clearly evident in Pauls Life and I know can be part of your life!
First of all we are to keep the faith! 2 Tim. 1:12 says, “That is why I am suffering as I am, Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed and I am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto
Him against that day!” We must commit our lives to Christ. Then It is a daily walk with Jesus and it is up to us to read the bible and pray and draw close to Him.
The next thing is we need to fight the good fight. It is not easy as we see in Pauls life, he had been in shipwrecks, hungered, beaten and spent much time in prison for the Gospel. When the storms of life come our way, the Lord is there to help us through, we can’t give up. That is where we have to rely totally on the Lord. In Proverbs 3 it reminds us to trust in the Lord with all of our heart, not lean on our own ways.
Finally we must finish the race and finish it strong. Many a person start out strong, giving their lives to Christ and they stumble along the way. They stop reading their bible, praying and even quit going to church. I John 4:4 says, “Greater is He that is in me, than he that is in the world” Don’t stop! You can make it! Keep serving the Lord by keeping the faith, Fight the fight, and finish strong!
By Pastor Foster Beckstrand, Dazey Assembly of God,
Dazey, ND