Reaching Past the Struggle

We are continuing our series - Unshakeable: Running the Race Set Before You.

Philippians 3:12–14 CSB

12 Not that I have already reached the goal or am already perfect, but I make every effort to take hold of it because I also have been taken hold of by Christ Jesus. 13 Brothers and sisters, 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, 14 I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus.

In the first part of chapter three Paul says that He considers all he has gained in this life as loss.

Actually he says he considers it dung, trash, or rubbish so he can have a relationship with Jesus.

He wants to have a righteousness that is God’s, know the power of Jesus’ resurrection, and be conformed to Jesus’ death.

We all have goal in life and should in our spiritual life - goals a great but keep this in mind

No one is perfect… yet.

Paul is clear he hasn’t arrived yet

We all make mistakes in life

Even though we know we are going to have issues in this life it is no excuse

We have to keep trying.

The fact that we mess up does not mean we cannot keep trying.

This is not a works thing because we know we cannot earn salvation or our perfection because that is found in Jesus.

Still we are called to become disciples and that means growing like the Lord leads us to.

A very key strategy for moving forward is…

Forget the past.

This doesn’t mean we cannot remember days gone by

We are to forget our past self, the old way we were.

Part of that is letting go of past mistakes and sins.

It can also be letting go of those things what hold you back from moving forward.

Keep running toward the Kingdom and you’ll find it.

This life is not the prize

Our prize is found when Jesus calls us home.

Our job is to keep running toward His kingdom - Matthew 6:33 “33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you.”