Dealing With the Losses

Introduction

I had no idea that when the Lord led me to do this series, that I would experience loss in the way I did this week. Our Watauga High School women’s volleyball team made it to the third round of the state playoffs. They faced a very tough team and our team lost 3-1. The highs and lows of an athletic competition are real. The emotions run the gamut. Inevitably, there will be some that are won and some that are lost. We deal with the wins in celebration. But how do we deal with the losses? Sometimes, we blame others. Other teammates, the officials, the other team had an advantage and so on. Sometimes, we blame ourselves. Often, the Christian life is full of wins and losses as well. Jesus said in John 16:33

John 16:33 NIV84

33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

We have the promise of trouble and the promise of overcoming. The same concept holds true to losing and winning. So, how then, do we deal with the losses and how do we stay in the game?

Paul must have felt defeated. He had been a Christian for over 30 years when he wrote the Book of Philippians. There were goals he realized that he had not attained as a Christian. Did he give up and quit? Let’s look at Philippians 3:12-14

Philippians 3:12–14 NIV84

12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers, 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, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Paul indicates in this passage 4 ways that we must press on.

Press On To Perfection (vs. 12)

First, we see he must press on to perfection.

Dissatisfied with Self

“Not that I have already obtained all this.” This shows me that he is dissatisfied with his self. If the truth be known, I would think that most of us are our worst critics. We look in the mirror of life and see all our blemishes and issues that make us imperfect. This is exactly what satan desires for us. He wants us to be dissatisfied with self. However, what satan does not know is that Christ desires for us to realize our imperfectness as well in the sense that there is always room for us to grow closer to His perfection. We are saved through faith in Christ Jesus. The Bible is clear on this. However, once we are saved, we continue to work towards becoming like Jesus. Philippians 2:12

Philippians 2:12 NIV84

12 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling,

This is the work of the sanctifying grace. The believer lives between salvation begun and salvation final. That tells me that we are a work in progress. We have not already been made perfect, but we press on. Final perfection cannot be expected in this life, but we keep on going.

Designed for Success

This is because we are designed for success. We were not designed for failure.

2 Thessalonians 1:11 NIV84

11 With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may count you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may fulfill every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith.

That is why we need to take hold of that which Christ Jesus took hold of me.

Delivered by Our Savior

We are delivered by our Savior. When we understand this deliverance that Jesus has given us, we will come to a whole new level of pressing on!

Ephesians 4:13 NIV84

13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

Colossians 1:28 NIV84

28 We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ.

Let me explain this in another way. As sinful people, we had no hope and no way to connect with the Holiness of God. We were lost and because of our lostness, we were doomed to the wrath of God. However, God provided a way!

1 Thessalonians 5:9 NIV84

9 For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Can you take hold of that which Christ Jesus took hold of you? Has Jesus taken hold of your life? Jesus perfects us and He gives us the ability to press on from our past.

Press On from the Past (vs. 13)

Paul pressed on from a horrific past. We know from scripture that he persecuted and oversaw the killing of Christians. He had his Damascus Road experience and his life was forever changed. Once his life was changed, he got on an ongoing track.

The Ongoing Track

When you remember who has taken hold of you, life becomes about living for Him instead of living for self. Adjustments are made and new habits are created. The ongoing track is filled with the power of love.

1 John 4:19 NIV84

19 We love because he first loved us.

The power of love was powerful long before Hughey Lewis and the News came out with the song and made it powerful! The ongoing track helps us to press on.

The One Thing

I love this phrase Paul put here, “But one thing I do.” If you are a movie fan from 1991, you will remember City Slickers. It is about 3 men facing a midlife crisis and they decide to go out west for 2 weeks to participate in a real live cattle drive. They seek the wisdom of a tough cowboy named Curly played by Jack Palance. He asks them if they know what the secret of life is. The character played by Billy Crystal says, “No, what?” Curly holds up his finger and says, “This. The one thing.” The city slicker replies, “What’s the one thing?” Curly says, “That’s what you have to find out.” Paul makes it much easier for us. He tells us what the one thing is: “Forgetting what is behind, and straining towards what is ahead.”

Jesus spoke about this in a different way.

Mark 10:21 NIV84

21 Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

Give up what you have accomplished, focus on what is to come.

Psalm 27:4 NIV84

4 One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple.

The Only Technique

The only technique is to forget what is behind and strain toward what is ahead. My past does not define me. The guilt of my former life cannot control me. Every ounce of my being has to look forward to what I am becoming in Christ. When I am straining, I am pushing beyond where I am comfortable. I am straining and stretching. I have to take action steps.

1 Thessalonians 4:3 NIV84

3 It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality;

I strain towards sanctification.

Hebrews 12:14 NIV84

14 Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.

I strain towards being at peace with others.

2 Peter 3:18 NIV84

18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.

I strain towards growing as a Christian.

Press On to the Prize (vs. 14)

Philippians 3:14 NIV84

14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Toward the Goal

Toward the goal to win the prize. I am not looking for a participation trophy. I am looking to win the race. I am not looking to beat out anybody but myself. I am looking to make me the winner and the very best I can be for the glory of God. I am taking hold of that which has taken hold of me! My prize is being a man of Christ. To help illustrate this, Paul is speaking of a prize to a group of Greeks that were all about competing. When the athlete won the contest, he would be summoned to where the judge sat to receive the prize. Can you imagine what the second place person felt, seeing the summons to the judge to gather the prize? Jesus will be our Judge!

2 Corinthians 5:10 NIV84

10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.

Toward God

We need to press on toward God. Heaven is the mark and the mark comes from Heaven!

Romans 6:23 NIV84

23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

I prize on to the heavenward prize of eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord!

Toward Grace

We move toward grace. The more we understand the Grace of God, the closer we embrace it and say thank you Lord! The more we say thank you, the more we press on!

Matthew Henry wrote, “The fitter we grow for heaven, the faster we must press towards it!”

Press on with Persistence

So we press on with persistence! We have to press on with persistence through the trash of our past.

Through the Trash

Philippians 3:7–9 NIV84

7 But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.

Through the Trials

We have to press on with persistence through the trials. James 1:2-4

James 1:2–4 NIV84

2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4 Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

Through the Triumphs

Finally, we press on with persistence even through the triumphs. Forgetting the past means that we also move away from the accomplishments. Paul saw that the Judaizers felt they had achieved so much with their law keeping and uprightness. If the truth be known, many of us rest on the good things we have done as well.

Ecclesiastes 2:11 NIV84

11 Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun.

So whether you win or lose, press on. Don’t press back. Press on. It doesn’t come from my preaching, it comes from you getting in the game and determining to win, God’s way. What is your finish line? Anything less than eternity will make you finish as a loser.