Life.Church with Craig Groeschel - You Don’t Win By Trying | The Power to Change | Part 5

Episode Date: March 5, 2023

Everyone likes to win. It’s fun to win a game or a race. But how do you train for life? How do you train to win at things like marriage, health, or your relationship with God? We’re talking about it in this message. In Pastor Craig’s new book, The Power to Change, you’ll learn highly practical, biblical, and doable strategies so you can get out of the cycle of trying and transform your life. Get the book: https://go2.lc/getthepowerABOUT THIS MESSAGEFew things in life are more frustrating than knowing you need to change, trying to change, but not actually changing. It’s possible to find The Power to Change so you can start living the life you want. NEXT STEPSHave you made a decision to follow Jesus? You may be wondering what’s next on your journey. We want to help! Let us guide you to your next steps in your walk with Christ: https://www.life.church/nextABOUT LIFE.CHURCHWherever you are in life, you have a purpose. Life.Church wants to help you find your next step. Our hope is that your journey will include joining us at a Life.Church location throughout the United States or globally online at https://www.live.life.church. Find locations, videos, and more info about us at https://www.life.church or download the Life.Church app at https://www.life.church/app. FIND US ON SOCIAL MEDIAFacebook: http://www.facebook.com/life.churchInstagram: http://www.instagram.com/life.churchTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lifechurchCONNECT WITH PASTOR CRAIGYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/craiggroeschelFacebook: http://www.facebook.com/craiggroeschelInstagram: http://www.instagram.com/craiggroeschelTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@craiggroeschel#lifechurch #craiggroeschel #thepowertochange Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Let me ask you a question. How many of you love to win? Raise your hands up. Raise your hands up. Man, I'm glad most of you have your hands up. Some of you are way too spiritual to win. You're like, it's not a Christian to win. You know, you first, you first, you first, or whatever. And I'll let you go with that. But First Corinthians chapter 9 tells us this. Paul asked a question, don't you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize. So let's say it aloud and you can type this in the chat if you want to.

We are to run to win. Run to win. Run to win. Paul didn't say run to finish. He didn't say just run for fun. He didn't say run to try to get the participation trophy. He said run to win. And to quote the famous theologian, Ricky Bobby,

if ye ain't first, year last, it's in the Bible run to win. If scripture tells us to run to win, why does it feel like so often we're not winning? Why does it feel like even like spiritually, God surely cares about our spiritual life, why does it feel so often like we're not winning spiritually? We try to get close to God, we take two steps forward,

and it seems like we take three steps back. Why does it feel like we're not winning financially, no matter how hard we try we just can't get ahead? Why does it feel like for so many people that we're losing relationally? All we want is some intimate and loving and trusting relationships, and yet so often our marriages or our relationships with our children struggle,

Why is it that we don't feel like we're overcoming in our minds? We're trying to think Christ-like thoughts, and yet we battle with anxiety or worried all the time. If we're supposed to win, we're to run to win our race, why aren't we winning? And the answer is for so many of you is because you've been trying too long. You've been trying for too long. It's very common, especially among Christians, to live what I call a theology of trying. You'll even hear it in the words. It's like, you know, I'm trying to get close to God.

And I'm trying to read my Bible. And I'm trying to be consistent in praying. I'm trying to be patient with my kids, but I just can't do it. I'm trying to stop procrastinating. I'm trying to eat better every single day. But the refrigerator pulls me at night. I'm trying not to make excuses. I'm trying to go to bed at a decent time.

But the spirit of Netflix pulls me in. Trying to start exercising, trying to get better with my money. The problem for so many people is you've been trying for too long. And what I want to do today is I want to bring a very, very powerful change in perspective, straight from God's Word. And I want to try to help you change how you think about change. We're talking about the power to change, and we're going to change how we think about change

with the perspective that we see over and over again in God's Word. Now, before we look at this very important perspective change, let's review where we've been the last few weeks because we're building precept upon precept. Week number one, we talked about real and lasting change. What is it not? Real and lasting change isn't behavior modification. It's spiritual transformation.

If you just change the outward behavior, but you don't let God change the heart, the behavior comes back. Real change is not behavior modification, but real change is spiritual transformation. And so we talked about our identity. Why do you typically do what you do? And the number one reason you do what you do is this. Why do you do what you do?

You do what you do because of what you think of you. It's your identity that drives your behavior. And so we've been building on principles. The first week we talked about our spiritual who. Who do you want to be? Not just who do you want to be, but who is it that God wants you to become? It's your spiritual who.

Then we attach to it our spiritual why. Why do you want to do it? Not just, you don't want to get in shape so you're going to look good on the beach this summer or get good with your money so that you're going to have more money, but you want to be better physically because your body's the temple of the Holy Spirit

and you want to honor God with your body. Or you want to be better with your money, not just to be better with your money, but because you want to be a good steward of that which God entrusts to you so you can be more generous with those around you. There's a spiritual why. We have our spiritual who, our spiritual why,

then we have our spiritual what. And we talked about the habits that you want to create to become the person that God wants you to become. And we answer the question based on who you want to become, what one habit do you need to start. We had the spiritual who, the spiritual why, the spiritual what. Last week we looked at the spiritual whatnot. These are the habits.

that you're going to break based on who God wants you to become, what one habit do you need to break? Today we're going to add one more thought. Next week we'll conclude we've got the spiritual who, the spiritual why, the spiritual what, the spiritual what not today. We're going to talk about the spiritual how. How should we think about the power of God to change our lives and it's going to be a change in mindset? do so many people continue to struggle? Why do we want to change, but we just can't seem to change? Why is it year over, year over, year over, year over year over year, we had the same desire to be different, and year over year over year, we end up the same? And the answer is because you've been

trying for too long. Why aren't you winning? You've been trying for too long. And I came to tell somebody today, here's the change of mindset. I encourage you by power of God's word to stop trying and start training. To stop trying over and over and over again and to start training to become who God called you to be. And what I want to do is show you in scripture whenever Paul wrote to the Corinthians, they would have loved this competitive metaphor. when I said, who loves to win? And so I'm like, yeah, for the glory I've got, I'm going to kick you to nowhere. Okay?

For those of you like that, they would have understood this competitive metaphor when Paul said run to win, because Corinth was a city in Greece, and every four years, Greece hosted the Olympic Games, and they would love the competition. And then every two years in Corinth, they had what was known as the Ismian Games. It was like a smaller version of the Olympics, and their sports were very. very interesting. They had chariot races and they had boxing and they had wrestling and they had poetry contests. Not kidding you. They had wrestling and boxing and chariot races and poetry contests. I don't know what that means. I have no idea. But I'm just they're dropping a beat

into streets, busting it out. I don't know, whatever. But they were much better than I am. I promise you that. And so The Corinthians would have been leaning in whenever Paul asked the question. Don't you realize that in a race, everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize. So run to win. Now, watch what he doesn't say. He doesn't say all athletes are disciplined in their trying. Notice that. What did he say?

All athletes are disciplined in their what? In their training. Stop trying and start training. They do it, these athletes, they do it to win a prize that'll fade away. It was literally like reef. Like the reef will literally wither up and die. That's what they're going to do for this reef of leafy reef. It's going to fade away.

but we, as followers of Jesus, we do it for an eternal prize. So, because we do it for the glory of God, because we train for something that's going to last for eternity, Paul said, I run with purpose in every step. I'm not just shadow boxing. I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Stop trying and start training. In the Olympic Games, I did some research about how the athletes would train, and it was incredibly intense.

They would go into this 10-month pre-Olympic training regimen where this very, very strict diet with absolutely no wine. So you're like, I'm out, okay? And no junk food, the rest of you're like, I'm out. And they would really, really watch what they put in their body. Oddly enough, the runners, when they would, race, they would train and they would run nude. Kind of gross, but not sexual in any way. They did it to show the purity of the body, and then they wanted to run with no restrictions on their body

so they could actually run their race faster. And so I can only imagine if I'm a runner and everybody's naked, it's going to give me extreme motivation to get out in front very, very quickly. I'm just saying that's what I would be doing. And then the wrestling, they would wrestle in extreme temperatures. And so it would get over 100 degrees in the summertime. They would go out at noon at the heat of the day and wrestle so they would fight against the extreme heat. And then in winter, they would go out and wrestle in the snow

to fight against the extreme cold. And according to two different articles that I read, some would wrestle bulls, some horses, even lions. I would go for the poetry edge and not try to be a wrestler, because that's a whole other level. I got my clothes on, and I'm reading poetry. So, when you look at Scripture and you want to become more godly, the Bible never tells you to try to be more godly.

The Bible never tells you to try to honor God with your faith. The Bible never tells you to try to be more healthy or try to be more different. discipline. Instead, scripture says 1 Timothy 4 verse 7. Instead, Paul says, train yourself to be godly. Don't try, but train yourself to be godly. And then he says physical training, hey, that's good and that's helpful, but training for godliness is so much better. When you train for godliness, training for godliness promises benefits not only in this life, but in the one to come. I like what Dallas Willard said. He said, we're not trying to be different people, but we're training to be different people. Somebody say, I'm not trying. I'm in training.

Say it again. Type it in the comment section. I'm not trying. I'm in training. Okay, so what's the difference? You're like, okay, I got you. It's kind of good. I can tweet that. As I said, that feels good. What is the difference between trying and training? Let me break it down and make it really, really simple. Stop trying. Why? Trying is an attempt to change with minimal commitment. Right? When you're trying, you're often like bringing a half-hearted attempt and you've already got your excuse clause. I'm trying to pray, which means you might not actually pray. It gives this permission to fail because we've already just said, I'm trying, there's a way out. I'm trying to read my Bible, but you're probably not. I'm trying to be nice, but they weren't. They drove

by me and I gave them the driving finger, right, or whatever. I'm trying not to eat the whole thing, but I just did because trying is an attempt to change with minimal commitment. Training, on the other hand is a whole different mindset. What is training? Training is a wholehearted commitment to achieve a specific result. It's an all-in commitment designed to bring about a specific result. And you know the difference. When you're trying, you just kind of show up and hope I'm trying to do better at this time. I'm trying. But when you're training, let me give you two thoughts. Number one, when you're training, number one, you get the gear. Don't you?

You get the gear. If you're going to be a runner, what do you do? You buy the shoes and you buy the more expensive socks that they're just there around your ankles so you'll get the runners tan and it gets your feet just better and you get the right little sword so they can see your great legs when you're running and you get the watch and you might get the runner's hat and the runner's glasses that are aerodynamic and you get the water bottle and you get the goo and if you're really, really good you get the fanny pack.

Because you're running so long you need whatever. ever's in the runner's fanny pack. If you're training to be organized, you're like a massively organized person, you get the gear, don't you? Some of you are not even better. I've ever seen you before. You've got the spiritual gift of organization. You've got God's favorite planner and God's favorite markers and God's favorite pins and God's favorite stickers and the binders and the inserts and the washi tape. I don't even know what washi tape is, but an organized person told me that everyone who's really organized knows what washi tape is. What do you do?

You get the gear. And the second thing when you're training is you create a game plan, don't you? You're in training. Rocky doesn't show up to fight Apollo without training. He's got a game plan. He plays Eye the Tiger. And he runs with a crowd of people following him up to the top of the Capitol. and dances around the top of the Capitol.

And then he goes into some kind of snow place or some underground basement and chases chickens. Because he's not trying. He's in training. You get ready. And so if you're in training to change to become the person that God wants you to become,

you get a book about it. Or you watch five YouTube videos about it. or you get the app that it's about it or the membership that's with it or you go and you find a mentor and you learn from them or you get a trainer you devote your time to it everybody else says how do you have time to it i have time for it because it's i have a priority to do it i'm not trying i'm in training i give you an example just to show you um i'm not trying to be good on the streets i'm in training i'm in training you i'm in training just to show you um i'm not trying to be good on the streets i'm in training to be good on the streets. For three years, I've been studying jiu-jitsu off and on between injuries. And so I have a jiu-jitsu bag. It's not a normal bag. This one has a little see-through, breathy thing so the stink can get out. It's a jiu-suit-sug. And in it, I've got the hat from the place I train. I got the t-shirt from the place I train. I've got the rash guard.

This is not a regular rash guard. It's a spirit-filled rash guard. Iron sharpens iron, just so you know I'll lay hands on you in the name of Jesus. I've got the ghee, which looks like a bathrobe. I've got all the gear. I got the place where I train. Oh, any of you that roll, I got. one of five, life shirts, raskards everywhere. Why? Because listen to me, I'm not trying, baby.

I'm in training for the glory of God. I got a little bit of cauliflower ear going. And if you notice me limping a little bit, it's because I got a little injury right in here. But I'm not trying, I'm in training. And not only do I have the gear, I got a lot of gear, but I got a plan. I got a couple of the best coaches around. I trained with this dude named Tyler, who was a world champion brown belt, but he's not a brown belt anymore. He's a black belt. But he's not a world champion black belt yet because he's still in training to become a world champion black belt. Then I got this dude who was the number one wrestler in the nation in high school. Wrestled four years for owe you and is one of the baddest dudes in town. He looks nice. In fact, I'll show him to you

because he's here at church today. This is Andrew sitting next to my son Stephen and sitting next to Jaden on the other side. And he looks nice, but don't let him fool you. He's one of the fiercest guys you'll ever meet. But I'm not trying. I'm in training. Anybody want to see a little video of me rolling with one of the best. Let me show you. This is me rolling. I'm the guy in the blue shorts with the big feet. I got the my life shirt gear on there right. See my life shirt black thing on there. That's world champion. Oh, look at that. That's mean. Look at him. Take me down. Oh, oh, oh, watch out. Watch out. Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, up, up, up, oh. Oh, up, up, up, up. Watch the tap. Oh, up, up, up. And there it is. Oh, come on,

somebody. Oh, oh, oh, that pastor's not trying. I'm in training. And so I don't know about you, but when you know who God wants you to be, you know your identity. You're not trying to become that. You're in training to become it. You're not trying to get close to God, but you're in training to get close to God. So when you're in training, what do you do? You get the gear and you get a plan. You're training to be close to God. You get the gear. You get your U-Versen Bible app. First thing you download. You get the gear. You get your prayer app. You get a book, may I recommend the power to change, or any great Christian book. You get your life search t-shirt, because you've got the gear, because you're dressing

for it. You get a little journal, so you can write down what God is showing, and you take notes at church, because you're not going to let this truth, Christ come and go. Look, little notes open up. Right there, right there, right there, right there, right there. Oh, people on the front have the notebooks because they're going to write down what God is showing them. And you get your worship playlist, because you've got to fill your mind with the presence of God. And you've got to plan when you're training for godliness. Your plan is to be in church. Every week you're in town.

You're in the house of God with the people of God. Hearing the Word of God to strengthen you to do the will of God. And you're serving somewhere because we are the people of God and we're served and we all have gifts to serve in the body of Christ. So we're not just going to church, but we are the church. It's like you're serving in life kids. When you're driving a golf cart, or you're an usher, or you're on the host team,

or you're leading in some form or fashion because you've got a plan to do it. And you're praying daily. And you've got to study Bible and you're studying the Bible. When you're trying, you give up if it gets too hard. When you'll feel like it. But when you're training, you don't just act according to your feelings. You act according to your commitment. When you're an athlete, when you're a competitor, when you're a competitor, when you're a

disciple of Jesus fighting for something that matters when you've got a vision or a goal or a dream trying apart from training is unthinkable we're not just trying to be godly we're training to serve God in every bit of life it's a change in our mindset and so this is what paul says don't miss it he says so i run with purpose purpose in every step. Purpose. Direct me God. Show me your will. Show me who to love. Show me where to give. I've got purpose at every single step. I'm not just shadow boxing. I discipline my body. Watch this. Like an athlete, it's the who. It's the identity. Like an athlete, training it to do what it should.

Is your body your master? Or is the power of God through you stronger than the wrong desires in you? I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should do. I'm not trying. I'm in training. I got the gear.

I got a plan. I'm training it. When I'm trying, I'm hoping to be something that I'm not yet. I'm going to try to do Zichu. I'm 55 years old, kind of old. Andrew calls me the old man. I'm going to try to show up and hang in there with those young bucks. I'm going to try. No, listen, when you're in training, You're getting better at what you already are. I'm a warrior in training. We're not trying. We're in training. So how does this play out? You're not trying to save your marriage. Believe that you're a great marriage in training.

What do you do? You get the gear, whatever it is. It's the matching t-shirts. Oh, that's cheesy. But that's what cheesy couples do. and you get in counseling and you start serving together and you pray together

when you'd rather cuss at each other but you're a great marriage and training you're not trying to be a better friend you're a good friend in training you're generous and you're running with the right people and you're building them up with the right words and you're showing back up and even if they don't do the right thing

you don't care because you're telling yourself A friend loves like a brother, I'm going to continue to love them. You're not trying to become more popular. I'm trying to build my brand. You are a godly influence in training to lead other people. You are the light shining into the darkness. And Jesus is making your light all the brighter. So every week there's a goal and every week there's a question.

what's the question for this week let me set it up you aren't trying to become something that you're not you're in training to become who god already sees that you are so here's the question don't miss this this is a game changer for some of you based on who you want to become how are you going to train there it is based on who you want to become how are you going to train you're going to get the gear you're going to get a plan because you're not trying you're in training if you don't know the difference of belts in jiu jitsu if you don't know what jiu jitsu is if you watch m m m when they go to the ground that's jihitsu for the most part in the belts they start white and then they go blue and they go purple then they go brown, then they go black.

And I got the extremes here. I've got white, and I've got black. My coach asked me, what's the hardest belt to get? And the obvious answer is black. And he said, no, the hardest belt to get is white because most people never start. You've got to start. Then he asked me, what is a black belt?

And I said, somebody you run from. which is true, believe me, believe me. A brown belt, a purple belt, a good blue belt, run, I promise you. What's a black belt? He said it's a white belt that never stops training. Never stops training. Here's one you know, like, I'm not trying. Look at my eyes. I'm in training. I'm not trying to reach more people. I'm in training for godliness. I'm training. I'm training. every day with a vision, a purpose. I know who God has called me to become. I've got my spiritual why. I've got my spiritual what. Here's the habits. I'm starting to become more who God says I am. I've got the things I'm breaking to get those out of my life so that I can rid myself of the

things keeping me from being who God wants me to become. And I know what to do, how to train, to become more of who God already says that I am. I'm trying. I'm in training. Now, just to be fair to Andrew, I want to show you this video again, and I want you to watch really carefully because you can see something really, really cool.

You're going to see how good I am. Andrew about breaks my leg right there, takes me down. Now, once you watch, he notices he's in trouble. Watch his face. What's he doing right there? He's smiling, right? Why is he smiling? Why is he smiling?

Because he's happy for him. me because that never happens. That never happens. We're talking in three years, that's happened two times. So our record is 3,942 versus two. That's where we stand. And both two times, he was not going his hardest. Why? Because he was training me, mentoring me, to become more of what I am. So I'm not winning whenever I'm submitting world class champions that are letting me do that once every year and a half or so. I'm winning when I show up and train. And you're not winning when you hit some goal in the future.

You're winning when you show up and train for righteousness today. So I want you to feel it. Just say it. Just say it where you are. You can type it in the chat. I'm not trying. Just say it. Wipe that word from your vocabulary. I'm not trying. What are you? I'm in training. I'm in training. I'm in training to become who God has created me to be. So, based on who you want to become, what are you going to do to train? Get the gear. Get the plan. Show up. And let God empower you. you to be more of who he already says you are. Because you're not trying to be something else.

You're in training to become the person he created you to be. So God, we ask that you would do it today. I pray, God, today would be a turning point for so many people. God, we want to change. We've tried to change, but we've failed. God, change our moment. God, change our moment. mindset about how we change. God, give us a clear picture of who you want us to be our spiritual who. God, drive deep into our heart, our spiritual, why, why you want us to become this. God, give us our spiritual what? The habits to start. Our spiritual what not the habit to break. God, give us the how.

We're not trying. We're in training. I pray God that there would be people there that would just step across that line. I'm not trying. I'm done trying. I'm in training. May have some bad days. May miss a day of training. But when you're in training, you show back up. God help us to become. Help us to train for righteousness.

Help us to train for Godliness. Help us to train to become who you want us to become. As you keep praying today, nobody looking around what I want you to hear very clearly. Some of you say like, yeah, I'm not anywhere close to righteousness. as I'm not close to God. God didn't just try to show you his love, but he demonstrated it.

Scripture says that he demonstrated his love for you and for all of us that while we were still sinning, while we were living unrighteously, Christ, the son of God, died for our sins. Who is Jesus? He is the perfect and sinless son of God. He's God in the flesh. who lived a life perfect in every single way.

He's called the Lamb of God, who was without spot or blemish because he was holy through and through. And because he was perfect, he was the perfect sacrifice for the forgiveness of our sins. He died in our place. And by the goodness of God,

God raised him three days later from the dead so that anyone, this includes you, it doesn't matter how bad your life is, doesn't matter how far from God you feel, anyone who calls on that name, the name that is above every name. It is the name of Jesus, the Son of God. Whoever calls on him, your sins would be forgiven, and you would be made completely brand new.

Wherever you're watching from today, you may know you're not in a relationship with God. You may feel guilty and dirty about your sin. You may feel ashamed of something that you've done. When you call on his name, God makes you new. The old is gone, and everything becomes new. Many of you, you're here today, you're watching. It's not an accident.

By the power of God, he's bringing his love to you. You say, I need his forgiveness. I need his grace. We're stepping away from our old life. We're stepping into his love. We're calling on the name of Jesus. When you do, he hears your prayers, he forgives your sins, and he makes you new. Today, those who say, I need that.

I want that. I need his forgiveness. By faith, I give my life to Jesus. That's your prayer. Lift your hands high now. All over the place, lift them up and say yes. Both of you right there. Praise God for you.

Start right there. Others today saying, yes, Jesus, I need your forgiveness. Lift your hands high and say yes, right back over here, right over there as well. Praise God, if you come on somebody, let's tell God, thank you. Online, you guys just type it in the comment section. I'm surrendering my life to Jesus. And right now, we're not trying to get to know God. We're by faith calling on Him.

Would you all pray aloud? Pray Heavenly Father, I give you my life. Forgive all of my sins. Jesus save me. fill me with your Holy Spirit so I can know you and serve you and do your will

show me God who you want me to be I'll train to be it I'll show your love and all that I do thank you for new life you have all of mine in Jesus name I pray

church somebody worship God right now give God thanks give him praise come on church let's tell them Thank you for who he is. He's moving in this place. He's moving in this place. Give God praise and glory today.