Overcoming Temptation

First Baptist Owasso

Chris Wall • Hebrews 12:1-4

This challenge in Hebrews 12 is a perfect follow-up to critical warnings from the Minor Prophets. Our Old Testament readings reveal consistent calls for faithfulness in the face of faithlessness. God’s people have a calling to integrity, unity, and sacrificial service for the lost to encounter the saving work of Christ. For God’s people to fully embrace this calling, we just throw off everything that hinders us from living a life worthy of this Ambassador calling. As a child of God, we can each do three things in this race of life:
1. It can be wasted and there are many doing it.
2. It can be spent half-heartedly, and there are certainly distractions all around.
3. Or you can invest your life where God is working all around you. To invest your life means to use it in a way that extends into eternity.
You can run the race God has called you to run. The Bible is very clear that we were created to live out a gospel adventure. We were not put on this earth just to be a consumer. We were put on this earth to be a contributor. This gospel adventure available to you is found in the race God has in front of you. This race is called Kingdom advancement. The truth is, we are all called into the gospel ministry. To be effective in this, we overcome the onslaught of temptation coming our way. Dealing effectively with temptation sets you up to live a life of value making a real eternal difference.