I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. – 2 Timothy 4:7
We have all heard the quote; “Life Begins At The End Of Your Comfort Zone.”
Paul must have really lived an adventurous life because he left his comfort zone years before this letter~
List of Paul’s Sufferings
Shipwrecked, attacked by murderous mobs, beaten, starved, imprisoned,
betrayed by friends…
And the hardships he endured? Shipwrecked three times and floated for 24 hours Criticized by other Christians Under arrest for two years without a trial Bitten by a viper
Escaped the mouth of the lion .
all to serve the one thing the Apostle Paul at one time sought to destroy… Christianity.
Persecuted for Jesus Christ, Paul was… Stoned and left for dead Beaten with rods three times Whipped with 39 lashes five times Attacked by an angry mob Many death threats
Paul’s response was, “Everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted…” 2 Timothy 3:12 And the hardships he endured?
And to these things, Paul said, “Endure hardships with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus,” 2 Timothy 2:3
THE GIFT OF A GOOD FIGHT.
Pick a good fight! – Pick something noble, choose to be a world changer, opt for resisting the “status quo” …( which in latin means; “look at the mess were in.”) and guess what…you have just chosen to get yourself in a good fight.
YOU HAVE JUST LEFT YOUR COMFORT ZONE.
In 1st Timothy Paul tells Timothy to: “Fight the good fight of the faith. 1 Timothy 6:12 (niv)
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. – 2 Timothy 4:7
Illuss. Chick trying to get out of the shell. Its the struggle that gives strength.
1. YOU NEED AN ENEMY.
Ephesians 6:10
Number 14:9
2. YOU NEED TO KNOW YOUR ENEMY.
Ephesians 6:12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood,
It’s not CHRISTIANS THAT ARE DIFFERENT THAN YOU..
It’s not BAD PEOPLE. It’s not your SPOUSE It’s not YOU.
It’s not the Democrates or the Republicans.
It’s Satan and his demonic forces.
3. YOU NEED TO BEAT YOUR ENEMY.
2 Corinthians 10:4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal
Psalms 144:1 Blessed be the LORD, my rock, Who trains my hands for war,
4. YOU NEED TO REMEMBER YOUR ENEMY.
John 8:44 the devil, is a liar and the father of lies.
THE BATTLE IS THE LORDS.
2 Chronicles 20:17: “You will not have to fight in this battle.”
1 Samuel 17:47 the battle is the LORD’s,
THE GIFT OF A GOOD FRIEND.
Pick some “risk takers for God” – friends. The kind of people that are willing to follow Jesus
When you choose some CRAZY for God friends who are willing to chase their God given dreams….guess what? – You have just left your comfort zone.
When you isolate yourself you limit yourself!
Get here as fast as you can. Demas, chasing fads, went off to Thessalonica and left me here. Crescens is in Galatia province, Titus in Dalmatia. Luke is the only one here with me. Bring Mark with you; he’ll be my right-hand man since I’m sending Tychicus to Ephesus. 2 Timothy 4:9-12
Paul’s problem’s began when he started hanging out with a bunch of CRAZY friends that where CRAZY about a man named Jesus!
If you want to leave your comfort zone….pick some CRAZY friends that are CRAZY about Jesus.
THE GIFT OF A WARM COAT AND A GOOD BOOK.
Bring the winter coat I left in Troas with Carpus; also the books and parchment notebooks. 2 Timothy 4:13 (the message)
Pick out some dangerous books that will change the lethargy right out of your life! – get into some of the minds of the risk takers and the world shakers that made a difference for Jesus on this planet !
This is where you can really go beyond the people you are with everyday – If they choose not to live a life of adventure…..you can saddle up to some amaZING friends.
Go to amazon and buy really crazy friends in the books they have written.
BE CAREFUL, BECAUSE BOOKS BIRTH IDEAS….THE WORDS ARE SEEDS THAT GROW IF WATERED.
MANY OF THE BOOKS I HAVE READ HAVE BEEN CATALYST TO GET ME OUT OF MY COMFORT ZONES.
They birthed thoughts that resulted in getting me where I am today…..SO BE CAREFUL TENDER WARRIOR WHAT YOU READ….IT COULD LEAD YOU TO A LIFE OF ADVENTURE LIKE PAUL
Here he is, at the end of his life IN PRISON FOR THE VERY THING HE USED TO FIGHT AGAINST….JESUS!
And what does he ask for?
Bring the winter coat I left in Troas with Carpus; also the books and parchment notebooks. 2 Timothy 4:13 (the message)
A GOOD OLD COAT THAT REPRESENTS THE COMFORT ZONE HE LEFT YEARS AGO.
THE BOOKS THAT PLANTED THE SEEDS OF ADVENTURE.
THE PARCHMENTS THAT WOULD ALLOW HIM TO WRITE DOWN THE DREAMS AND INSPIRED THOUGHTS THAT WOULD CHANGE THE NEXT GENERATION OF ADVENTURES !
THE GIFT OF A GOOD FIGHT.
Pick a good fight! – Pick something noble, choose to be a world changer, opt for resisting the “status quo” …( which in latin means; “look at the mess were in.”) and guess what…you have just chosen to get yourself in a good fight.
YOU HAVE JUST LEFT YOUR COMFORT ZONE.
THE GIFT OF A GOOD FRIEND.
Pick some “risk takers for God” – friends. The kind of people that are willing to follow Jesus
When you choose some CRAZY for God friends who are willing to chase their God given dreams….guess what? – You have just left your comfort zone.
When you isolate yourself you limit yourself!
THE GIFT OF A WARM COAT AND A GOOD BOOK.
Pick out some dangerous books that will change the lethargy right out of your life! – get into some of the minds of the risk takers and the world shakers that made a difference for Jesus on this planet !
This is where you can really go beyond the people you are with everyday – If they choose not to live a life of adventure…..you can saddle up to some amaZING friends.
Go to amazon and buy really crazy friends in the books they have written.
stevelummer.com 