Wisdom For The Day Devotional 19 February 2026 By Bishop Mike Okonkwo – Run Your Race
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TOPIC: Run Your Race (TREM Devotional 19 February 2026)
“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” – 2 Timothy 4:7 (NKJV)
MESSAGE
Beloved, in this powerful statement, Apostle Paul declared that he had faithfully completed the assignment God gave him. He didn’t try to run another man’s race, nor did he compare his calling or ministry with others. He said, “I have kept the faith.” In other words, I stayed true to the principles, I followed the rules, I built according to the pattern.
Paul understood that God is not only interested in what you do, but also how you do it. He refused to be part of the rat race. His focus was obedience, not competition.
We see a similar lesson in the conversation between Jesus and Peter in John 21. After Jesus asked Peter three times, “Do you love Me?” and instructed him to “Feed My sheep,” He revealed how Peter would eventually die for the gospel. Peter, curious and perhaps concerned, looked at John and asked, “Lord, what about this man?”
Jesus responded firmly: “If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me.” (John 21:22 KJV). In other words, mind your own assignment.
Beloved, everyone will be judged according to the grace and calling given to them. God will not ask you how well you ran another person’s race; He will ask how faithful you were with yours. There is no need for comparison or competition. Stay on your lane. Run your race with focus, diligence, and integrity.
And remember, it’s not about where you are; it’s about who you are and what you are doing with what God has entrusted to you. Stop saying, “If I were in Port Harcourt, or if I were in Baltimore, things would be better.” Who told you that?
If you are not diligent where you are, relocating will not suddenly make you successful. A lizard in Nigeria cannot become an elephant in America. Your environment does not define your greatness, your obedience and consistency before God does.
So, run your race. Build faithfully according to the pattern God has shown you. Finish well, and like Paul, you too will be able to say, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”
Further Reading: J
ohn 21:15-23, Colossians 4:17.
Daily Bible Reading:
Morning – Leviticus 25, Evening – Mark 1:23-45
Wisdom For The Day Devotional was written by Dr. Mike Okonkwo; Is the Presiding Bishop of The Redeemed Evangelical Mission (TREM); a versatile man of God with over 30 years of dedicated service unto the Lord.
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