I'm Pressing On

Phil. 3:12-14

Philippians 3:12–14 NASB95

Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Have you already reached spiritual maturity? Are you satisfied with your spiritual attainments?

There are three types of people that I see in the church when it comes to spiritual maturity.

The Christian Retiree

I think many times in the church we have what I like to call Christian retirees. They think they have done their time (prison), they have completed their spiritual walk and it’s time for everyone else to do the work. Yet we find nowhere in scripture where there are Christian retirees. Revelation 14:13 “And I heard a voice from heaven, saying, “Write, ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on!’ ” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “so that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow with them.”” 1 Corinthians 15:58 “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.” We don’t stop serving and working in the Lords’ kingdom until we die Revelation 2:10 “Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.”

The Self-absorbed Christian

We also have in the church those who are satisfied with their performance because they compare themselves to everyone else and they say I do more than they do I am more godly than they are, I’m more spiritual than they are but they forget that we are to compare ourselves to Christ not others people. We are to be conforming to the image of Christ, we are to have the same attitude as Christ, we are to follow in Jesus’ footsteps.

Who among us has the audacity to say they have reached that level of spirituality?

Paul certainly did not. v. 12 I have not obtained it yet, I have not become perfect (mature) & v. 13 I have not laid hold of the goal yet. He is not there. He still needs to press on. Still needs to work, still needs to serve, still needs to press on towards spiritual maturity. If anyone could boast about how much he had done for the Lord and say, I have done enough it would be Paul but he doesn’t.

The Press On Christian

This is the Christian who like Paul is constantly striving for spiritual maturity. This is the person who desires more than anything to be like Christ and fulfill the work of Christ in their lives. This is the person who lives and dies for the Lord.

Press On = intense endeavor - singleness of purpose - ceaseless exertion. It doesn’t ever stop until the day that we take our last breathe and our time here on earth has ceased. The picture is of an athlete who is always trying to get better, stronger, faster so that they can compete at the highest level. So that they can win the prize. What’s the prize for Paul? that he can lay hold of what Christ laid hold of him for. To complete the work of Christ and take the gospel to all the world.

What did Christ lay a hold of you for?

He didn’t lay hold of you and save you so that you can sit on your laurels and reap all the benefits of being in Christ Jesus while everyone else does the work for you. Ephesians 2:10 “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.”

Are you pressing on for the Lord by doing the work that God has called you to? Do you want to be all that you can be for the Lord?

Then we need to press on!

How do we Press on?

FORGET WHAT LIES BEHIND

Paul did not dwell on the past. He did not allow the past to dominate his thoughts. He did not allow the past to distract him from what he needed to do in the present. He did not live in the past. Well what did he forget? He did not forget what Christ had done for him and what Jesus had called Him to do? So what did he forget?

His Past Successes

His achievements as a Jew 3:4-6

Sacrifices made as a Christian 3:7-8

Missionary Journeys

People he had won to Christ

Suffering he had endured for Jesus

Those were in the past. I am so tired of hearing that in the 50’s we were the fastest growing church blah blah blah. We don’t live in the 50’s, today is 2024 and we are not the fasting growing religion in the united states and the reason is because we rest on past successes instead of straining ahead. What matters is what we are doing today as we look forward to the future.

His Past Failures

Persecution of the church 3:6

Not perfect 3:12

All the bad he had done

All the things he had not done

We can allow these failures to be stumbling blocks or stepping stones or building blocks. It’s up to us. Sometimes we just wallow in misery because of failures instead of picking up ourselves by the boot straps and saying my story is not done. I have God who can and will help me overcome my past failures through the power of Jesus Christ.

Brothers and sister we need to forget the past just like Paul. Forget those past successes and forget those past failures and...

REACH FORWARD/PRESS ON

REACHING FORWARD = The idea is stretching forward to cross that finish line its that last final push, giving it all you got. Some of us are not stretching, we are not pushing ourselves to do more for Jesus, to be more like Jesus. We are entirely too comfortable where we are. We are satisfied with who we are and where we are at. We need to reach forward and press on. Work harder, push harder, try harder. Give the christian walk everything we got. This all reminds me of what the Hebrew writer said.

Hebrews 12:1–2 NASB95

Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

You see we need to lay aside the encumbrance of our past both the failures and successes so we can run without being entangled. We need to fix our eyes, minds, hearts, our lives on Jesus, pressing on in our Christian race until we die and receive the our eternal reward.

Do you have your eyes on the finish line? Are you straining toward that goal or have you given up and are slowing down?

Just like that sprinter you may be in danger of loosing the race, the prize that will never fade away. 1 Corinthians 9:24–25 “Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.” ;

How are we going to press on?

lay aside the dead weight of the past

focus on what’s ahead and not behind

press towards the goal

many people pursue secular goals with great intensity and passion, they stretch themselves to achieve earthly success.

Do we pursue spiritual goals with as much or more intensity and passion as earthly goals? Do we stretch ourselves more to achieve spiritual maturity or earthly success?

Colossians 3:1–2 NASB95

Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.

Keep pressing on, keep seeking the things above, set our minds on the things above forget the past and strain towards what’s ahead.

What’s our motivation? Is not the love of Christ displayed on the cross?

That’s what motivated Paul. It’s what controls us and compels us to strive towards spiritual perfection. That’s what leads us to say what Paul does in Philippians 3:10–11 “that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.”

Do you know Jesus? Have you experienced the resurrection in your life by being baptised into Christ death and being resurrected in newness of life through baptism? Are you living for Him each and every day and are you forgetting what is behind and reaching forward and pressing to the goal?

If we can help you do that this morning please come while we stand and sing.