Sometimes We Have To Lose In Order To Win...

Lose: Fail, surrender, sacrifice, forfeit
Win: Gain, succeed, achieve, obtain

In this life no one likes to lose - just ask the next person you see and I'll bet their reply will be the exact same as yours - a big, fat N-O! However, let me take just a few minutes of your time today to show you that it is okay to surrender, sacrifice, and forfeit in order to gain, achieve, and obtain!

Paul said in Philippians 3:8, "Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ."

When Paul realized and recognized the goodness of God, the pleasures of the world were no longer important. Like Paul, we too must fight the good fight of faith and lose the pleasures of this world that are not like our Lord. Those things are the essence of our former behavior of the old man (i.e. us before we got religion), which is corrupt with lying and evil or morally deprived communication that comes out of our mouths (that includes emails & texts, you know!). It's imperative that we also lose all of our bitterness, malice, covetous, anger, and unforgiveness... and just a few off the top of my head!

We will win - gain, achieve and obtain - by putting on righteousness and true holiness. By showing love and always giving thanks for all things; by being kind one to another, by being tenderhearted and forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you (Ephesians 4:32).

On the 6th of August, my cousin Janice passed away. Don't get me wrong - I share this not for sympathy - but for testimony! Janice had lost all the things I just shared with you in order to win Christ. She fought the good fight - both naturally and spiritually - and she has finished her journey. I truly believe that she has won that crown of rightouness that the Lord has laid up for all those believers who are not afraid to lose the things of this world that are not like Him. She has gained and obtained the best achievable and imaginable prize - eternal life!

So my friends, I say again: there are things we must lose in order to win... thank God that this particular prize has no end!

With all that said, let the church say amen... and AMEN!