“Are you in the zone?” was a question frequently heard during the week of June while we were at Maywood Christian Camp outside Hamilton, Alabama. It was sort of a way of rallying the “troops” to make sure we were keeping our spirits up and our attitudes in check as the fatigue factor set in due to the heat and lack of rest. Amazingly, it’s not too hard to stay “in the zone” with all the wonderful things taking place and as we together sought to draw nearer to God away from all the everyday distractions we experience.
Christians, however, do not need to be concerned about “being in the zone” one week of the year. We can, and must be “in the zone” 52 weeks of the year. Are you “In the Zone?”
First of all, to be “in the zone” you must be “in the kingdom of heaven.” The kingdom of heaven is an expression that is used synonymously with “the church” that Jesus promised to build (Matthew 16:18) and which promise was kept as his church was established through the plan and power of God (Acts 2). So, Jesus is Lord and King in the lives of those who have “obeyed the gospel of the kingdom” and are daily surrendering their lives to the fulfilling of His will. Those who are yet held by “the power of darkness” (Colossians 1:13) are not as yet “in the zone” of which we speak, but there is hope for you. You can be delivered through the power of the Gospel when you are “born of water and of the Spirit” (John 3:3-5).
To be “in the zone” you and I must be walking with Jesus in the light of righteousness. What a glorious path wherein God has provided for us to walk whereby we may experience joy and peace as well as the security of our souls. Our relationship with God grows stronger and our love for Him grows deeper as we keep the weeds of sin rooted out. “This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:5-7). Let us walk daily with Jesus in the light.
Are you in the zone? If we are truly in the zone, we are “walking in love” as Jesus walked while here in the flesh. The Bible is given to bless our lives in teaching us how to “walk” the Christian walk. “Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour” (Ephesians 5:1-2). Jesus has definite expectations for all of his disciples: “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another” (John 13:34-35). What a great standard He has challenged us with in the expression: “as I have loved you.” It must be evident to all of us that we are not given the freedom to “pick and choose” just which of the brethren we will love. Jesus does not condone the practice of some who would claim to love one group on the one hand, while having feelings of hatred, spite and murderous thoughts on the other (1 John 4:20-21). Many noble traits of love are described in 1 Corinthians 13. However, never forget that when we have the love of Jesus in our hearts it will be marked by kindness in all that we say and do (verse 4).
The Christian faces trials every day, and if we are not careful, it is easy to allow fatigue to set in. We become worn down and then become spiritually vulnerable, and can even become a tool of Satan. However, we need to rally together behind the cross of our Lord, keeping our attitudes and lives in check, as He leads us forth to victory over all of the foes of righteousness. Friend, are you “in the zone?”
