Strength: An FCA Devotional For CompetitorsSample

Fight, Finish, Faith

Ready: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful.” —2 Timothy 4:7

Set: I believe the 2018 FCA Camp theme, “Strong,” based on 2 TImothy 4:7, is one of the best we’ve ever had in tying our daily spiritual journey to athletic principles through Scripture. 

Let’s take a closer look at the three components of that verse: Fight, Finish and Faith.

Fight. Think about the coaches in your life—past or present—and how they inspired you to compete harder, to push past the pain, to fight.

We’re all familiar with “fighting” on the field, but as believers we must also realize there is an ongoing fight against the spiritual powers of evil. 

We can’t fight these battles on our own. But the great news is that we are equipped with God’s Spirit to grapple with every spiritual hurdle in our way. We’ll be more than conquerors if we fight through the power of His strength.

Finish. We’re all given a specific “race” to run as a parent, spouse, coach or athlete. God has called us to finish that race all the way through the line.

In our home, we emphasize giving 100 percent, finishing what you start. We all have a natural tendency to drop out of the race before it’s done, especially if it gets hard. Ultimately, it’s not how we start, but how we finish that matters. The world is craving people who can end better than they began, who keep pressing toward the finish line, like Paul says in Philippians 3:14: “I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.”

Faith. Do you truly believe God is with you? That He will help you fight spiritual battles and finish your race? Your faith in God will be the difference when the external voices of discouragement are there, and your internal voices are filled with doubt. Will you remain faithful in those moments, trusting that He will show you the way, so He can be glorified? —FCA President/CEO Shane Williamson

Go:

1. Do you believe God is with you and will help you fight your battles? 


2. How can you exercise this faith in a deeper way? 


3. Wherever you are struggling, trust God to remain faithful to your circumstance.

Workout: 

• Psalm 46:1


• 2 Corinthians 4:10


• Ephesians 6:12

Overtime: Father, I want to believe that You are with me in my struggles. Sometimes, it is hard to be strong and courageous when culture says to be otherwise. I ask for Your strength and joy and boldness to proclaim Your goodness. Amen.

This text appeared in FCA Magazine. To learn more about the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, click here: www.fca.org.