YOU NEED TO:

1) Have the right equipment

2) Know Your Position

3) Play the Game Right

4) Keep Going

The late Walter Payton, a Hall of Fame inductee, is considered one of the greatest running backs to ever play professional football. When he retired, he held the record for the most rushing yards gained in a career (this record would eventually be broken by Emmitt Smith… you know… the guy from “Dancing with the Stars!”). Now Walter Payton was only about 5’10” tall and weighed just over 200 pounds and was running directly at guys like Lawrence Taylor who was 6’3” and over 240 pounds. During a Monday Night Football game between Payton’s Chicago Bears and the New York Giants, one of the announcers made the observation that Walter Payton had amassed over nine miles in career rushing yardage. “Yeah,” replied the other announcer, “and that’s with somebody knocking him down every 4.6 yards!” In our daily walk with Christ, we sometimes find that somebody or something keeps knocking us down every once in a while, but we are to press on.

In 2 Timothy 4:6-8, Paul gives us a glimpse of the finish line when he says: (4:6) As for me, my life has already been poured out as an offering to God. The time of my death is near. (7) I have fought a good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. (8) And now the prize awaits me – the crown of righteousness that the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on that great day of His return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his glorious return. (NLT)

What keeps knocking you down in your life? What keeps getting in the way of you fighting the good fight? Get up! Keep going… if you can hear me this morning, your race is not finished… keep running.