Breath of Power - Week 14/03

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Breath of Power

A Weekly Devotional of Jesus Power Outreach Ministries

Week 14: March 31 - April 6, 2003

TRUE WRESTLERS

Key Passage: Jude 3-4

Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.

In Church history, we were told the story of believers who were called "wrestlers". They were people who wrestled against the temptation to deny their faith in the Lord Jesus, or yield to the pressures of sin. These believers fought gallantly, and were hailed as the great "athletes" of the Church.

The great Bishop Ignatius of Antioch was sentenced to death for the offense of being a Christian. Against the attempt of friends to save him, he said, "I die willingly for God … let me belong to the wild beasts, that I may reach God." He was torn in pieces by the wild beasts. Bishop Polycarp of Smyrna refused to save himself from the flame. When the fire was burnt out, the believers rescued his bones, counting them more precious than silver and gold. Blandina, a slave-girl from Rome said to his executioners, "I am a Christian, and there is no wickedness done among us." Her accusers killed her brother in her presence, but she would not deny her faith. She was tortured and gored to death by a bull.

These brave "wrestlers", as true champions ran a good race, paid the dearest price and finished their course in victory. They triumphed through a strength that was not theirs and now wear the crown of glory. They are standing as heavenly witnesses watching to know how well we will perform in our own race (Heb 12:1).

We are exhorted today through the word of God to fight earnestly to uphold the faith that we received through the Gospel. We must not succumb to the pressures of sin or deny our Master who hung on the cross to purchase our salvation. We must be true "wrestlers", even at the highest price: for there is a crown of righteousness laid down for us if we will be steadfast to the end (2 Tim 4:8).

Written by – Evangelist Oguazi Onyemobi



Home Table of Contents 2003 2004 2005 2006 January '03 Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 February '03 Week 6 Week 7 Week 8 Week 9 March '03 Week 10 Week 11 Week 12 Week 13 April '03 Week 14 Week 15 Week 16 Week 17 May '03 Week 18 Week 19 Week 20 Week 21 Week 22 June '03 Week 23 Week 24 Week 25 Week 26 July '03 Week 27 Week 28 Week 29 Week 30 Week 31 August '03 Week 32 Week 33 Week 34 Week 35 September '03 Week 36 Week 37 Week 38 Week 39 October '03 Week 40 Week 41 Week 42 Week 43 Week 44 November '03 Week 45 Week 46 Week 47 Week 48 December '03 Week 49 Week 50 Week 51 Week 52	Breath of Power A Weekly Devotional of Jesus Power Outreach Ministries
	Week 14: March 31 - April 6, 2003 TRUE WRESTLERS Key Passage: Jude 3-4 Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ. In Church history, we were told the story of believers who were called "wrestlers". They were people who wrestled against the temptation to deny their faith in the Lord Jesus, or yield to the pressures of sin. These believers fought gallantly, and were hailed as the great "athletes" of the Church. The great Bishop Ignatius of Antioch was sentenced to death for the offense of being a Christian. Against the attempt of friends to save him, he said, "I die willingly for God … let me belong to the wild beasts, that I may reach God." He was torn in pieces by the wild beasts. Bishop Polycarp of Smyrna refused to save himself from the flame. When the fire was burnt out, the believers rescued his bones, counting them more precious than silver and gold. Blandina, a slave-girl from Rome said to his executioners, "I am a Christian, and there is no wickedness done among us." Her accusers killed her brother in her presence, but she would not deny her faith. She was tortured and gored to death by a bull. These brave "wrestlers", as true champions ran a good race, paid the dearest price and finished their course in victory. They triumphed through a strength that was not theirs and now wear the crown of glory. They are standing as heavenly witnesses watching to know how well we will perform in our own race (Heb 12:1). We are exhorted today through the word of God to fight earnestly to uphold the faith that we received through the Gospel. We must not succumb to the pressures of sin or deny our Master who hung on the cross to purchase our salvation. We must be true "wrestlers", even at the highest price: for there is a crown of righteousness laid down for us if we will be steadfast to the end (2 Tim 4:8). Written by – Evangelist Oguazi Onyemobi

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