The Battle for Man – Part Three

by Garret Barbush | President & CEO

Men, we have two options. We get to choose between hope in Jesus Christ and his promises (light) or the chaos and destruction of Satan’s wicked lies and schemes (darkness).  

If you follow Christ, then you can’t deny the fact that Jesus Christ was the most perfect, consistent, and balanced man to ever set foot on this earth. He is the model for each of us. He is light, and darkness tried everything in its power to destroy him. Yet Jesus overcame the darkness through his death and resurrection.  

A man that commits to and follows Jesus is a man who shines brightly. He is joyful, pleasant, fruitful, and full of hope. And what’s more, this man is also a threat to darkness. For this reason, Satan gives his best efforts to destroy men who shine brightest. While Satan’s schemes may be cunning and subtle, our hope lies in the fact that light has and will always overcome darkness.  

So why do so many of us settle for a life in the dark when we are empowered by the Holy Spirit to fight for and live in the light? Why do so many of us live out of balance when we have access to the strength and power needed to live in perfect equilibrium?  

I believe most Christian men have little hope, faith, and confidence because they have not been trained with a simple model that sets them up for success. Others may seem to have it all together, but often lack accountability, and end up losing the battles each one of us faces.  

Jesus Christ modeled true leadership and strength. He is the perfect model. He executed the most difficult endeavor known to man, pursuing it even to the point of the cross. At the end of his adventure, light overcame darkness forever. He gave up his own life so that others might live. His sacrifice was selfless and worthwhile. It came at a great price, for you and me. And in his life and death, Christ laid down a simple set of principles, standards, and behaviors we can practice to live in a meaningful, fulfilling, God-honoring way:  

• He loved God – do you love God? 
• He had a plan – do you have a plan? 
• He took responsibility – do you take responsibility? 
• He served others – do you serve others? 
• He had courage – do you model courage? 

• He had grit – do you have grit? 

Pick a Fight! Spend several minutes reflecting on the model of Jesus Christ and the questions presented. Share this blog with a friend and schedule a time to discuss your responses together. Create a few action steps to be more like the perfect model – Jesus Christ.