Devotional by: Krystina Sanchez
This week Krystina Sanchez is sharing an incredible devotional with us on learning how to fight the good fight of faith! If you feel you are in a spiritual battle or need to gain strength to stand, this devotional is for you! Let’s lean in and gain strength from this timely devotional.
1 Corinthians 9:25-27 states, “25 All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. 26 So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadow boxing. 27 I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified.”
The battle for our faith takes a fight. There are many voices in culture today that say we need to live out our own truth and walk according to what we feel. As a believer, we recognize the fight it takes but oftentimes we may not realize the discipline needed to fight.
Just as an athlete practices for effectiveness so can we as believers can begin to fight spiritually. Having spiritual disciplines can help us grow as a disciple of Christ. Disciplines of our faith can speak to what we fill ourselves up with and what we guard ourselves against - the Word of God, prayer, Godly community, and spiritual authority. But why do we need to have discipline in our life? Here are 3 reasons for you to be reminded about.
Every time we read the Word of God, we are positioning ourselves before God to cleanse us, purify us, and place us to become more like Him. We position our minds, our hearts, and our spirits before His power that transforms us. Without this discipline in our lives, we are left to our own and can be swayed from truth.
Being able to grow under spiritual authority in our lives can prepare us more for what God has called us to as we intentionally seek guidance and wisdom from those God places in our paths. This goes to show how our spiritual disciplines are not only for ourselves but for others. That is the beauty of discipleship from generation to generation.
When we position ourselves in the spiritual disciplines, God’s protection surrounds our lives. Building discipline in our lives gives us authority to combat every lie of the enemy because we have positioned ourselves in truth. Without protection, we are left to fight the enemy’s tactics and tricks without the right
We must continue to be on mission to fight - to fight for our faith, fight for others’ salvation, and for the next generation. It matters how we fight. I am confident that God has given us everything we need to fight through having the disciplines of a true disciple. The next time you feel weak or discouraged, surround yourselves with some of these spiritual disciplines and watch God fight for you. We are truly living out this life of being a disciple of Christ, walking in His authority and making an impact in the world around us just as He did.
