A Child or a Champion
by Sandy Ohlman
There is a choice we all face in life; it is the choice whether we will remain a child or become a champion. We are born children and it takes no effort to live as a child. Children depend on others and do not carry the weight of responsibility familiar to an adult. They must be cared for, carried, and cuddled in order for them to grow. A complex wonderful creation the body naturally grows into adult form but the minds is quite different; it only grows with deliberate effort.
Physically the body reaches maturity and ceases to grow but the mind remains full of potential, able to continually learn and develop. The spirit, a great mystery, is God’s nature deposited into man and activated through salvation. It is the divine connecting place of power for the entire person, spirit, soul and body. It carries the blue print for the human potential.
God calls us a nation of priests and kings; we were intended to live exceptional lives of strength and virtue, being excellent at what is good. God’s plan is that we would be salt and light – the very essential element of a healthy world. To become what we were intended to be requires a deliberate decision to pursue maturity, a commitment to the developing of our hearts and minds. We can conquer the childish nature through the Spirit and the Word.
God’s Spirit in us releases us from ignorance and fear and His Word reveals the way. It’s like the work of an Olympic coach with a master training plan and if we are willing to follow, God’s plan will lead us in triumph. His Spirit and His Word produce’s great strength and creates champions. If we are willing to go through the growing pains, shaking off everything that limits us, laying aside the weights, God is able to lead us in victory. He will make us more than conquerors through Christ Jesus whose love inspires us and enables us.
What is the difference between a child mentality and a champion spirit? A child despises discipline and avoids it. A champion recognizes that discipline is the road to victory and therefore commits to the path enduring with a good attitude, focused on the pay off. A great motivational speaker, Jim Rohn, often said “We must all suffer from one of two pains: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret. The difference is discipline weighs ounces while regret weighs tons."
The reward of a disciplined life is immeasurable because it creates a ripple effect. The initial satisfaction is followed by multiple rewards and benefits. Not only does it bring the fruit of a specific reward but it empowers us so that we are able to face future challenges easily. Discipline makes us fit for life, able to face circumstances with greater strength.
The means to becoming champion- strong begins with a relationship with God. When we make God King of our lives, He fills us with His own nature. One of the effects of that new nature in us is a divine level of discipline. It starts as a seed and when cultivated, becomes the fruit of self control. His Spirit in us releases us from our own limitations and walks us step by step through all the new possibilities of the “Spirit filled” life. Nothing is impossible with God and nothing is impossible for him who believes in Him.
This relationship with God and the road to victory begins with humility. Humility is the foundation for a teachable spirit and the ticket to ride for all ‘champion’ hopefuls. A willingness to lay down all anger, frustration, opinions, pride and sin of every kind will free up the heart to live a transformed life. If anyone will surrender their life and embrace Christ they will be completely transformed, totally different. He changes us from children to champions.
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