Finishing Well Part 2 = Winners’ WaysSample

Winners Develop and Maintain Open and Accountable Relationships

Scripture - Proverbs 18:1 - Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 - I Corinthians 6:12 - I John 1-7

Our enemy works in darkness and is the “prince of darkness.” The darkness in our lives is composed of those things that we just spoke about in Day 2—the secret sins and pleasures of the flesh that we allow ourselves after God has shown us they are wrong for us. Even things that are perfectly acceptable to others may not be for us in God’s wisdom. “All things are lawful for me but not all things are helpful. All things are lawful for me but I will not be brought under the power of any.”(I Corinthians 6:12) 

Hiding these things never works. Hiding them always either “poisons our well”, spoiling those things dear to us, or is brought into the light. We hide them out of fear or pride. The amazing thing is that once these things are brought into the light they lose their power. Light, especially The Light, always overcomes darkness. “If we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have true fellowship , and the blood of Christ cleanses us from all unrighteousness.” (I John 1:7) 

Can you imagine running a race in the dark and alone? Of course not! It would be a disaster! We could have no idea even where the track is or how to start. We would run into things and hurt ourselves, or stumble and fall, or be easily disoriented and lose hope and give up. 

Running in the light means living in open and honest relationship, with our lives transparent and accountable to others whose godly wisdom and discernment we trust. Of course we can’t live this way with all others, at least not at first. But unless we have at least one, and preferably several others we are living in true openness with, and can share our weaknesses, our fears, and even our secret sins with, these things become the very “weights and hindrances” that the scripture warn us about in Hebrews 12:1. 

Carrying them alone would be like trying to run a very long race, carrying a 50-pound backpack.