Yesterday, I heard an amazing story about a man named Pheidippides. After the Greek victory over Persia 2,500 years ago, Pheidippides ran 25 miles to share the VICTORY! Unfortunately, legend has it that he fell over and died right after he shared the joy of the victory with all the others. In fact, many consider Pheidippides the first marathon runner because of this!
As I heard this story, the Lord begin to speak..
How far are you willing to run?
How far are you willing to go to share the news of victory?
Are you willing to be the messenger of Christ until your very last breath?
The amazing detail that we may miss in the story is that the Greeks already had the victory even before Pheidippides shared the news.
They simply were unaware.
Without the messenger, they would have spent their life wondering if they would ever “win” or trapped with a spirit of defeat.
BUT thank God for the messenger!
Today, we must ask ourselves a question.
How far are we willing to run?
Who are those in our life who have NO idea that they are victorious?
Who are the ones just awaiting a willing messenger to share the GOOD news?
Those with the runner’s heart are willing to break a sweat, stay prepared, be push through when it gets hard, and be unconcerned for who may be watching. They run with intensity, persistence, courage, and heart.
So I ask, are you willing to share the message of joy and victory with this same intensity of the runner?
“ Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in[a] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20
Truthfully, Jesus gave us this command to willingly tell the nations about Him. Yet, so many are stingy with the news. Christians hoard the news of victory to themselves rather than being willing to “break a sweat” for their brother.
Today, I plead with you! Ask the Lord for ways you can share the message.
How far are you willing to run?
Are you willing to pray for someone in need?
Are you willing to visit a sick person in the hospital?
Are you willing to risk being different to share God’s love to the world who simply have no idea HE loves them?
We are able to do this with ease, not all within ourselves. However, Christ within each of us empowers us and gives us the wisdom to know what to say and how to say it.
This week, friends, LET VICTORY SPEAK!
Be willing to tell everyone you know about His love and victory.
Father, I pray for tangible tactics and witty ways to win the loss.
Phillippians 3:13-Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Isaiah 40:31-But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.