FORGET WHAT IS BEHIND US AND LOOK FORWARD TO THE PRIZE AHEAD

Proclamation:

“Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it.  But one thing I do, forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”  Philippians 3:13-14 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written by the apostle Paul, under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God, to the believers in the church at Philippi.  Paul begins this third chapter by stating that he has no confidence in the flesh. (Philippians 3:1-4)  He briefly recounts his personal history (Philippians 3:4-6) then states that all he has gained in life he considers a loss, and everything that he lost for Christ’s sake is surpassed in worth by knowing Christ Jesus The Lord. (Philippians 3:7-9)  Then he said that he wants to know more about Christ, the power of His resurrection, and participate in His suffering, and somehow attain the resurrection from the dead. (Philippians 3:10-11)  He said that he had not yet attained this but it is his goal and he is pressing on towards that goal.  He encouraged them to follow his example and be an example to others to live as they do. (Philippians 3:15-17)  He ends by reminding them that they are citizens of heaven, eagerly awaiting the day when The Lord Jesus Christ would transform their earthly bodies into glorious bodies like His. (Philippians 3:18-21)

Application:

We know that it is not humanly possible for us to obtain perfection but it is still a goal which is well worth striving for.  No matter what it is that we are going through, we need to keep our eyes on the prize.  There is so much more that we can learn about our Lord and Savior Jesus, The Christ, and like Paul we should want to know more. (Philippians 3:10-11)  After we ask Him for forgiveness, let us leave all of our past mistakes behind us and look forward to that which lies ahead, the prize which God has in store for us.

LET US RUN OUR RACE HIS WAY

 Proclamation:

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.  Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of throne of God.” Hebrews 12:1-2 (NIV)

Explanation:

These are the words of an unknown author, who wrote them after the crucifixion of Christ, and the persecution and the scattering of the saints, to encourage them.  He did not want them to give up their beliefs and principals during the hard times they were enduring.  He compared them to a long distance runner who was running a race. He told them to focus on The Lord and not the current problems.  He also told that their suffering was nothing compared to Jesus endured.

Application:

Some things happen to us as consequences of our poor choices, some things happen as punishment for our sins, and some things happen as a test of our faith and commitment.  There can be no testimony without first having a test.  “My son, do not make light of The Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when He rebukes you, because The Lord disciplines those He loves, and He punishes everyone He accepts as a son.” (Hebrews 12:5-6 which is a quote from Proverbs 3:11-12)  Distance runners suffer physically and mentally during a race.  They don’t carry any unnecessary things or weights with them which would slow them down.  As we run this race which is our life, we will suffer physically and mentally.  Our bodies and our minds will be punished and tested.  We need to keep our eyes on Jesus.  Our sins and disobedience to His Word will hinder us, entangle us, and cause us to quit or to get off course.  We need to throw off everything that is holding us back and persevere.  Let us drop all of the negative baggage that we are carrying, let go of our favorite sinful ways, look to The Lord, and let's run this marathon of life that is before us in a manner that is pleasing to Him and gives God glory. This is not a sprint.  The reward in this race is not won by the swiftest, but by he that endures to the end. (Matthew 10:22)  It is important not only that we run the race but also how we run it.  We cannot control the things that happen to us, all we can control is our reaction to them.  So, let us run our race and act in a Christ-like manner while doing it.

Let Us Run This Race With Perseverance

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us."  Hebrews 12:1 (NIV)

Under the divine inspiration of The Holy Spirit of God, the unknown human author of the Bible Book of Hebrews wrote to the scattered believers after the crucifixion of Jesus, The Christ, to encourage them.  Even though they were being hunted and persecuted, and being tempted by the sinful cultures around them, he told them not to focus on their circumstances or the sinful distractions, but to keep the faith and focus on the course which was before them.

Today we have more enemies or people who hate us than we have friends.  There are also more people attempting to get us involved in some type of sinful activity than there are those who are trying to encourage us to follow Christ.  Only with prayer, perseverance, and God's help can we endure all of the evil and sinful things which derail us and get us off track. (Ephesians 6:11 and James 4:7)  We must run the race that is set before us, with faithful determination, pacing ourselves to ensure that we finish the course. (2 Timothy 4:7)  This can only be done if we keep our eyes on the prize, which is Christ Jesus. (Hebrews 12:2)  When we take our eyes off of Him, we tend to stumble and fall.  Remember, Peter also walked on water and he did not start to sink until he took his eyes off of Jesus and began to focus on his surroundings. (Mathew 14:25-30) Only by focusing, or re-focusing, on Him can we win this race.