RUN LIKE A CHAMPION

A number of years ago in the United States, there was a pastor who ministered in a very dangerous area of a large city. He was quite concerned for his safety. He began taking karate lessons in order to protect himself. One day, an elderly missionary came to speak in his church. When she learned that the pastor was being trained in karate, she asked him why he was doing that.
“You must know,” the pastor said, “that this is an extremely dangerous part of the city. There are many gangs here. So, I must be able to protect myself.”
“You really don’t understand, do you?” quizzed the saintly old lady.
“Understand what?”
“Understand your position in Christ,” retorted the elderly missionary. “You don’t understand how protected you are in Christ.” She then began drawing circles. “The first circle represents your life,” she said. Then she drew a larger circle saying, “The bigger circle represents Christ. And the Bible says that you are in Christ.” She then proceeded to draw an even larger circle. “This one represents the Father. You are in Christ and Christ is in the Father,” she continued.
Finally, this dear missionary lady drew a small circle inside the circle that represented the pastor’s life. “This circle represents the Holy Spirit. He lives in you. You are in Christ. Christ is in the Father, and the blessed Holy Spirit lives within you. Before Satan or any of his forces of evil can do anything to harm you, they have to first get permission from the Father. If the Father gives permission, then they must go through the Son. If the Son allows Satan to touch you, then you have the Holy Spirit in you. And greater is He that’s in you than all of the forces of hell. That’s your position in Christ. Why are you afraid?”
The pastor was soundly rebuked. Many believers, however, are just like that pastor. They don’t understand their position and protection in Christ. We have all the resources to overcome Satan and his demonic forces. However, in a very real and practical sense, prayer is the method by which we clothe ourselves with Christ. It’s the place whereby we take our position in Christ.
Prayer not only secures God’s leadership, but it also places us in a position to experience victory over the forces of evil. When Jesus taught His disciples to pray, He concluded His teaching by telling them to pray, “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one” (Matt. 6:13 NIV). Jesus desires that we walk in victory. We don’t have to live in fear. The Bible declares that we are more than conquerors through Christ. We simply need to awaken every morning and get dressed – that is, clothe ourselves in Christ. It is then that we walk in faith rather than in fear.