The Good Fight & The Great Race

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 me only, but also to all
who have loved his appearing.
2 Tim 4:7-8

The Prize

I press toward the goal for the prize
of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus
Phil 3:14

… if anyone competes in athletics,
he is not crowned unless he competes
according to the rules.
2 Tim 2:5


Do you know that those who run in a race all run,
but one receives the prize? Run in such a way
that you may obtain it. And everyone who competes
for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it
to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown.
1 Cor 9:24-25

Cheering Us On

… 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 … - Heb 12:1

The Armour of God

Fight the good fight of faith,
lay hold on eternal life
1 Tim 6:12

… take up the whole armour of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand … [gird] your waist with the truth … put on the breastplate of righteousness … having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace … take the shield of faith … to quench the fiery darts of the wicked one … And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the spirit … with all perseverance …
Ephesians 6:13-18

Fighting the Good Fight

For by you I can run against a troop,
By my God I can leap over a wall
Psalm 18:2

Many often wonder why there is so much warring and fighting in the Old Testament. Well, the answer is simple. Apart from orchestrating the rise and fall of nations, God was also painting a picture of spiritual reality – the war in the unseen realm over the hearts, souls and destiny of men and all mankind; analogous to the colossal struggles depicted in the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

Whether we realize it or not, we are the most highly prized possession of the spirit realm – the only planetary creatures made in God’s image and likeness. So when circumstances seem to swirl around our lives like a whirlwind, we can rest assured that, in the spirit realm, prime pieces are being moved around a spiritual chessboard as the realms of light and darkness seek to out-manouevre each other (though God is really multiple moves ahead of those who contend with Him). We see this perhaps most clearly in the biblical account of Job. God and Satan held high-level discussions about an exemplary life, which led to very dramatic earthly turn of events for him. Yet, whether there is earth-shattering drama rocking our world, or apparent calm, we can rest assured that there is an ongoing spiritual battle ever raging on.

This battle, however, is not a simple (highly mismatched) contest between God and Satan. It also involves us … and there is no neutral zone. We do not engage in natural combat, though, for that is not at all what God is about. In Ephesians 6:10-18, Paul explains that believers need to don their spiritual armour in order to engage a spiritual foe. He says, “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might … For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places … Therefore take up the whole armour of God …” He then goes on to describe it as below (my clarification follows):

· The belt of truth – a pure heart that knows God’s Word
· The breastplate of righteousness – pleasing God
· Feet shod with the gospel – expressing God’s goodness
· The shield of faith – believing God’s promises no matter what
· The helmet of salvation – thinking and becoming like God
· The sword of the Spirit – prophetically declaring God’s truth

Of course, the ultimate warrior of the Old Testament was David – a man of deep and noble passions, heroic courage, and legendary exploits; a spiritual giant of expressive worship, kingly wisdom and pioneering faith; a man who goes down in history as the one who loved God with all his might and all his strength; one of the best-loved Bible characters. A detailed study of his life (in the books of Samuel, Chronicles, Kings and Psalms) would provide many insights into what is meant by spiritual warfare.

Fighting a good fight (as Paul puts it) is also about personal struggles for higher levels of insight and deeper dimensions of personal development. Jacob, for example, wrestled with God and would not release Him until He changed his name from “dirty-rotten-swindler” to “prince-of-God” (Gen 32:22-28). Paul, the great apostle, spoke of His struggle to do what He knew to be right while finding himself springing back into error (2 Corinthians 12:7-10). The Word says that the kingdom suffers violence and that it is the violent (or the spiritually forceful) who lay hold on it (Matthew 11:12). There is something about a dusty scramble for righteousness and a dogged pursuit of perfection which transforms us into Herculean heroes and Great heroines.

There is something called “a good fight” – duking it out with darkness, wrestling for righteousness and pounding our personal preferences into submission to God’s. The concept of a “good fight” implies its twin opposite, “a bad fight” – civil war and infighting and contentious relationships fuelled by selfish ambition, envying and ego-driven motivation (James 4:1-3). The “good fight” is all about noble intentions, standing firm and patiently enduring through tough seasons, even when it seems we are bitterly embattled and barraged with ill luck. Consider this description of Joseph:

Joseph is a fruitful bough;
A fruitful bough by a well;
His branches run over the wall.
The archers have bitterly grieved him,
Shot at him and hated him.
But his bow remained in strength,
And the arms of his hands were made strong
By the hands of the mighty God of Jacob …

Gen 49:22-24

God is an awesome warrior. When He destroyed the Egyptian army to secure the release of His people, Moses and his followers sang: The Lord is a man of war / The Lord is His name / Pharaoh’s chariots and his army He has cast into the sea / His chosen captains are also drowned in the Red Sea. / The depths have covered them; / they sank to the bottom like a stone (Exodus 15:3-5). Consider, too, King David’s poetic outpouring: Lift up your heads, O you gates! / And be lifted up you everlasting doors! / And the king of glory shall come in. / Who is this King of glory? / The Lord strong and mighty, /The Lord mighty in battle … / The Lord of hosts, / He is the King of glory (Psalm 24:7-10). (God is a God of loving-kindness and tender mercies, but He is also a terrible God. In other words, duck for cover and dive down deep when His anger is aroused. He is indeed The Lion of the Tribe of Judah.

In Psalm 18, David extols God’s goodness towards Him in poetry that overflows with his gratitude towards God for protecting him in times of great personal trouble. Here are a few excerpts: I will love You, O Lord, my strength. / The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; … / My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. … / In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried out to my God; … / And my cry came before Him, even to His ears. / Then the earth shook and trembled … / Because He was angry. / Smoke went up from His nostrils, And devouring fire from His mouth … / The Lord thundered from heaven … / He sent from above, He took me; / He drew me out of many waters. / He delivered me from my strong enemy, / From those who hated me, / For they were too strong for me … But the Lord was my support. … / He delivered me because He delighted in me … / Your gentleness has made me great. (Psalm 18:1-35)

One must keep in mind, though, that in God there is balance. So while God calls us to contend with darkness, He does not revel in conflict. While He is a shield, refuge and rock to those who trust in Him, He has promised to end war (Psalm 46:9). In Isaiah 11:6, it states: The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, / the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, / the calf and the lion and the fatling together; / and a little child shall lead them … / They shall not hurt and destroy in all My holy mountain. This is what God deeply desires. So it is no surprise that Jesus is also known as the Prince of Peace. This is why, even in times of great trouble, He comforts us with peace that floods our soul with a soothing sense of warmth, well-being and protection. He is a refuge to all who put their trust in Him.

Still, a good fight remains to be fought. Our battle scars give us bragging rights; the right to boast that God’s kindness, strength and wisdom have brought us through mighty battles into mighty victories; in the struggle there is great joy; joy that our rite of passage dives us into deeper dimensions of God’s majestic character; that every twist and turn in our personal saga is pre-sealed with trumpet-blowing, sweet, sweet triumph as God raises His glorious billowing banner over the ones He loves.

Run Olympian!

God is the author and finisher of my Faith. He is also the one who has scripted my race, and yours as well; the one who has designed a course for all of us to run. My race is not yours, and yours is not mine. So I keep my eyes fixed on the Finish. I won’t stare or veer with green-eyed distraction into the lane next to mine. I keep my eyes on the prize – the gold of God’s commendation – well done, good and faithful servant! I hear His Fatherly urging, His Kingly coaching …

Remember to don the right shoes and athletic wear; brand them with the Kingdom. Put on your garments of righteousness – that desire to please God that sets your feet moving towards His will. I’ll be cheering you on along the way, along with a countless sea of other fans and gone-before supporters. I’ll hand you a bottle of energizing fluid now and again – the sweetness of my Word, the refreshing encouragement of my counsel. It will keep your chin up and your hope ever straining towards your season of completion.

I know you’ve been paying attention to your diet. Yes, you’ve been munching on your nutrient bars, enjoying sweet and life-giving fruits, and nutrition-packed sandwiches. Yes, musing on scripture until it comes alive in your heart, cultivating the fruit of the Spirit, and devouring my Word like the hungry athlete that you are; hungry for God’s approval, hungry for glory that never fades – the joy of being with God forever, knowing that you will run a race that will have Him standing and cheering and punching the air and crowning you with laurels of joy.

So yes, run your race. Sometimes it will be a sprint; sometimes a marathon; sometimes an obstacle course; sometimes a hurdle event; but know that you do not run alone. For this is a grand relay with a baton of faith being passed from one generation to the next; from ancient times to your time and beyond. So hold that baton firmly. Hand it over surely. For while you run a single race, you also follow the course of all Abraham’s lineage. You are one of many keys to the Finish.

Race towards your reward, but remember to respect the rules of the games. Stay within your lane. Run your race. Keep to the course. It is marked by my voice on your right and left, directing your steps. Be honest. Be noble and full of grace. Show kindness to your fellow-competitors. Run worthy of your calling. Yes, race towards your reward, but pace yourself according to my plan. Sometimes the slower you run the faster your destination will greet you. Yet there will be times when you will need to hasten your step. Still, know that the strategy is in my wisdom, in my knowing. Be careful to set your speed to my counsel.

Now, run O athlete! Run Olympian! Stride in joy. Stride in faith. The golden ribbon is waiting for you to burst through in victory. Your trophy has been set aside. It is clear gold and studded with precious jewels. Every godly gem that shines in you glitters on your heavenly prize. Your name is inscribed in its glow … for I know … You have been trained to outsprint, to outlast, to overcome; designed to be a running man, to keep pace with the swift; to outrace the wind; a champion of your course and a legend of Faith. So run, Olympian. Run! The End is not far off. The End is drawing near. It hears the thunder of your pace and races towards its crowning moment. Do you not hear it! Do you not feel it shake the earth! Your time is now! Your time is coming! O Olympian, run!

©NnekaEdwards2010

Run for the Prize

Run for the Prize

Shoot the gun
Now off I run
Not just for fun
I’m racing towards the finish

So long I trained
Now I strain
In life’s great games
To reach the finish line

My legs I pump
Over hurdles jump
How my heart thumps
As I move towards the ribbon

But it’s a marathon
A race that’s long
That must be won
As I race towards the ribbon

This is no sprint
Set my face like flint
Faith is my mint
That powers me to the end

I keep on straight
Won’t deviate
Time won’t wait
The end is not far off

Strength to strength
In a mighty test
A holy quest
To cross the Finish line

Hear loud cheers
As the Finish nears
My jewel rare
To hear God commend

O, well done!
Olympian
You have run
The race I wrote for you!

You have been proven
Faithful and true!
Good and loyal servant!

©NnekaEwards2008

My Hiding Place

My Hiding Place

You are my hiding place;
You shall preserve me from trouble;
You shall surround me with songs of deliverance.
Psalms 32:7

You are my hiding place -
A homey cleft in the mountains.
Hanging orchids shower velvet speckles.
Bright-bellied bluebirds twitter past,
Playing among the floral feeders.
I rest in a hammock, swinging sweetly;
Reclining beside me in a special stand -
A hairy coconut crowned with a gold hibiscus,
With an orange-spiral periscope straw.
The cool water flows down like sweet springs,
Or like a waterfall spilling over cool, mossy rocks.
Peace cascades through my being.
Garden beauty blossoms my very soul.
Flowery Spring-drizzles bring
Comfort, joy, kindness.
They make melody in my heart.
They offer a honeypot of laughter -
Joy-harmony as cheery as tinkling chimes.
They fill my soul with songs
That stream from His river of delights;
Flowing from forever into forever;
Streaming through me
As I hum, sing, choir, worship.
I see dew drops mirroring flowery images
Like an orbed gift of water-framed sweetness.
I see the dawn gold-gilding the horizon,
Heralding the beauty of a new day.
I see, I sense, I feel
Promises, truth, hope, tomorrow
I hear, I taste, I touch
Faith, strength, goodness, God
I am loved here
I belong here
I am safe here
I find Him here
Where it is beautiful, pure and quiet;
In the sweetness of my musings;
In trust, innocence, solitude, stillness;
This serene cleft - a high secret;
You are My Hiding Place.

©NnekaEdwards2006

He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High
Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress;
My God, in Him will I trust.”
Psalm 91:1-2

Kabuki Chronicle: Volleyball Coaching

22 November 2006

Lanky giants storm the net
If you’re a dwarf, you can bet
You’ll never see the trophy
©NnekaEdwards2006

Hi folks,

I am just sliding across to the sportier side of things to share some of my recent insights from the world of volleyball.

These past few weeks the Fifth World Volleyball Championships in Japan were held right here in Saitama; just two train stops from where I live actually. The school has often been abuzz with student chatter when the Japanese national men’s team used our gym for their practice sessions. Many of the players are over 2 meters tall, so they gained immediate student admiration.

I watched three of their games on television and let me tell you, they were all sensational - excitement from the first slam to the last dive. As I watched, all rolled up in bed in my blanket, yet metaphorically sitting on the edge of my seat, several things struck me. Here are some of my thoughts on what I saw:

- The umpires were perfectly fair. God is the umpire of our life. By extension, He is like the referee in a boxing match. In the natural, it can feel like the devil is beating up on us, but in the spirit realm, it’s the other way around.

- Tonight, the Polish team won a hard-fought match. As I watched them slam and dive their way to a win over Japan, I started musing: Now when they win, they’ll celebrate for a while and then start looking for their next challenge, and keep going like that until it’s time to retire; but something about that seems pretty pointless. It’s far better to score points with God, than to score points on a volleyball court.

- God’s people work like a volleyball team. We all have a part to play. When the crowds are cheering for that momentary star player who makes that sizzling smash, he cannot take all the credit. Other team members help set up the play.

- Every time the team member’s slap each others’ hands in celebration or encouragement, it reminds me of God’s exhortation that we exhort and encourage each other in song and scripture.

- The volleyball players are really tall, some being over 2 metres, as I mentioned before. Though we may sometimes look like dwarfs in the natural, in the spirit realm God sees us as giants.

- If either side had let up even a teeny bit, the other side would have surely surged way ahead. We have to give one hundred percent all the time. God wants us to be perfect as He is perfect. He commended Caleb because he had a different spirit and followed God fully.

- I admired the tenacity of the Japanese team. They go for everything; chase every impossible shot; go for every impossible opportunity; and sometimes still managed to win the point.

- I admired the Japanese fans who never waned in their zeal or fervor, even when odds were highly stacked against Japan. They are like the cloud of witnesses, cheering us on. The very success of people like Abraham, Joseph and Daniel is huge encouragement for us to keep pressing on in God. The very lives of those who grace God’s Hall of Faith, are part of the witness that cheers us on; and of course there are also those who literally cheer us on from the unseen realm. I guess that in that place you have the same kind of excitement you might find at an athletic competition. I like to think of it like that.

God somehow weaves the Truth of the Kingdom into the fabric of life. So that’s just a little insight from the volleyball perspective – play hard (give God one hundred percent effort), have fun (rejoice in the faith) and aim for gold (lay hold of God who has laid hold of us).

Ganbatte!

Nneka

p.s. Ganbatte (gan-bah-tay) = keep fighting; do your best; don’t give up; you can do it.