The document is a summary of a pastor's Easter retreat talk about running the Christian life like a race. Some key points: - The Christian life is likened to a race that must be prepared for and run to the end to receive victory/heaven. It has obstacles and difficulties along the way. - There are different types of believers, both positive (faithful, fruitful) and negative (fallen, frivolous). Believers should aim to be faithful, fulfilling their purpose. - To finish the race successfully requires being determined, decisive, diligent, disciplined, and focused on God's instructions despite obstacles or opinions of others. - Only those who endure to

1. Pastor Niran Seriki
Easter Retreat Saturday 4th April 2015.

2. See me through, Lord Jesus, See me through
x2
There is a race I must run and there’s a
Victory to be won,
Give me grace every hour to be true.

3. The Christian life is a race and every
Christian needs to realise this truth as we
live our lives daily. A race in English
language dictionary refers to a contest, an
onward movement; an onward or regular
course, the course of time, the course of
life or a part of life.
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/race

5. A race has an Aim – to begin
and end
A race has a Beginning – You
have to start it
A race has Contestants –
there are others involved
A race has Difficulties – could
face challenging moments
A race has Expectations –
expectations by people
watching

6. A race has Foes – people and things that can
stand in your way
A race has Goals – to reach the end and win
A race has Happy and Hurting moments – when
you are right on track and when you appear laid
back.
A race has Instructions to be followed
A race has Joy and Jubilation for those who end it
well
A race has Preparations – you don’t just get into it
without adequate preparations

7. John 3:1-7; Lk10:20; Lk14:28-33; Phil 4:3
Every race has a beginning and a preparation. The
race to Heaven surely has a preparation and a
beginning as well. Heaven is so far and you cannot
embark on this journey without adequate
preparation. You cannot win a race that you do
not begin.

8. Different types of believers in the Church today
Fallen believers – fallen out of grace – Rev 2:1-5
Faltering believers – unstable, rising and falling
Faulting believers – always seeing other people’s
faults and never examining themselves
Falsifying and forgery minded believers – living
double standards & hypocritical
Futile believers – received God’s in vain – 2 Cor
6:1

9. Different types of believers in the Church today
Frivolous believers – never serious with spiritual
things
Fruitless believers – not bearing the fruit of
righteousness & soul winning - Lk 13:8
Fearful believers – fear to do the right things
because of persecution and being misunderstood
by others

10. But the Lord wants to make of us –
Faithful believers – “be thou faithful till the end” –
Rev 2:8-10.
Fruitful believers – Jn 15:1,2.
Fulfilled believers – are you fulfilled in your service to
the Lord? Are you sure you are at the very centre of
God’s Will for your life? Are you fulfilling the purpose
of your creation, conversion and calling?
Fertile believers – is your heart fertile to receive and
grow the Word of God?

11. Be determined - Ps57:7 - my heart is fixed
Be decisive – Lk 9:23 – take up cross and follow
the Lord
Be diligent to make your election sure – 2 Pet 1:10
Be disciplined in your Christian life – 1 Cor 9:27 - I
put my body under.
Keep focused- Lk9:57-62
Lay aside every weight Heb 12:1 - Overweight
Christians will have difficulty winning any crown -
just like a man in a race - being overweight works
against victory.

12. Listen to God's Instructions and delay not to do
them – Ps 119:60.
Be sharp-eyed - able to detect obstacles in the
way
Not swayed by spectators' noise or public opinion
Cleanse yourself from all filthiness - flesh & spirit -
1Cor7: 1. Picture your body & look at what you do
with your members- your head, tongue, hands,
feet, etc.
Keep your heart with all diligence- Pr 4:23;
Mk7:21

13. Put off & put away all hindrances and practices
that can lead you back into sin - Col.3:8; Eph 4:22-
32
Be constantly prepared for the Coming of the Lord
or for death - Rom 13:11-14; 1 John 3:1-3.
Remember, “for here have we no continuing city,
but we seek one to come". Hebrews 13:14.
Remember only “he that endures to the end shall
be saved”. Mt 24:13.

14. “Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of
righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous
judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me
only, but unto all them also that love his
appearing”. 2 Tim 4:8.
“Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for
when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life,
which the Lord hath promised to them that love
him”. Jam 1:12
“And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye
shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not
away”.1 Pet 5:4.

15. “Fear none of those things, which thou shalt
suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you
into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall
have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto
death, and I will give thee a crown of life”. Rev.
2:10.
“Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which
thou hast, that no man take thy crown”. Rev
3:11.

16. “Know ye not that they which run in a race run all,
but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may
obtain. And every man that striveth for the
mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it
to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an
incorruptible. I therefore so run, not as
uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the
air: But I keep under my body, and bring it into
subjection: lest that by any means, when I have
preached to others, I myself should be a
castaway”. 1 Cor 9:24-27.

17. Hebrews 11, the Heroes’ Chapter and in fact, the whole
Bible contains the names of those who made it to the
end – From Abraham to the prophets, from the Apostles
to the New Testament Saints.

18. Some people started the race but did not finish it to win
the crown –
GEHAZI - 2 Kgs 5:25 – Covetousness did not allow him
THE YOUNG PROPHET -1 Kgs 13 – Partial obedience and
resting by the wayside as well as deception by the old
prophet
JUDAS – Acts 1:25 - fell by transgression, love of money
and greed
DIOTREPHES – 3 Jn 1:9 – love of pre-eminence, position
and title.
DEMAS – 2 Tim. 4:10 – “having loved this present World”
Whose name will be next?
Not mine! I believe and pray, not yours!