Valley View Baptist Church

Do you consider yourself to be a runner? Maybe you do go out for a morning jog every day. Maybe you've never competed in a 5k, or a marathon. Maybe the mere thought of running causes your heart rate to rise and your breathing to become labored. But, did you know that if you are a Christian, then you are indeed a runner?

The book of Hebrews tells us that we are to lay aside the weights of the sins that hinder us and run the race that is set before each of us. Maybe you're walking your race, or maybe you are going through a patch of time where you feel as though you are crawling along. Maybe you're standing still today, or even walking backwards!

Chin up, Christian; you're a runner now! Lace up those shoes, find your motivation, and start by putting one foot in front of the other, then another, then another. And before you know it, you will be running your own race and leaving Satan in your dust!

The story of Jonah is a very familiar one. Many people who have never stepped foot into a church are familiar with the story of a man who ran from God and found himself in the belly of the whale. But the beauty of God's Word is that often times familiar passages can speak to you in new ways.

God said to Jonah "Arise, go to Ninevah." Jonah arose, just as he was asked. But he ran from God, away from Ninevah. In chapter 3, he's given a second chance. God said "Arise, go unto Ninevah." And this time, Jonah rose up, and went.

A lot happened between the beginning of chapter 1 and chapter 3. But, it all boils down to Jonah's willingness to Submit and Surrender.

Is there something that you are struggling to surrender to God? Is there some pride in your life that keeps you from submitting to the Lord? As long as you are unwilling to submit to God, and surrender the matter to the Lord, you will never find rest or victory.

Think about your shoes. Think about what they enable to you to. They help you to stand. To walk. To run. To race. They protect your feet from injury and daily wear.

Now think about what the Gospel of Peace enables you to do. It enables you to stand for God. To walk the Christian Walk. To run the race that has been set before us. It protects us daily.

It's easy to see why the Gospel of Truth is presented as Sandals in the armor of God. Are you sandals on, laced up, and ready to go?

Tonight, we continue our current series, Preparing for Battle. Last week, we put on the Belt of Truth. But tonight, we don the Breastplate of Righteousness.

Righteousness is a big Bible word that is sometimes misunderstood. So, before we can examine the breastplate, we must understand something about righteousness. And then we can examine how the breastplate works for us in God's army.

Joshua told the people to "sanctify yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you." Did you know that your own lack of sanctification can limit or inhibit the Lord's wondrous works that He has planned?

But, let's back up a second. What is sanctification anyway? What's the difference between sanctification, justification, and glorification? How can we sanctify ourselves?

This morning, Bro. Mike answers those questions and many more about what sanctification truly means and how we can sanctify ourselves to be made ready for the Lord's mighty works!