ARE YOU A WINNER?

II TIMOTHY 4:7

Rick Jackson

The world remembers some winners and forgets others. Abraham Lincoln is considered a winner by many while Millard Fillmore (13th President) is chiefly forgotten by all but a few. What makes a person a winner? Some people are considered winners now but were largely thought of as losers during their life. Such is the case of a man we consider now.

Here is a man that was habitually in prison. A man that others thought was crazy. A man that was considered a poor example of a public speaker by many though they admitted he could write well. Indeed people did fall asleep when he was long winded. Some thought it was hard to get along with him. At one point he was well respected by the establishment but they turned their backs on him and sought to silence him by any way possible. He finally died in a federal prison by capital punishment. His name was Paul, formerly known as Saul of Tarsus.

I. PAUL KNEW THAT HE WAS A WINNER (II Tm. 4:7, Rm. 8:37)

This was not egotism, this was an understanding of the task God wanted done by him and the knowledge that it had been done.

1. Paul was a winner because of obedient faithfulness (Acts 9:6, I Co. 4:2)

2. Paul was a winner because of observant focusing (Phil. 3:13-14)

3. Paul was a winner because of obstinate faith (Phil. 4:6-7, 10-13)

II. PAUL'S FELLOW BELIEVER'S KNOW THAT HE WAS A WINNER

1. Many have been blessed by his life (Acts 20:17-19)

2. Many have been blessed by his ministry (Acts 20:20-27)

3. Many have been blessed by his writings (Romans through Hebrews)

III. PAUL'S CRITICS HATED KNOWING HE WAS A WINNER

1. His bold testimony infuriated them (Acts 9:21-29)

2. His believing faith subdues them (Acts 16:22-28)

3. His basic sincerity moved them (Acts 24:24-25, 26:27-28, 27:41-43)

Men name their sons after people they admire. Nero once ruled the world, Paul was a habitual prisoner. Men name their dogs "Nero" and their sons "Paul".