DCLM Higher Everyday 18 June 2026 — Pay The Price To Win The Prize
Topic: Pay The Price To Win The Prize
Bible Reading: 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 (KJV)
24Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.
26I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:
27But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.
KEY VERSE: And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible” (I Corinthians 9:25)
Message
Paul, the Apostle, in our text explains the tenacity of athletes as they run to win a prize in a race. They must pay the price in order to win the prize at the end of the race. In the pursuit of excellence and achievement, every youth must acknowledge that sacrifices are an essential part of success. Hence Dr. Ben Carson says that, “Students who excel academically, also read extensively.” The journey toward winning the prize is often challenging, requiring the development of a strong mind-set, dedication to one’s goals, and the resilience to overcome obstacles.
As a Christian youth, you have spiritual goals – the ultimate one being going to heaven to receive a crown of life. Also, you have academic and career goals. Paying the price demands that you identify your goals, relinquish negative influences, and pursue the goals relentlessly. Winning the prize is the outcome of hard work, discipline, and courage. It demands enduring challenges, investing time and striving for personal growth. Through perseverance and commitment, you can secure not just temporal prizes but also eternal ones.
PRAYER FOR TODAY
Oh God, help me to always focus on the prize, as I press on.
CHALLENGE
Dare to win the prize.
1. Admit that you are a sinner. "For all [humans] have sinned, and comes short of the glory of God....[and] the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 3:23)
2. Repent now. "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out ...[for] if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness " (Acts 3:19, 1 John 1:9)
3. Believe that God loves you and Jesus died for you. "God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet Sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8)
4. Invite Jesus into your life through prayer of faith. Jesus says, "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me" (Revelation 3:20)
