The Secret To Living the Greatest Adventure
Photo: nattu.
It’s not often you get to rock out to Sweet Home Alabama (while substituting in Carolina, ahem) with 150 buddies on the edge of a lake in the middle of nowhere to learn about how to be a real man. Sure, there were guitars, guns, golf clubs, and great men, but we were there to hear James Ryle, one of the founding members of Promise Keepers and the kind of guy whose presence has spark to it. In other words, the Force is strong with this guy. If you were to meet him, you would know what I mean, and if you know anything about his message, you are most likely living your greatest adventure already.
I want to share some of the things he taught us, and keep in mind, he is addressing men only. While much of it can apply to women, his heart is for encouraging men to be uniquely men, an increasingly diluted definition in America today.
He kicked his first session off with two thoughts, the first a question: What are you chained to? Our culture is so full of relativity, it’s a telling question of what a man is about. Our values shift to fit our feelings at the moment. Our addictions, habits, and desires enslave us. Our moral compass spins in circles following the wind. The second I’ll quote from him:
There is nothing more magnificent in this world than a man who is forgiven, free, and filled with the Spirit of God.
—James Ryle
The Holy Spirit, he said, is like a river that is always flowing. As a new believer, you may step in ankle deep. As you get more mature in your faith, you may wade in waist deep. And as you give yourself fully to His power, you are swept up and riding in glorious power!
I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe.
—Ephesians 1:18-19a (NIV)
When he shared this verse, he pointed out the Trinity represented to us. God the Father calling us. Our sharing in the eternal inheritance of Jesus, and the great power we have on earth in the Holy Spirit. He then covered the reasons we do not step into this great power, this river. Why do we not let the Spirit fill us up and overflow in our lives?
- We are unwanted in the world.
- We are undisciplined in our thoughts.
- We are unqualified in our abilities.
- We are unequal in our task.
- We are unworthy in ourselves.
His illustrations were relevant. I won’t go into all of them here, but one cutting illustration started with him asking which man in attendance could throw a football the farthest. One young confident athlete was left standing, so James proceeded to pull a football out of his bag and ask the athlete to show us.
James grinned as he asked again, “How far can you throw a football?” We all started laughing. “Without air!”
The athlete started shaking his head. “Oh, hold on,” James said. “Let me pull it out a little.” He made it look like it was full of air by pulling the sides out as much as he could. Then he got serious.
“This is religion,” he said. “It has the appearance of filling you, but it is empty. Religion cannot equip you.”
“The Spirit gives you shape, purpose, and fulfillment.” He was getting to the take away.
He told us the Bible says to walk in the Spirit and you will not fulfill the lust of the flesh. He emphasized the order. Walk first, then you will not fulfill your lusts. We try to do the reverse. We try not to sin so that we can walk in the Spirit.
“That’s what posers do!” He said. “They act like everything is OK while they try to walk in the Spirit.”
It felt good to be challenged as men by a man who clearly and humbly walked the talk. James Ryle was living his greatest adventure, fueled by a power that few will ever experience. His message was one of Hope, and one rarely spoken about in Christian circles. Just like the deflated football, we can easily live shriveled lives in the corner of life. But God calls us out to a much greater story. He calls us to share in the inheritance of eternal life with Christ. To ride in the power of the Spirit.