We Are the Champions

I have seen something else under the sun: The race is not to the Swift, or the battle to the strong, nor does food come to the wise, or wealth to the brilliant, or favor to the learned; but time and chance happen to them all. Ecclesiastes 9:11

However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race, and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me, –the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace. Acts 20:24

Although Jesus has already won the victory because of His crucifixion and resurrection, God’s total plan has not been revealed. He wants to use us to reveal His ways, His presence and His victory to the world. We are His hands, His feet, and His voice. Through us He will declare that He is the Champion and He rules the Universe.

Champions are not made without struggle. There must be an adversary or foe. People like to be champions without struggle. But champions are made in the struggle, and by the struggle. The devil, and the forces of evil are our foes. The circumstances of life, and our flesh wage war against us.  But unless we believe, that we are the champions through Jesus Christ, we will be losers instead of the champions.

God created us to be champions and not losers. As Paul says, already we are rich, already we are filled, and we will reign with Him. Few become a champion on their first try. If this happened, being a champion would mean nothing. Everyone could do it all the time. Champions are made through a process. God uses this process to form us in the image of His Son Jesus. Jesus is the greatest champion of all time, and is the possessor of every good title that could be given.

Becoming a Champion
I would now like to describe this process that one goes through to be a champion, but first, I would like to describe what a champion is. A champion in God’s eyes is one who perseveres to the very end. He or she runs the race always wanting to be more like Jesus in all that they do and say. Humility is the namesake of this champion, but complete victory is their destiny.

The Call
The first part of this process is The Call. The call is where our Lord reveals Himself. As He calls out for us over and over again, we begin to recognize our need, and desire for Him. This is when Jesus starts to reveal His love, and desire for relationship. During this time, He declares His unchanging faithfulness, forgiveness, and redemption toward his people. God wants to establish a relationship that will last forever. We learn to recognize His voice and learn to fall in love with Jesus .

The Challenge
The Spirit of God is always working, and at all times we may be in one part of the process or another. But the next clear stage is called The Challenge. It is during this time, where we begin to see our goals more clearly, and also begin to experience a desire, to be able to commune with God. It is a time when the evil one may begin to assail our faith. He often points out with unfailing accuracy our sins and our shortcomings. The devil accuses us of being unworthy to participate in God’s desires and plans. He conveniently, has forgotten the redeeming work of Jesus, the true and only Champion of our lives. This burden, of unworthiness, and unrighteousness is a burden that is designed to keep us from becoming champions of God. The devil, the accuser, is the loser, who constantly wants to steal our inheritance, both now and always. The challenge, then, is to not only ignore the accuser, but to accept the awesome riches of the inheritance of eternal life that God wants to give us. The challenge is to accept the struggle, and believe in the victory, that our King and Lord wants to give us. The challenge of a champion is not easy, but the desire of our Lord is great to make us champions.

The Test
The next stage in becoming champions is The Test. The test is the furnace of champions. In this part of champion making, our character, our attitudes, our motives and our desires are tested. We may have heard the call, and accepted the challenge, but we may feel that we are not reaching them. Others may question us or even disbelieve us. They may wonder about our ability to do the job, or doubt if it should even be done. They may point out our past failures, or be conspicuously absent when we could use help or support. The Lord uses these times to clarify our vision, and increase our passion for the job he has given us. When the heat is on, the fire of the Holy Spirit cleanses our heart and burns away those things which keep us from being the champion that God calls us to be. We begin to see ourselves as we really are, and our need for the grace of Jesus Christ deepens. It is often at this time, that our self-centeredness is exposed, and our weaknesses are revealed. It is during this period that God pours out his strength, grace, and wisdom that makes us champions. The test may come from people, or circumstances, or even within ourselves, but the test will come. These events may give us lingering doubts about our ability to hear God, or to obey Him. However, the strength of anything is proven when it becomes tested. Our resolve becomes stronger when it has stood the test of time. A gift from God is special, but what we have to fight for becomes precious. Spiritual sweat and tears may not be what we longed for, but it is the most important meal in the life of a champion. It is important to note here that being tested may seem to come and go, but it is essential for God to show us how we have persevered with His help. There can be no champion without a test, for it is in testing that the champion is revealed.

In the Desert
We may find ourselves in the desert. This is often the next place in the journey of the champion. It is often at these times that we feel all alone, and that no one understands us. Loneliness, misperception, and isolation may seem to be our frequent companions. In the desert, the champion is stripped down to what is necessary. Our ungodly, and unnecessary thoughts and desires seem to die like withered plants. We may cry out in hunger and thirst, desiring both refreshment and comfort. But our Lord knows what food will sustain us, and that food is Himself. In the desert our senses are sharpened and our vision becomes clearer. We begin to see what God wants us to see, and sense what God wants us to sense in the barrenness of the desert. In the barrenness of the desert our poverty turns into wealth because we begin to receive the Lord’s heart, and perceive the Lord’s mind. With the Lord, nothing is barren but everything is fertile.

Your Perspective
We must have both the Lord’s perspective and His heart to become a champion. Earthly champions receive gold medals, but the champions of Jesus Christ receive golden crowns. Earthly accomplishments will fade with time, but what we do for our God, stands forever. Earthly champions are often replaced, but God’s champions are precious and never lose their place. Earthly champions are in it to receive the glory, but God’s champions will give Him the glory. Earthly champions are often remembered for doing great things, but spiritual champions are remembered by the little things that we do for the little ones. Earthly champions will lose their honors and rewards, but spiritual champions will not lose either their honor or their reward. What we do as a champion for God will be proclaimed again, and again in the light.  The deeds of an earthly champion will be whispered briefly and then forgotten in the dark. There will be no former champions in God’s kingdom, for they will continue to rule and reign with him forever and forever. With God we will no longer have to defend and protect our titles and accomplishments. The heart of God’s champion belongs to God and to his people.

The Harvest
The next part of the journey is sharing the harvest. The harvest of God is the fruit of the Holy Spirit. Love, peace, joy, kindness, and patience serve to multiply the presence of God, and increase the harvest. We will share in the harvest, but the harvest will not be just for us. God’s champions will be serving him for the glory of his name. He or she will be constantly seeking to give whatever honor they receive back to the Lord. Their focus will be to cherish what God did for them, rather than what they accomplished for themselves. God’s champions give away their harvest to God and to his people, and then God pours out more abundance. God cannot be out given. Sharing the harvest produces more harvest, but hoarding the harvest brings misery and emptiness. From the harvest we receive the seeds of things to come. Champions share the harvest and produce more harvest. Earthly champions say that I accomplished it, but God’s champions say that God did it.

Your Choice
All of us like to be valued and appreciated. We have the choice to do this for God or for ourselves. Who are we running the race for, and for what? How will our deeds and our lives be remembered? What crown will we receive when our lives are over? This will be decided when we decide who and what will be our champion.

 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 1Corinthians 9:24

You were running a good race. Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth? Galatians 5:7

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 2. Timothy 4:7

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Hebrews. 12:1

Then the King will say to those on his right hand, “ Come you blessed of my Father come inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world”… Mathew 25:34 

[Michael Carr, January 2024]