KICK IT IN HIGH GREAR Romans 13:8-14

1. two hikers in Montana - grizzly - one stopped and retied his shoes, "What you doing" "I’m getting ready to run for my life" "But

you can’t outrun a grizzly" I don’t have too, all I have to do is outrun YOU!"

2. There are times in life we run for our life - in those times we kick it in high gear

3. Is it time to kick your spiritual life into a higher gear? flat and not growing in Christ

I. V. 12 Put on the Armor – before you can get into a higher gear you need to be equipped

a. v. 12 - put off the deeds of darkness

1. put on armor – put away the desires culture and society say you should have and put on the desires God says we should have

2. a radical way of thinking and it isn’t easy – instead of desires think PURPOSE or interests - hard to put away

3. Bill Hybels – the burned out smoldering barn – weeks later while running passed that barn and it was still smoldering – the fire

was gone but still heat and fire waiting to burst forth

4. As Christians we are like that old barn – the old ways are smoldering just below the surface – it is a struggle to live for Christ

and not sin

b. put on the armor - be equipped to win

1. you have NEW LIFE is Jesus - salvation is yours but there is still a hunger in your soul

2. the armor Paul speaks of is the righteousness Jesus taught about, it is the holiness Jesus taught about, it is the Holy Spirit in

you that Jesus taught about

3. these things are the armour of the Christian life

4. Before you can run the race, before finding that higher gear you have to have to be, equipped - the putting on of

armor

II. v. 14 - clothe yourself in Christ - Before you can run you have to be ready

a. do not think how to satisfy the OLD DESIRES

1. one of the worst things you can do before running a race is eat a big meal - heavy, slow, it might come back

2. we often think like this "I'm not going to have a chance to eat for 4 hours so I better eat a lot now so I won't get hungry" - we

have a biological clock - a stomach alarm set to go off at certain times of the day - eating a big meal isn't going to stop the

alarm from going off

3. our "desires" are just like hunger - we have programmed ourselves to satisfy "desires"

4. before "Sunday alcohol sales" alcoholics got loaded on Saturday since they couldn't buy any on Sunday

5. Christians lose the race before they start because they try to satisfy the desires

(2 things - 1. you can't do it; 2. you don't have to)

6. clothe yourself OR put ON Christ - do what the Lord taught and be what He taught and the desires are not an issue

B. Paul gives a refresher of the commandments - "You know what God expects"

1. Salvation is ours, the armor is the righteousness of Jesus, the equipping (being clothed) is knowing God's

expectations

2. a colonostomy - no food for 24 hours! Starvation (real temptaion!) - the body demands food, it is accustomed to getting it on

a TIMELY BASIS, without food the body weakens - run a race, forget about it!

3. There is no high gear when you are hungry - the same is true for the soul

4. Paul reminds of the commandments - God's expectations - because this is food for the soul - The Word of God (bread of life)

is food for the soul - without it no race and no spritual growth

II. Why do we need to get a higher gear? hunger of the soul, yes but there is more

1. Races are run in two ways - speed and time - a sprinter wins with the best time - how records are set

2. our race has a set time for completion - in this race we have certain tasks to preform - you could look at it as scoring points for

tasks

3. the race is not against others but time and tasks - with each passing day we run out of time but not tasks - CAUTION the tasks

and points don't matter because we do them to please God and not for personal gain

4. if you don't know the tasks then you can't please God and you live like "Hey, there's something missing in my life!" meaning you

are not growing in Christ

1. So here is what Paul is saying and I'm trying to expand upon - Our days are coming to an end, let us not waste a second for we shall

soon stand before God - Put off the foolish desires that hinder you from loving God

2. It is time to kick it into high gear - be the person God created you to be

3. a little boy was at his grandparents - huge hall grandfather clock - they were getting ready to go to church - the clock went crazy and

bonged 20 times - the boy ran to his grandmother and said, "It's later than it has ever been before!"

3. time is running out - running out for me and for you - put on the armor, get clothed - kick it into high gear

4. Come re-dedicate your life to Jesus - Come accept Him and put an end to fighting desires