Prepared?

Read I Corinthians 9:24-27

This passage is written with the backdrop of the Isthmian games - the equivalent of our Olympics. This event was held every two years ten miles outside the city of Corinth. These games brought people from every part of the Mediterranean to compete or just watch. It was the sporting event of the year - drawing the empire’s best talent. Athletes would compete in foot races, broad jumping, discus throwing, wrestling, boxing, gymnastics, and equestrian contests. They would compete fiercely, each striving for the Isthmian crown - a wreath of wild celery.
Winners received a lifetime exemption from paying taxes and serving in the military. They would also receive free tuition at one of their universities. Statues of themselves would be erected along the road that led to the site of the games. But the real prize was the celery wreath, awarded to the winner at the end of the games.
We’ve talked this week about Proceeding, Pursuing and today we will deal with Preparing, or getting ready. Verse 25 states, “And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things.”
An athlete who wants to win always goes into strict training. The key word to preparation or training is; temperance / self-control. This gives the idea of inner strength - strength not to indulge or act on impulse. The word ‘compete’ that Paul uses is the Greek is the word for agony. It points to the tremendous effort that was put forth to win. I remember when I started playing hockey. We would have to try out for the team and the first day we would only skate. People would be hanging over the boards losing lunch while others were cramping up. It was pure misery, but we all knew that if we endured, we would be on the team. Although the presence of our self-control is from the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23), the practice of our self-control is our responsibility (2 Peter 1:4-7). The point here is not necessarily abstinence, but having a strong control of our appetites and passions.
If we want to win, we must prepare. Life is full of unexpected events and we must be ready at a moments notice. If you want to excel as an athlete you must go into training. The same is true of our walk with God. We need spiritual workouts – Time in prayer, time in the Word, time in worship. To win the race requires that we are ready. We must be in a state of constant readiness. We must be ready when God calls us to serve. We must be ready for when we cross the finish line. “The secret to success in life is for a man to be ready for his time when it comes.” – Benjamin Disraeli.
The key is “self-discipline.” The athletes that competed in this competition had to provide proof that they had been in training for at least 10 months before the contest. They had to prove that they had spent the last 30 days doing exercises in the gymnasium. In the Greek games - only one received the prize. But for the child of God, the prize is available to all who run the disciplined race. The child of God should run as the winner runs. Philippians 3:13 states, “brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before.” In the relay races, teammates would run up to the next runner and reach the baton forward to the next runner. They constantly move forward.
Hebrews 12:1 says, “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience that race that is set before thee.” Revelation 3:11 states, “Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.”
In 1976 the University of Indiana won NCAA National Title. When interviewed about their success, coach Knight said, “The will to succeed is important but what is more important is the will to prepare”. We must prepare ourselves for the race.

“One important key to success is self-confidence. An important key to self-confidence is preparation.”
- Arthur Ashe