"Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it." 1 Corinthians 9:24

We are in a competition; it is the forces of our God vs. the forces of satan. We are all to partake in this competition. We are competing for the souls of mankind, and our opponent is doing everything in his power to defeat us, to stop us dead in our tracks! We are instructed to run a good race! To do so we must keep or eyes on the prize! We have an eternal reward coming, but until that time the prize is the souls of the men and women who walk around in darkness. To win this race and receive the prize we must never get entangled with the things of this world! The Bible tells us, "For all that is in the world--the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life--is not of the Father but is of the world." The entanglements of this world do nothing but slow us down. They keep us from running the race "Well"! Let us forsake the things of this world, never forgetting we are citizens of Heaven, as we run the race in a way that we may obtain the prize!

"Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified." 1 Corinthians 9:26-27