Revelation of Phil 3:13-14
With the help of other reference book and the Holy Spirit, here is a littel revelation I received..Phil 3:13-1413 Brethren,
I do not count myself to have apprehended;
but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and
reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14
I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. - I do not count myself to have apprehended
Paul knew that he had not apprehended the final situation. He did not consider any situation as the end; it was not finished for Paul.
When faced with a crisis, it's human nature to think we are finished, that it's the end and we can't do anything about it. We put finality to something that is not final. When we face a challenge, remember, there is always tomorrow.
The devil is most afraid of our momentum. He is less concerned about the individual victories that we may have than a life of victory. Satan is concerned when we keep going after him, building one victory on top of another. He knows that when we get the momentum going, we'll roll him flat.
The problem is that when we hit Satan, we lay down. We hit him, and then we lay down. We don't build momentum by going from strength to strength. God calls us to be an overcomer and momentum is a vital tool in gaining the total victory. Never be afraid of getting up when we fall and don't let disappointment to get into our heart.
- but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind
Let go of those things that are in the past and forget what's behind us. If we live in the past we'll never have a future. The future is in front of us, so Paul says to forget those things that are behind.
Disappointments will bind us up if we live in yesterday. We must do some forgetting because disppointments prevent faith from rising up inside of us.
Remembering the past takes us away from the miracle that God wants to give us today. This is a new day. God can do it for us today.Ler go of the past.
- forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead
When we reach forth, we are reaching forward to those things that are before. When we stretch ourselves to reach for those things that are behind, we are kept in a rhythm of disppointment that eats up what little faith we have. we must reach forward to the things that are before, things that we have not yet
- reached
- gotten
- happened
Reaching for the things that are before, not the things that already exit activates faith. That's how we stay free from disappointment and have the tree of life come alive inside of us. Reach for the things that have not yet happened. If we cannot see it, it doesn't mean that it is not there.
- I press toward the goal
We must press on in assertive and deliberate action. Pressing on means using force and pressing forward again. Keep going forward, and don't fo backward.
Ofteh when disppointment comes, people go backward in retreat. However, when we face a challenge or difficulty, God wants us to press onward. Keep moving forward!
If we have a need in our life, it's time to go forward and press on to victory. Victory is never behind us; it's always before us. Paul refused to look back and we must do the same. Press on.
- I press toward the goal
Paul had a goal or standard which he moved. It was not a standard set by himself or any other man. It was a standard set by God. He kept his eyes on God's standards.
Any standard we set will bring disappointment. We must keep our eyes on God and His standard. Pursue whatever God has shown us earnestly and with dilligence.
We must press on toward the goal. The goal toward which Paul pressed on was Heaven, that's why he could never be disppointed. Remember what Paul said "For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain" (Phil 1:21).
Regarding the world as our home will always cause dissatisfaction with life. Paul's motto was, in essence, "You can take everything away from me, even my own life. When I see Christ it is gain to me." Keep pressing on toward the goal.
- the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus
Paul pressed toward the mark of his callling in Christ Jesus. He kept his eyes on the prize, what he would get when he crossed the finish line and the tape was broken.
Do we serve ambition, the things of this world, our career, denominations, organiztions, positions, or do we serve God. Imagine what we would be like if we kept our eyes firmly fixed on the calling God has placed in us - the call to heaven.
Fear is replaced by determination, procrastination is replaced by action, and timidity is replaced by fearlessness. When God take hold of our life so that our hear burns for Christ and Christ alone, there will be no difference between the first century church and the twenty-first century church.
God has set His hand to use His church mightily in these last days. God is pouring out His Spirit around the world and igniting Christians with passion and zeal like that of the first century church. Signs, wonders, and miracles are becoming more and more common as God manifests His power and presence. Take hold of God today. We are a vital link in His plan for the world to know Christ.