Press On

Intro:

This morning we are going to wrap up our series worthy of the Gospel.

In the opening of Chapter 3 Paul is warning the believers to beware of religion. His caution is steer clear of confidence in the flesh. There is a form and function of religion that is rooted in the works of the flesh and does not produce godly righteousness, but self-righteousness.

Paul points to the truth that it is all for Christ. He says that He counts all things as loss so that he might gain Christ, and be found in Him.

I feel like this so beautifully sums up much of what we have been talking about in maturing in Christ. He is the one we are seeking. We are not looking for form and function to look religious outwardly. Our aim is to know Him and be known by Him.

The process of maturity is beautiful and trying. It is difficult yet rewarding. There are moments of triumph and at times feelings of total defeat. While we love the beauty, reward, and triumph of our growth I want to speak this morning to the moments where we are in the struggle.

Those moments where you are between problem and the promise. When your trying but you feel stuck, the road your on feels difficult, and maybe a recent setback has left you feeling defeated.

How do we respond to adversity in the process of maturity?

The title of my final message in the series is press on. As I was praying about the message a portion of scripture from Philippians 3:12-15 really leapt out at me.

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Submit:

If you would open your bibles to the book of Philippians 3:12–15. Here Paul transparently declares that he has not attained perfection. Let’s look at it.

Philippians 3:12-15 “Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. 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, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you.”

Verse 12 leaps out at me every time I read it! Paul says, Not that I have already attained, or am already perfect; but I press on!

I want you to get ahold of that verse this morning! Paul wrote two thirds of the new testament but he is telling you he is still in progress. What causes my heart to leap within me is his response. I press on!

(Look at your neighbor and tell them press on!)

When we are in the process, in the waiting, in the difficulty and strain, in the moments when you feel like a failure how do you respond? You press on! This life is not about your perfection its about progress! Its about the process of discovering what Jesus has laid hold of, until lays hold of you! 1 Corinthians 9:24.

Remember in 1 Corinthians 9:24 it says, “Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it.”

We are running the kingdom race and our prize is knowing Him!

When we face the difficulties or setbacks, when we feel defeated and stuck we must learn to forget those things which are behind and reach forward to those things which are ahead!

If satan can keep us focusing on where we have been, He will keep us from seeing where God wants to take us. If he can keep you looking at your past, he can successfully distort your future.

The fullness of our salvation will be when we see Jesus face to face. We have not yet full attained or apprehended. We are in process. We are still maturing, still learning to walk by faith, still learning how to lean into the word and the promises of God.

When we make a mistake, we must learn a lifestyle of repentance. We put the mistake under the blood of Jesus and we reach forward. We don’t dwell on the failure, we reach forward. We look for the promise in Christ of forgiveness, restoration, and transformation.

Nothing good comes out of prolonged introspection. We must stop trying to self-diagnose our failures and get back to aligning ourselves with the word of God.

Listen, the call of God is upward. Get your eyes up. You don’t mature and change by studying your flesh. So don’t let the devil fix your eyes on the downward spiral of the flesh. The result of introspection will always be frustration, and it won’t lead you to change. You become frustrated with who you are, you become frustrated with how far you have to go. Satan will speak into the frustration to get you to quit.

You will mature when you get your eyes on Jesus and align yourself to His ways. When something in your life doesn’t look like it should you study the word for God’s promise, and when you find it you ask the Holy Spirit to help you live it out!

You fall into sin, repent, seek the word, and make the change. You lack understanding or wisdom, pray and ask, pick up the word, and seek until you find. Your sick in body, call for the elders of the church to pray over you, study the word on divine health and healing, confess the word over your life. If healing requires change to physical lifestyle gain the knowledge and make the change.

We are in process. We must learn to reach forward and press on. To apprehend and attain what Christ has apprehended for us. God’s promises are our possession.

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Apply:

Maintain your focus. Paul reminds us in Philippians 3:20 that our “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,”

Stand fast in the Lord. Philippians 1:27 “Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel,”

How do we stand fast in the Lord when we are facing the uncertainties, difficulties, and failure moments of life? Philippians 4:4.

Philippians 4:4 “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!”

Do you want to know the best response to adversity and failure? Worship.

Worship shifts your perspective from your failure or adversity to the one who is greater than your situation.

Worship gives an invitation for the Lord to enthrone himself in your life and situation.

Let me help you with something. You are not going to be perfect in your life.

Worship redefines the parameters of your situation because it reminds you that God is greater than your difficulty. He is more powerful than the problem, and more merciful than the shame you feel.

Worship brings you to a place of surrender.

If there is something I have learned about failure it is this. Mankind still responds like Adam and Eve in the garden. Their first inclination is to run and hide.

We don’t need to run and hide from His presence. We need to learn how to run and hide in His presence through worship!

The beauty of our salvation is that He already knows the failure and He made a way through Jesus for us to be cleansed and transformed. He has the solution for our issues, and it’s surrender, not shame.

Along with worship He gives us a remedy for how to handle the anxious moments of life and uncertainty. Prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving. Philippians 4:6-7.

Philippians 4:6–7 “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

Worship shifts our perspective by reminding us that He is near. Prayer reminds us that in all things God is working it out for our good.

Remember that I shared with you that it doesn’t always look the way you expect it to. At times He allows the trials because they are perfecting and maturing us. Prayer guards us in the process by giving us a peace that passes all understanding.

You may be wondering how does that work?

When you have your eyes and heart fixed on Jesus you can endure pretty much anything.

Isaiah 9:6. foretold the characteristics of Jesus. “For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

Jesus is the Prince of Peace. When your going through a storm, Peace is not the absence of the problem its the presence of a person.

The reason it surpasses all understanding is because those around you would expect your gaze to be on the problem, and they would expect your heart to be shifted by the problem. When they see you at peace in the midst of the storm it surpasses understanding.

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Closing:

Worship and prayer lead to an important principle, mediation.

I am not talking about eastern forms or new age principles of meditation that want you to completely clear your mind.

I am talking about biblical mediation where you fill your mind with the things of God and you take the time to consider them. You engage with the promises of God until they plant themselves in your heart, and grow roots. Philippians 4:8.

Philippians 4:8 gives insight into this, “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.”

You won’t have peace if your attached to anxious worry, and prayerlessness.

You will have to get your mind on the right things. Learn to think on things that are true (the word), things that are honorable and morally right, things that are pure (holy), things that are lovely (attributes of the love of God), things that are of good report or praiseworthy (our daily focus is drawn away by chaos and destruction in the world) look for the good.

If we don’t moderate and take inventory of what we are putting inside of us we have the potential to produce a reality that we don’t desire. Right focus through biblical mediation aligns our hearts to His. The memorization of scripture hides the word in our heart so that we have something to draw from in any moment.

The strength and peace of our life is His presence, and His word.

The final aspect I want look at in our response to adversity is contentment. Philippians 4:11-12.

Paul says in Philippians 4:11–12 “Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.”

Frustration in the process of maturity often arises from a lack of contentment. We are not where we thought we would be. The process is harder than we expected, and taking longer than we thought. If we can learn the principle of contentment we will find the strength of Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

His strength will see you through every peak and valley. He will guide, lead, and direct you in all things. Ultimately, you will see the promise of Philippians 4:19 “And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”

He will never leave you or forsake you. Lean in to Him, reach forward, and press on.

Let’s pray!

1. Holy Spirit help us to lean in. (invite people to the altar to surrender). to break the spirit of shame, defeat, and fear.

2. Salvation