Philippians 3:12-16

Philippians 3:12 HCSB

12 Not that I have already reached the goal or am already fully mature, but I make every effort to take hold of it because I also have been taken hold of by Christ Jesus.

Let me remind you of last weeks text that Cameron walked us through.

Philippians 3:4–11 HCSB

4 although I once also had confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he has grounds for confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised the eighth day; of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews; regarding the law, a Pharisee; 6 regarding zeal, persecuting the church; regarding the righteousness that is in the law, blameless. 7 But everything that was a gain to me, I have considered to be a loss because of Christ. 8 More than that, I also consider everything to be a loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. Because of Him I have suffered the loss of all things and consider them filth, so that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own from the law, but one that is through faith in Christ —the righteousness from God based on faith. 10 My goal is to know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, 11 assuming that I will somehow reach the resurrection from among the dead.

Philippians 3:12 HCSB

12 Not that I have already reached the goal or am already fully mature, but I make every effort to take hold of it because I also have been taken hold of by Christ Jesus.

The goal is to reach the resurrection from among the dead.

Paul discusses life after salvation/baptism and death.

What happens during this time in a believers life?

Posture

He Paul who is responsible for penning 13 letters of the New Testament scripture says that I have not yet reached this goal and I am not fully mature.

This is a good place to be in our Spiritual walk. Remember all the accolades of the flesh that he listed before.

He of course I says, I consider those as loss in view of knowing Christ Jesus

I have not reached the goal or am already fully mature.

We have watched as many Christian leaders have fallen late in life. Perhaps this posture of thinking I have not yet reached the goal or become fully mature.

I make every effort to take hold of it because I have been taken hold of by Christ Jesus.

I seek the resurrection among the dead because I have been taken hold of by Christ Jesus

Sit in that for a second. Christ Jesus has taken hold of you.

Philippians 3:13 HCSB

13 Brothers, I do not consider myself to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead,

Again, I do not consider myself to have taken hold of it.

One thing I do

Forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead

Never run a race looking over your shoulder

Don’t run the bases looking backwards

Failures of the Past

The Bible Exposition Commentary Chapter Eight: Let’s Win the Race! (Philippians 3:12–16)

It simply means that we break the power of the past by living for the future. We cannot change the past, but we can change the meaning of the past. There were things in Paul’s past that could have been weights to hold him back (

1 Timothy 1:12–17 HCSB

12 I give thanks to Christ Jesus our Lord who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, appointing me to the ministry— 13 one who was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an arrogant man. But I received mercy because I acted out of ignorance in unbelief. 14 And the grace of our Lord overflowed, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 15 This saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” —and I am the worst of them. 16 But I received mercy for this reason, so that in me, the worst of them, Christ Jesus might demonstrate His extraordinary patience as an example to those who would believe in Him for eternal life. 17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

We can change the meaning of the past and not live in our past.

Last night, Kylie had an ear ache.

I have had ear aches as a kid

One time my ear drum burst in the middle of the night

I remember that. It was so painful. I was 7 or 8 and I remember that.

I remembered my past ear pain and it gave me the ability to help her get relief in the middle of the night.

Think about it for a moment if I decided to live in my past ear pain and not allow it to help her.

I would have just started crying and curling up next to her and joining her in my pain. ha

Funny example but this is often what we do as adults. Rather than change the meaning of our past and use the pain of the past to change us for the future we like to curl up and stay in the pain

but

Christ did not go to the cross to leave you in your pain. What Satan meant for evil Christ died to use that junk for good. He has delivered you from that.

Successes of the Past

Our past success may also interrupt our condition. Look back at Philippians 3 and Paul could boast in the flesh.

Ever met someone that lives their current life based on past success?

It might be tempting to bank on the success of your parents in the faith and for their faith to be lived out in you.

Make your faith your own. Press on for the goal for yourself not because of your parents or grandparents success.

Philippians 3:14 HCSB

14 I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus.

I pursue

I Press

I follow after

This carries the idea of intense endeavor

Greeks used it to describe a hunter eagerly pursuing his prey

Zeal that Paul used in persecuting the church

Get in the game! Pursue the prize. Don’t sit on the sidelines. Don’t coach from the stands. Get in the game

Put the effort in to pursue the goal.

The Bible Exposition Commentary Chapter Eight: Let’s Win the Race! (Philippians 3:12–16)

“Let go and let God!” is a clever slogan, but it does not fully describe the process of Christian living. What quarterback would say to his team, “OK, men, just let go and let the coach do it all!” On the other hand, no quarterback would say, “Listen to me and forget what the coach says!” Both extremes are wrong.

The Christian runner with the spiritual mind realizes that God must work in him if he is going to win the race (

Philippians 3:15–16 HCSB

15 Therefore, all who are mature should think this way. And if you think differently about anything, God will reveal this also to you. 16 In any case, we should live up to whatever truth we have attained.

All who are mature should think this way

If you think differently God will reveal this also to you

Live up to whatever truth we have attained