Hebrews 12:1-2 says, “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, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.”  

We are living in the end times and there’s an urgency as never before to run hard and finish this race strong.  But what does this look like?  How do we finish this race strong?

Let’s use an illustration of the cross to understand this better.  The cross was made up of a vertical beam and a horizontal beam that intersected to form a T shape.  

The vertical beam we can think of as our relationship with God.  We need to keep this strong and stay close to God.  The horizontal beam represents our relationship with other people.  By this, I mean that the love and salvation we receive from God we share freely with others.

As a result, to finish our race strong in Jesus we need to focus on the following 2 things:

1. INVEST DEEPLY IN YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD

We need to spend time with God daily and fill ourselves with the Word.  As we study the Word of God, the Holy Spirit will help us establish a deep foundation based on the Bible.  

In these times we need the truth of God’s Word to help us stand strong and persevere.  So let’s do this with all diligence.

2. SHARE THE GOSPEL WHEREVER YOU CAN

We have a window of opportunity open to us now to share the gospel with a lost and dying world.  But once Jesus returns, this window will be closed.  We need to have a fire and urgency as never before to reach others with the gospel.  Let’s take every opportunity to reach others with our words and also through the way we live.

When we think of the life of Jesus we can see that He lived and embodied this.  Firstly, the bible tells us in Mark 1:35 that “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed”.  Jesus made it a priority to spend time with the Father and we need to do the same because we can only pour out what God gives us.  

Secondly, Jesus reached out to those around Him with His love, grace, and compassion.  And we need to do the same! Take every opportunity to spread the seeds of the gospel.  Whether it’s praying with someone in a time of crisis, sharing the gospel or meeting someone’s practical need always be on the lookout for opportunities.

Time is running short now. Let’s cast off everything that hinders us and run this race flat out now so that we can glorify God and finish strong!