Seek. Adapt. Endure.: Following the Way of The World's Most Authentic Man

By Michael S. Sanders

Today I will do the following: Go forth—I am a disciple. Be useful—I am a servant. Live with purpose—I am a warrior. Discover new lands—I am an explorer. Create joyfully—I am a craftsman. Challenge intentionally—I am a scholar. Be an inspiration—I am a leader.

Man was created on purpose and for a purpose. Therefore, all men are at some level searching for purpose and meaning, and yet so many are struggling to find them. If we look deep in our hearts, we all hunger for growth and mastery of ourselves, our strength, and our skill. Unfortunately, many times, our searching leads us to popular movies, media, and society as reliable sources for why and how we should live as men. Could it be that many of the models we look to are creating simple, selfish, empty, small men who don’t really know who they are and are at a terrible risk of missing the robustness of life?

The truth is we cannot know who we are until we understand whose we are. We cannot understand our purpose unless we understand our Creator’s purpose. We cannot understand true authentic manhood unless we understand that we carry the image of the only truly authentic man to ever live, Jesus Christ.

Man is a special creation that has been blessed with an amazing ability to grow and adapt. Seek. Adapt. Endure. will inspire men to get out of their comfort zones and challenge themselves spiritually, mentally, and physically. The seven archetypes discussed in these pages will help men discover themselves at a deeper level in Jesus, find fulfillment in life, realize their full potential, and discover ways to go forth into the world in order to pay that forward to their families, communities, and workplaces.

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• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Jul 25, 2022
• ISBN: 9781639610426

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Seek. Adapt. Endure.

Following the Way of The World's Most Authentic Man

Michael S. Sanders

Copyright © 2022 by Michael S. Sanders

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Christian Faith Publishing

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www.christianfaithpublishing.com

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations from the Message. Copyright © by Eugene H. Peterson 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

Scripture is taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked ESV are taken from the Holy Bible, English Standard Version. Copyright © 2000, 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Wheaton, IL 60189 USA. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked TPT are from the Passion Translation®. Copyright © 2017, 2018 by Passion & Fire Ministries Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. ThePassionTranslation.com.

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

Finding Our Way to the Authentic

The Being that Is Human

You Are a Disciple

You Are a Servant

You Are a Warrior

You Are a Scholar

You Are an Explorer

You Are a Craftsman

You Are a Leader

Be a Man of Action

Endorsements

Mike has dedicated his life to helping others be better—physically, mentally, and spiritually. His career preparing elite performers to include special operations soldiers for the toughest tasks and challenges combined with his strong faith in God offers a unique perspective over our why and what living a full and happy life looks like. Seek. Adapt. Endure. asks the questions to reflect on our lives, find our purpose, and personally grow.

—Adam LaReau, O2X Cofounder, Former US Navy Lieutenant Commander (SEAL), Founder of One Summit

After almost two decades in the military, I found myself falling apart, clinging to a false identity, and at risk of losing everything I’d worked for. In Mike’s book, I realized just how fearfully and wonderfully made I am. I learned not only how I’m created in the image of God, but how I was created in the image of the most Authentic Man and Son to ever walk this earth, our Lord Jesus Christ.

—Lou Howk, US Special Forces

For Julie.

I am yours and you are mine.

For Chayla and Grace.

You are both my sunshine.

Acknowledgments

Iwould like to thank my God for your relentless pursuit of me, your son. Thank you for what you have done in me throughout my life and the creation of this project. I pray that I never lose my passion for knowing you at a deeper level.

Thanks to my wife and best friend, Julie. There is no one on earth that has my back as you do. Thank you for all your support and love. You are the best wife, friend, and mother a man could ever ask for. I pray that I can be the man you deserve.

My heartfelt gratitude to Allison Armerding for your mentorship, tireless dedication, and unwavering support. You are truly an amazing person, and I thank God that you were part of this journey with me. Without you, I wouldn’t have made it.

A special thanks to Greg McKinnon for pulling me out of my comfort zone. You never waivered and continued to support me, encourage me, and teach me.

Thanks to the unsung hero that made it possible to complete this project, Randy Wise. All it takes is a man to believe in another. That is what you did for me. Thank you for your mentorship and support.

Thanks to my father-in-law, Willy. I will always be grateful for your inspiration and nudging for me to write. You selflessly pushed me to lead and to teach as your body slowly began to fail. Thank you for pushing me, and thank you for trusting me with your daughter. I am forever grateful. You are the embodiment of a true servant.

A special thanks to all the athletes, coaches, special operators, and peers I’ve worked with over the years. You have taught me as much as I have ever taught you.

To the team of SEALs on that helicopter. I will never stop doing what I can to help.

Thanks to my mom and dad for your hard work and sacrifice for making sure I had all I needed to get my education.

To the boys of Junto Tribe. You men simply make me a better man. Thank you for standing with me back-to-back in the battles of life. I got your six. I know you have mine. We have work to do. Go forth.

Chapter 1

Finding Our Way to the Authentic

Exercise daily in God—no spiritual flabbiness, please! Workouts in the gymnasium are useful, but a disciplined life in God is far more so, making you fit both today and forever. You can count on this. Take it to heart. This is why we’ve thrown ourselves into this venture so totally. We’re banking on the living God, Savior of all men and women, especially believers.

—1 Timothy 4:8–10 MSG

The more you sweat in training, the less you bleed in combat.

—Richard Marcinko

One afternoon, I was walking through the rehabilitation room at the military training facility where I worked when I caught sight of a SEAL waving at me, beckoning me over to the treatment table on which he was lying. When I reached him, he explained that the injury from which he was rehabbing was close to fully healed, and he was itching to start training again and getting back into physical shape. He had heard I was developing a workout program for him and other SEALs and was eager to learn more about it.

I began to describe the concepts and science behind the new workout program to him. The more I spoke, the more his expression resembled a racehorse waiting in the chute.

His competitive, driven eyes drilled into me, and he said, Man, I just want to get back to work. I want to feel good again. I want to have endurance, strength, and speed again.

Great, I said. That’s what I’m here for—to help you get back to work.

I just want to look like a warrior, the man continued. "Have you ever seen the movie 300?"

Yeah, I said, nodding.

Well, that’s what I want to look like, he said passionately. You know, like a warrior.

I’m sure the look on my face registered my surprise. There I was, standing in front of a Navy SEAL, one of America’s most lethal warriors, and he was telling me he wanted to look like an actor in a movie.

I locked eyes with this man and said, You want to know what a warrior really looks like? Get up, go look in the mirror, and take a good, long, hard look at the guy you see looking back at you. Then you’ll find out what a real warrior looks like.

The World Doesn’t Know Who We Are

On one level, this encounter is an ironic and somewhat amusing example of how much Hollywood has influenced our understanding of what it means to be fit and strong. Popular movies and media have made us believe (among other lies) that the only fit man is one with massive biceps, six-pack, no neck, and access to body paint, tanning beds, razors, and Photoshop. This concept is something I’ve had to correct on more than one occasion with the athletes and warriors I train. These men are simply like cannons shooting from a canoe sitting in the middle of a lake—they look like they’ve got a lot of firepower until they fire. They create a lot of noise, smoke, and fire, but without a firm foundation, they are powerless.

Yet on a deeper level, this story is emblematic of the dilemma that lies at the core of every man. Like that SEAL, we all hunger for growth and mastery of ourselves, our strength, and our skill. We share an inborn drive to push our limits, overcome challenges, and accomplish great things. This is why our movies, novels, and epic tales are full of heroes struggling through difficulties as they seek great and noble achievements. This is why we revere the exploits of historic and legendary men who came before us. These stories call to our innate desire to scale the heights, tame the wilderness, defeat our foes, and leave a legacy in this world.

The catch-22 is that we don’t really know who we are, and thus, our drive for success and achievement is inextricably entwined with our drive to discover our identity and purpose and to find and become the men we want and are meant to be. Our dilemma is simply that we don’t know how to satisfy them. And so we search for an authoritative source that will finally give us our name and send us on our life’s mission.

For most men, the source they look to is the world (and by the world, I mean fallen humanity under the influence of the god of this world—see 2 Corinthians 4:4). According to the world, there are three basic strategies for solving the mystery of our identity and purpose.

First, the world tells us to find ourselves in what we do. (This is the strategy I ran with for many years.) Men who buy into this strategy keep telling themselves that the inner confidence and worthiness they’re chasing will be waiting on the other side of the next achievement or the next or the next. They live to fight and conquer. In the end, they climb high and fall hard, slash and burn until they burn out, and sacrifice their relationships and souls on the altar of success only to be left empty.

Next, the world tells us to seek our identity in the opinions of other people—to become ourselves by becoming somebody in the eyes of others. This strategy turns men into posers, playboys, and politicians—those obsessed with winning that elusive pass to popularity, position, and power. At some point, however, these men discover that human opinion is often the cruelest, most manipulative taskmaster to which they can chain themselves. Once they succumb to this slavery, they find themselves trapped in an endless game of compromise and power plays. Their sense of truth and integrity is threatened and sold for ransom in order to be accepted. Relationships with other men, women, and peers are superficial, so loneliness and a sense of abandonment ensue.

Finally, when men become disappointed and disillusioned by the broken promises of these first two strategies, the world offers them its last option: to give up hope of finding identity and purpose and embrace the goal of mere survival. This is how men end up choosing to shut down their heart’s hunger and settling for a life of mediocrity, isolation, and complacency. They disappear in front of the TV or computer, immerse themselves in meaningless hobbies, distract themselves with busyness or check out with drugs, pornography, and alcohol. Eventually, these men become hard, bitter souls shutting the world out as firmly as they have shut down their own hearts.

Each of these scenarios leaves behind something dark and terrible, and a life that was full of potential is wasted. The world is not better from their time walking the earth. These men leave a legacy of broken relationships, strained and destroyed marriages, abandoned children, destroyed health, and wasted talents and gifts our world desperately needs. The wilderness has devoured one of its sons—one of its kings—and society is weakened. Man’s great potential has died and been buried on the wagon trail of life.

None of the world’s strategies can show us who we truly are. This is why the warriors among us still long to feel like warriors. This is why the men projecting the most confidence still wait for it to stop feeling like an act. This is why every successful man living in Anytown, America, struggles to find peace, even though he has followed society’s map to the top of the ladder. These men are doing everything the world tells them to do; but still, they don’t know who or, more importantly, whose they are. Worse, many of them have lost any connection to their hearts and have become a version of themselves they never dreamed they could be.

But there’s good news. The world’s strategies are not our only options. Men, we are not fated to sacrifice ourselves before the idols of performance and public opinion nor to commit the slow suicide of shutting down our hearts. There is an authority higher than the world and higher than the god of this world, and he alone has the right and the ability to tell us who we are. He is our Creator, and he knows our true names. He gave them to us in the first place.

The First Adam

The Hebrew word for man is adam. In the Bible, we find two Adams—the first Adam and the Last Adam (see 1 Corinthians 15:45). The arc of their story reveals the God-given identity and purpose of every man.

Their story begins in Genesis when the first Adam was created by God. The first thing the Bible tells us about man is that he was made in the image of God:

Then God said, Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth. So God created man in His image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. (Genesis 1:26–27 NKJV)

Our Creator made us (both male and female) look like him and represent his character and nature on the earth. This means we are most ourselves when we are most like him. Wherever we fail to imitate him is where we fail to be men. This truth is the cornerstone of our identity.

Man’s creation was followed by a coronation in which God announced our purpose. He blessed mankind and then laid a mantle of authority on them—authority to rule the whole world:

Then God blessed them, and God said to them, Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth. (Genesis 1:28)

From the beginning, man had a weight of responsibility placed upon his shoulders. He was accountable to do a job, to fulfill a mission, to perform a duty. Bible scholars sometimes describe this mission as the cultural mandate—the great project of unlocking the potential of a virgin planet and its inhabitants. God had created man with this responsibility in mind so that in fulfilling it, man’s true godlike character and nature would be expressed and become manifest in the world.

Genesis 2 gives us more details about man’s identity and purpose. In particular, we see seven dimensions or aspects of what man was created to do and to be.

First, God did not create and commission the first Adam and then vacate the premises. He was there with him, walking in the cool of the garden, his presence the sign that everything he had designed man to be and to do was to be lived out in relationship with him. God himself would be the man’s counselor, coach, comforter, and confidant, and the man would learn to be a man by learning to be like his creator. Man was created to be a follower, an imitator, a son of God—a disciple.

Next, man was made to serve through work. Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it (Genesis 2:15 NKJV). The Hebrew word for tend (abad) means to work or to serve.¹ The work God gave man was not meaningless, laborious toil but a productive service that benefitted creation and people. In the same way that God himself serves the universe by sustaining it with his infinite power, so he made man with strength to tend the earth in a way that actually helps it flourish. Man was created to be a servant.

Man was also appointed to keep the garden. The Hebrew word there, shamar, means to guard and protect.² The Garden of Eden was not some magical utopia free of threats. The tree that would bring death into the world