Hunger Games – Game On

What’s the worst cheating experience you have had when playing a game?

When a game goes bad, two things are likely to be the cause:

• The player was not competent
• The player behaved badly 

For one to do well in a game, competence and character are important. The quality of the game is determined by the quality of the players.

I have a relationship with the coach. Over the years, a lot has changed in my life. I have made progress, but am still unfinished. I have had my struggles, and am sure you have. I have met people in the game of life who get to say yes to the coach, but still struggle to become the player the coach wants of them.

I am sure there are areas in your life you would love to see some changes. I met a frustrated guy recently. He loved the Coach, but he had had a struggle with porn that had lasted years. He had prayed about it, fasted and gotten counseling. But like a stubborn flu, it would come right back. How does transformation happen?

A lady had struggled with a terrible anger for 10 years. It had cost her jobs, relationships and more. She could not understand why it did not disappear because she is Christian. She thought after she said yes to Jesus it would disappear?

Paul captured this dilemma for Christians when he said, “For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do – this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.” (Romans 7:19, 20)

I bet all of us want to live out the character of the coach. To imitate his humility, kindness, love and morality. But we struggle day after another. This law of sin seems to be active even after Christ. How can we make progress in the quest of transformation? How does it happen?

Let’s go back to our text and glean some answers out of it.

John 4: 16-34

“Go call your husband” – Jesus got personal, he wanted to speak truth to her life. He was confronting her habits, thoughts and beliefs with the truth.

She turned to religion to avoid the confrontation. Just Jesus drove the point home. “Worship the Father in spirit and truth.”

“My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.” This calls for surrender, for the cross.

To win in life, submit to the process!

3 guidelines from the Samaritan woman’s story;

• Truth – God told her the truth and that she should worship God in truth. God’s truth leads to transformation and victory over the enemy. (Romans 12:1,2). Adam in Gen. 3 swallowed the lies of the serpent; Jesus overcame the same serpent with the truth in Matthew 4.

• Holy spirit – the (agent) or power of change.

• Surrender – Embracing God’s will and submitting to his. Gal 2:20. To follow Jesus we must pick our crosses and follow him.

To win in life, submit to the process!

We want power without the process, gain without pain, life without death, the crown without the cross, purity without purification

God uses suffering, tests, experiences, pain and assignments to build character into us. Job went through suffering. The wife said, “Curse God and die.” In other words, “God does not care for you. You are by yourself. You will not make it. Take the easy way out.” Are you going through tough times? Stick to the truth, surrender to God’s will and the Holy Spirit will comfort you.

To win in life, submit to the process!

Abraham’s faith was tested. God asked him to give back the only son. He obeyed, and he was ready to sacrifice his son. Is God asking you to give up something you love? Or to give some money? Or to let go of something in your heart or life? Surrender to God’s will, it is for your good. The truth is: God has a good plan for you like he had for Abraham. Rely on the Holy Spirit to guide you and empower you.

To win in life, submit to the process!

Daniel and his boys went through test of faith, threats and challenge. He held on to the truth by refusing to bow down to idols and to compromise. God preserved them through the fire and false accusations. Are you being tested and challenged at work or in a relationship? Are you being asked to compromise? The truth will set you free, whatever the cost. The spirit is your companion.

Joseph went through the pit (low moment), Potiphar’s house (temptation), the prison (false accusation) and eventually power (responsibility). The truth is: God is the lifter of our heads when we are low, our victory when we are tempted, our intercessor when we are accused and our help as we handle power and responsibility. In all these, we need to stand by the truth, rely on the spirit and submit to his will.

To win in life, submit to the process!

Obedience is God’s love language. Obedience means following Jesus as we submit to the process he takes us through.

What is the issue you need to confront in your life? A relationship, misuse of power at work and at home, an addiction, anger issues and an attitude of pride. Submit to God’s process and let him forge the image of Christ in you.

A certain boy was found doing a painting by his dad. “What are you painting?” “God,” he said. “But nobody has ever seen God?” “They will see after am done,” he said proudly.

God’s painting the image of Christ in you through the process of life. Your cooperation will determine how much of Christ people see in your life day after day. “So all of us who have had the veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord – who is the Spirit – makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.” (2 Cor. 3: 18) We are being transformed into his likeness.

To win in life, submit to the process!

As we submit to the process, life change happens. Behavior change happens. Attitudes, beliefs, thought patterns and motivations change.

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