The Winning Life

October 21, 2016

For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I may win more. 1 Corinthians 9:19

1. BE FREE. The apostle Paul is communicating that being free from fear of other people enables him to truly serve those people. “The fear of man brings a snare” (Proverbs 29:25a). God wants to set us free to be more influential than we ever could be if we stay tripped up by what others think.

I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some. 1 Corinthians 9:22b

2. BE REAL. Becoming all things to all people is not compromise. It’s about learning to flow like Jesus did. He would eat both with the religious Pharisees and the known sinners. The rich and poor were both important to Him. If we want to win people to God, we can’t do it with church lingo or with our own self-righteousness. We can’t do it by trying too hard to be relevant and diminishing our faith. Nobody needs artificiality, but like the apostle Paul, we must be so compelled to win others to Jesus that we become relatable and real instead of repellent.

Those who have insight will shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever. Daniel 12:3

3. BE READY. God has called you and me to become participants in His great plan. Take a deep breath and trust God. Be ready to share the Gospel both in the daily grind of life and in the quantum leap times of advancement (2 Timothy 4:2). Celebrate life, be bold, and have a spirit of faith. As you flow with God, He will make your remaining days impactful so that you may win more.

Press on,
Pastor Jeff

PRAY THIS PRAYER
Here am I Lord, send me (Isaiah 6:8). Use me. Help me to truly love people and to connect with others, to speak with competence and confidence, and to share the Gospel wherever I go. In Jesus’ name, amen.

win·ning, adj.
Very attractive; capturing interest. To win something through one’s efforts (verb).

Copyright © 2016 St. Louis Family Church. All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reprinted or distributed in any form without prior written permission of St. Louis Family Church. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. “Winning.” Memidex Dictionary/Thesaurus. Web. 17 Oct 2016 .