24/7 AthletesSample

### REFUEL: PART 1 “…and to know Christ’s love that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God”. – Ephesians 3:19 It doesn’t matter if you’re at the beginning of your training or at the end of a big game. The need to refuel your body and your mind is a never-ending cycle. The same is true for you as a follower of Christ. You need the spiritual fuel that brings a supernatural joy and hope that will overflow into every aspect of your life. Training Time After the events of Pentecost, the believers began gathering every day in preparation for the calling that God had placed on their lives (Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 1:8). “And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayers.” – Acts 2:42 Because they studied God’s Word, spent time in prayer and had fellowship together, the early Church experienced rapid, substantial growth. Other amazing things also flowed out of their devotion to spiritual training time. “Then fear came over everyone, and many wonders and signs were being performed through the apostles.” – Acts 2:43 Let’s take a closer look at two indispensable spiritual disciplines that fueled the birth of the Christian Church and will likewise refuel you every day: Fuel Up With Scripture As an athlete, you need a playbook or a game plan that will prepare you for competition. Not having clear instruction and guidance will lead to disastrous results. That’s what the Bible is for the follower of Christ. The Bible is God’s sovereign Word, which contains all Truth through the Gospel of Jesus Christ and everything you need to live for Him. Scripture Fuels: * Your understanding (2 Timothy 3:16) * Your witness (Mark 16:15) * Your faith (Romans 10:17) * Your hope (Romans 15:4) * As a competitor, how important is your playbook or game plan? * In what ways have you spiritually fueled up through the reading of God’s Word? Fuel Up With Prayer As an athlete, you need to communicate with your coaches and trainers. They are the experienced mentors who give you guidance, instruction, discipline and encouragement. This is what prayer is for the believer. It’s direct communication with God the Father that’s been made available to us as part of Christ’s sacrifice on the Cross. Prayer is how you confess your sins, how you worship God and how you give thanks. Prayer is also how you make requests of God, how you listen to hear God’s voice and how you receive guidance from the Holy Spirit. Prayer Fuels: * Your intimacy with God (Psalm 145:18) * Your wisdom (James 1:5) * Your peace (Philippians 4:6-7) * Your joy (John 16:24) * What are the benefits of consistent communication with your coaches, trainers, and other leaders? * In what ways have you spiritually fueled up through prayer? Just as you need physical and mental fuel for athletic performance, you need spiritual fuel to walk out God’s purpose for your life. Here’s two keys to staying spiritually fueled daily: * Fuel Up with Scripture: God’s Word gives you understanding and builds up your hope and trust in Him.– Hebrews 4:12 * Fuel Up with Prayer: Consistent communication with God draws you near to Him and brings peace and joy to your heart.– Ephesians 6:18 Come up with a strategy for daily prayer and scripture reading.