Winning the Right Way, with Elias Flores and Caleb Flores (Episode 188)
Our Guests: Elias and Caleb Flores
Caleb Flores is Head Wrestling Coach at Vanguard University in Costa Mesa, California. Coach Flores was chosen to re-launch the wrestling program after a 40-year layoff. In the three years of Coach Flores’ tenure, he has coached five All-Americans, 11 National Qualifiers, four All-Conference Wrestlers, two top 20 finishes at NAIA National Tournament, six Scholar-All Americans, and, this past year, his team finished 5th as a Scholar-All American team with a team GPA of 3.41.
As an athlete, Caleb was a four-year starter for the University of Northern Iowa, NCAA Division 1 National Qualifiers; two-time Western Wrestling Conference Placer; and High School All-American.
Rev. Elias Flores Jr, Caleb’s father, worked 30 years in corporate America as an integral part of a management team. Being a leading motivator and mentor to those he worked with, he showed Christ through action and testimony. Alongside working in corporate America, Rev. Elias imparted his passion for baseball, wrestling, and basketball by coaching at various levels but always showing Christ by example. He was also called to preach the powerful message of God’s love toward man. Since being called into the ministry, Rev. Flores has taken the Gospel of Jesus Christ worldwide.
Rev. Flores is an apostolic leader and conference host/speaker, hosting “Expression and Expand” conferences nationally. He is also a guest speaker on leadership development for all levels of ministry.
Scriptures and Key Points:
- Leaders who have the greatest impact are the ones willing to get into the fight with you.
- Discipline is not a negative; it redirects you and shortens your path.
- You need a balance between the people praising you and the people who share what you still need to work on.
- Be open to critique so you can get better in all aspects of your life.
John 14:15 NLT If you love me, obey my commandments.
“My parents deserve all the credit for whatever good qualities I’ve displayed.” – Caleb Flores
“I wanna win, but we’re also going to do it the right way. There are no shortcuts when you’re building a foundation.” – Caleb Flores
- If you want to be a champion, it doesn’t mean you won’t have times of failure. But if you want to win, you have to do it the right way.
- As a leader, we can’t be afraid of failure.
- Failure is part of living a full life.
- We have to be willing to live fearlessly.
- You can’t fix effort; it has to come from inside each individual.
- You can’t inspire anyone else if you’re not inspired.
- You have to be willing to show others what hard work and success look like.
- As a leader, every decision you make has a ripple effect.
- It is an honor and a privilege to be a representative of Christ.
“Winners are not those who never fail, but those who never quit.” – Dr. Edwin Louis Cole
“I look forward to having the kind of impact on young lives that I was so lucky to have impact mine.” – Caleb Flores
“Maturity is not based on your age, but on your willingness to accept responsibility.” – Dr. Edwin Louis Cole
- Don’t let the moment keep you from moving forward.
- “This is what it takes to be my son.”
- The real discipleship program is when the hand of the Lord is upon you.
Isaiah 64:8 NKJV But now, O Lord, You are our Father; We are the clay, and You our potter; and all we are the work of Your hand.
Proverbs 22:6 NKJV Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.
- “Hānaḵ” is a picture of a mother chewing up a date and massaging the palate of her baby to stir up its appetite.
- At first, the date is sweet (a blessing), then it loses its sugar and turns into a vegetable (bland, bitter).
- We need to shape our children’s appetites for life and the Kingdom of God, not their talents.
- We need kids hungry for the right things.
- When we prioritize things in our lives, we can give 100% to the important things.
- If you don’t have a hunger for righteousness and holiness, you’re going to fade.
- Our appetite needs to be for sound doctrine.
- To be a champion, you have to learn to fight while in a predicament.
- Placing a champion in a predicament shows them how the other person feels and how to deal with the emotions.
- Failure is not fatal, if you do the right things.
- Every position is winnable, but you have to know how to win.
- What type of fight do you have within you?
- The higher you go the more costly the mistakes.
- Adversity is miserable but it determines your mindset.
- Are you going to fight or are you going to accept it?
- The root of the word “decision” means to cut off all other options.
- You have to make the decision to cut the doubt.
- If you want to be great, you have to get off your back.
- “You better do something!”
- “If I was never put in that position, how would I survive it?”
- You have to be willing to go into those tough situations to learn to handle them.
- Adversity doesn’t reveal the high points of your training, but the low points of your training.
- “You can do this!”
“Our desire to win has to be greater than our moment of challenge.” Doug Stringer
Ephesians 6:12-13 NKJV For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
- We have to draw from the place of our relationship with the Lord to overcome adversity.
- We need to stay rooted in the message if we’re going to have that edge in the world.
- You can’t stand if you haven’t done everything to stand.
- You have to be prepared and trained to be able to stand.
Romans 12:2 NKJV And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
- Sometimes things don’t go according to plan. Your choice is whether or not you’re going to do the next right thing.
- Just like when you miss a turn on your GPS, your destination in life doesn’t change. You simply have to recalculate to find a different route to your destination.
- “What do you want from the Lord?”
- You have to fight for what God has put within you.
- You need to train in the principles and foundations of God to be able to fight.
- You need to train your ear to hear the right voice.
“You can’t control what goes into your head, but you can control how long it stays there.” – Mark Schwab, one of Caleb’s coaches
James 1:12 ESV Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.
- “Pros”(against) means to “turn and face”.
- We need to teach people how to face their problems.
1 John 4:4 NKJV You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
- Because we are God’s children, we can face the future with boldness.
Genesis 32:22-30 NKJV Jacob wrestled with God
- Something changes when we’re willing to go to that step of wrestling with the Lord.
- Your life experiences become your life lessons that are producing a life message for the next generation.
Books:
- Maximized Manhood by Dr. Edwin Louis Cole
- Strong Men in Tough Times by Dr. Edwin Louis Cole
- Courage by Dr. Edwin Louis Cole
Links:
- Christian Men’s Network
- The Value of the Golden Aged Among Us by Doug Stringer
- Wrestling to Win – Another episode of A Word in Season by Doug Stringer
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