Finding Strength in the Lord
“Know you not that they which run in a race run all, but one receives the prize? So run, that you may obtain. And every man that strives for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beats the air: But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.” I Corinthians 9: 24 – 27
In the February 1952 issue of Iron Man Magazine Bob Peeples, a world-renown lifter and writer for the magazine, tells the story of their first meeting. A 19 year old Paul Anderson from Taccoa, Georgia went into Peeple’s weight room, and without any warm up or wraps, squatted 550 lbs… in just his regular shoes. At 5’10” tall, the 275 lb teenager with the 50-inch chest had just squatted 25 lbs under the standing 575 lb world record, and he did it twice.
Paul didn’t always have access to traditional weights, so he made his own out of household items like 55 gallon drums filled with concrete, the aforementioned safe, and iron wheels. Paul also developed his own training methods that included squatting all day, every other day.
Three days before the Olympic weight lifting competition Paul developed a high fever and inner ear infection. At the last minute he was allowed to compete.
An ailing Anderson fell so far behind his chief rival that on the final of three required lifts, he needed to clean and jerk 413.5 pounds, an Olympic record, to claim the gold. Twice he tried and failed. On the third attempt Paul had a talk with the Lord saying, “I’m not trying to make a deal, Lord, no deals, but I must have Your help to get this weight overhead.” Paul made a true commitment to serve God for the rest of his life. He gave the final push and drove the bar overhead, and it stayed. The crowd went wild as Paul returned the bar to the floor. He suddenly was the Olympic Gold Medalist.
Paul often said, “If the strongest man in the world needs Jesus, so do you.”
Paul died on August 15, 1994 from complications from kidney disease at the age of 61, and I conducted his funeral.
Experientially on his deathbed Paul knew, “He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.” (Isaiah 40:29)
This bouquet of Scripture typified Paul regarding his true strength… “Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” “The Lord is my strength and my song; he has given me victory.”
Paul often issued this challenge, “If I, Paul Anderson, the World’s Strongest Man, can not make it through one day without Jesus Christ, how can you?”
Like Paul, call on the Lord and commit to Him.
Opposite Equals
We are opposite equals. As in magnetism, so in human relations, opposites attract. Take away the opposite factor and there is less attraction.
The truth is if we follow equality far enough we destroy individuality and with it creativity.
“No one is created equal – let’s get that out there from the get-go. Some people are smarter than others, some are more attractive, some are healthier, happier, some are more conscientious, kinder, some make more money, etc. If we can quantify differences among people, then we can readily observe that people are not equal” (“Psychology Today” August 17, 2018).
So, people are not created equal; but, it’s not readily discernible what makes one person more important than another. This is a very utilitarian interpretation of the word “equal”. In a more practical, human-based perspective – call it egalitarian — it’s implied that even though people aren’t equal they have the same worth and should be shown the same worth. Many religions rest on that foundational teaching — a golden rule, generally phrased like “Do unto others as you would have done unto you”. I have a folder containing the various forms of the golden rule in different countries. Most societies express it slightly differently but with the same meaning. This golden rule is more than just a religious fundamental; it is a cultural norm globally.
If we dislike someone, we are not likely to treat them as well as we might. Our initial dislike is inevitably perceived by the person. Their reaction to our initial (negative) behavior is likely to be in kind. That reinforces our dislike, and the perpetuation of this cycle goes on.
This reaction can be mitigated by employing a principle found in Scripture.
“Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself” (Philippians 2: 3).
To esteem means to respect and admire. Why?
“For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself’” (Gal. 5:13, 14).
That brings us back to the golden rule.
On the basis of their human nature all are equal. In the matter of ability, skill, intuition, social grace, capacity to compute, physical strength, innate ability and numerous other traits people simply are not equal. Yet, they have a net worth based on their human nature making them worthy of being regarded as equal in importance as a human being.
If there were an old fashioned balancing scale that could measure worth and you were on one side with any person on the other the scale would always be balanced. The many variables mentioned earlier in this post plus others make it impossible to balance equality. All hail the worth of all others.
Instead of arguing over equality why not marvel over variety and show others the dignity of their worth.
A Crown of Victory
“Do you not 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. Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.” (I Cor. 9: 24-27).
The text using an athletic metaphor concludes with depiction of the winning athlete and the faithful Christian. If an athlete did strive for mastery and became a winner there was a reward.
When the Olympics were held in Atlanta Michael Johnson set a new world record in the 200 meter dash. Joe DeLoach, winner of the gold medal in the 200 meters in Barcelona commented: “Michael Johnson didn’t just break my record, he smashed it. That just goes to show how temporary are the earthly things we strive for.” Why would one go through nine months of agony? Why would one be willing to box in such a fight? Because of the award awaiting.
They didn’t give medals. They gave leaf crowns. In verse 25 it is described as a “perishable crown.” That was only part of the award.
The Olympic Games honored Zeus, also known as Jupiter. The wreath was made of olive branches, a tree preferred by Zeus. At the Isthmian Games, which honored the mythical Greek sea god Poseidon, the wreath was made from the god’s sacred tree the spruce.
Before the contests the wreath was placed at the feet of the statue honoring the god of the games. At Olympia it was Zeus. At the Isthmian Games it was Poseidon. This was referred to as “the joy lying before them.” It was a term used of Christ enduring the cross because of the “joy lying before Him.”
He was then taken back to his home town for a celebration. If the city was walled as most were, a hole was cut in the city wall in the profile of the athlete. After he entered through it, once again it was sealed.
A parade followed in which the athlete rode through the city in a chariot. The people celebrating threw flowers in his path. Women splashed perfume on him. The parade led to the center of the city where he was greeted by the equivalent of the mayor. There the city poet read an ode to him about himself. Next, the mayor presented him with a citation which in part gave him a life-time exemption from income tax. Now you know why they were willing to compete!
If they did all that for a corruptible crown how much more we should be willing to strive for an incorruptible crown! The reward awaiting all faithful citizens of the kingdom who go through agony in obedience to the Master is a heavenly home. That will make it all worthwhile.
In the Book of the Revelation is given another depiction of the honor given a winner. It has a spiritual application.
“To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne” (Revelation 3:21).
That is the ultimate reward awaiting the person who will spiritually “compete for the” that is, “strive for the mastery.”
Obedience of an Athlete
“Do you not 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. Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.” (I Cor. 9: 24-27).
The analogy of an Olympic athlete and a Christian continues with the fact an athlete has to be coach-able and a Christian obedient to his coach Jesus.
Each participant in the Isthmus Games was given a personal trainer. He was the athlete’s master. What he said the athlete did. If we are going to be spiritual victors we must submit to Jesus as our master\trainer.
If you have watched gymnasts they listen intently to their coaches just before their event. They then go out and try to do exactly what the coach said to do. So must we.
“But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves” (James 1:22).
A Christian like an athlete has to be compliant.
Every competitor did the same exercises during these nine months of agony. The boxer, distance runner, weight lifter, jumper, and sprinter all did the same exercises. Today greater knowledge and techniques let it be known various exercises need to be tailored to the sport.
The point this illustrates is there are no favorites with the Lord. We are all alike.
They wore only oil and nothing else. In Scripture oil is used as an illustration of the Holy Spirit. He is often represented as associated with oil.
If we are going to strive for mastery in spiritual matters we must allow the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Christ, to cover and control us.
Certainty is an essential for athletes and Christians. They must be “Not as uncertain.” If you want a victorious spiritual life it requires being spiritually focused. The word in the text translated “uncertainty” is “adelos” meaning, “do not run without clarity.”
Every athlete comes to the games with clarity of purpose. Each knows what he or she is to compete and is focused on that. As a Christian are you.
What is your goal in life?
Bodily Control
“Do you not 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. Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.” (I Cor. 9: 24-27).
Humorously athletic allusions are found throughout “In the beginning God created the heavens and earth…”
Noah led the league in doubles… The prodigal son made a home run!… David pitched and won against the Giants. He struck out Goliath… And Lucifer played several seasons for the Angels, before he got cut… Now onto more realistic matters.
The text uses the analogy of a boxer to illustrate Christian discipline.
There was a technical term employed in boxing used in the text. The decisive first blow was the “fist blow under the eye.” It was the term of that era comparable to our term “knock out.” In our text there is a term used in the Greek and translated “I buffet” or “I discipline my body” (vs. 27).
In verse 27 the word translated “disqualified” or a “castaway” is “adokimos.” It was a word used to describe an heirloom that had become cracked and no longer being usable was put on a shelf.
Do you discipline your body? Is there ever a craving you desire that you know to be wrong and you say “NO” to your body?
Are there quantities of food your body craves and you discipline your body to abstain. Are there times your body indicates it feels lazy and you discipline it to get the exercise needed? Are there sexual drives you know to be inappropriate and you discipline your body and exercise self-control?
Like such a boxer we must mentally use our spiritual resources to control our bodies if we are to be spiritual victors.
Perhaps you are not as spiritually mature as you might like and at critical moments you have not buffeted your body. Failure to bring your body under control is a retardant to spiritual growth. In order to gain what you want; it’s going to require a measure of discipline. In fact, the reason you don’t have what you want yet is due to a lack of self-control.
Self-control means that we give up something that we want in order to gain something that we want even more.
A challenging question is are we willing to give up anything to please our Lord?