... LET US RUN WITH PATIENCE THE RACE THAT IS SET BEFORE US. Hebrews 12:1

The writer of the Epistle of Hebrews and St. Paul as well, compare the Christian life to a race on this earth. In a literal sense, not all can take part in a race; be it 100, 200, 400 metres or even marathon races. Similarly not all can take part in a spiritual race, who also need to go through certain basic training and exercises. Hence, the 3 basic experiences necessary to run a spiritual race are:

• Salvation (On Your Mark)
• Water Baptism (Get set)
• Anointing of the Holy Spirit (Go)

Ok, now someone might say — Well, I am born into a Christian family so I am already running the spiritual race. No, that’s not how it is!! Just being born into a Christian or even a Pentecostal family won’t help us run this race; but rather, only those who have a personal relationship with Jesus can be in this race.

Now, apart from having the 3 basic necessities of running this spiritual race, who else are barred from participating here?

1. Those who are babes in Christ - And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. 1 Corinthians 3:1. Literally speaking, a baby isn’t a grown up or mature person yet. It can’t speak/stand/walk by itself; how then can it run? God does not want us to be babes in Christ. Babes in Christ are referred to Carnal people.

2. Those who are carnal - Those who are mindful only about things of the world can’t run this race because there is no proper growth in them. Earthly natures of strife, envy and division are found in them. For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? 1 Corinthians‬ ‭3:3‬. They are immature Christians.

3. Those in whom the love of Jesus does not work continually - When God’s love slows down in the life of a Christian, strange love will begin to take its place and work in them. But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. James‬ ‭3:14-15‬

4. Those who don’t have fellowship with one another - Where there is division, how can there be fellowship with one another? Where there is no fellowship, there is no salvation experience and the blood of Christ isn’t at work. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. 1 John‬ ‭1:7‬.

WHO THEN CAN RUN THIS RACE?

Only those who are on guard, stand firm in faith, act like mature men and are courageous, and strong. Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong. 1 Corinthians‬ ‭16:13‬.

May the Lord help us! 💕