God Is Not Finished WIth Me! -2021

God is Not Finished With Me!

Philippians 3:13–14 NKJV

13 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, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Prayer

Confession of Faith

I am not moved by what I see or by what I feel. I am moved by what I believe. I believe the WORD of God! The victory is mine! I have it now! I can see it through the eyes of my faith! In Jesus Name!

Intro:

These days are challenging times for many people!

For some - Life is hard!

We are dealing with new problems and concerns that many of us have never dealt with in our lifetimes!

These things are affecting loved ones, spiritually, mentally, emotionally and physically!

But We are still Here

We may not know what tomorrow brings, but we know the one who will bring tomorrow!

Things may or may not be working in your favor, But you are still here!

And because we’re still here you and I - hear me - God is not finished with us yet!

So I like to look at things from the perspective of Second Half -

If you ever watch american football - the game is played in four quarters! Two quarters in succession then there is a break and then the final two quarters!

Second Half

There are events in life - that cause us to pause and reflect

A child is born

A loved one dies

We get the Job

We are laid off the Job

There is an illness in the family

There is a healing in the family

You marry -

You divorce

All type of life events cause us to pause and then we enter into the the second half of your game - of your life!

And God has been with us the entire time!

So we see the Apostle Paul

In the first half of his life Paul was on a mission - a purpose - a calling to destroy the believers

Acts 9:2 NLT

2 He requested letters addressed to the synagogues in Damascus, asking for their cooperation in the arrest of any followers of the Way he found there. He wanted to bring them—both men and women—back to Jerusalem in chains.

But then a Life Changing Event happened to Saul - Jesus got a hold of him!

Acts 9:3 NLT

3 As he was approaching Damascus on this mission, a light from heaven suddenly shone down around him.

Acts 9:4 NLT

4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?”

Acts 9:5 NLT

5 “Who are you, lord?” Saul asked. And the voice replied, “I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting!

Acts 9:6 NKJV

6 So he, trembling and astonished, said, “Lord, what do You want me to do?” Then the Lord said to him, “Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”

Second Half

God was not finished with Paul

Paul received his mission from the Lord - to Proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles!

Now is the time to run your race with purpose! Run your race to win!

Paul told the Corinthian Church

1 Corinthians 9:24–27 The Message

24 You’ve all been to the stadium and seen the athletes race. Everyone runs; one wins. Run to win. 25 All good athletes train hard. They do it for a gold medal that tarnishes and fades. You’re after one that’s gold eternally. 26 I don’t know about you, but I’m running hard for the finish line. I’m giving it everything I’ve got. No sloppy living for me! 27 I’m staying alert and in top condition. I’m not going to get caught napping, telling everyone else all about it and then missing out myself.

Don’t waste time on the mistakes of the past, the bad decisions, the hurts, the brokenness of the first half!

God is not finished with you!

God has a plan and a purpose for the rest of your life! God always has had a purpose for your life! Everything that has happened to you and me has gotten us to this very moment in our life!

Jeremiah 29:11 NIV

11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Run Your Race

1 Corinthians 9:26 The Living Bible

26 So I run straight to the goal with purpose in every step. I fight to win. I’m not just shadow-boxing or playing around.

Saved For A Purpose!

When Jesus saved Paul, that was just the beginning, not the end.

He had been saved to live for Christ and to serve Christ, and as long as he was on this earth he was going to live for Christ and do all he could to serve Christ.

You and me we are saved to Live for Jesus Christ

Philippians 3:14 NLT

14 I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.

The word press means to "follow after" to pursue just like a runner in a race.

See we don’t have the time nor the luxury to walk around aimlessly!

We don’t have the time to be lying around in comfort

We don’t have the time to be complacent

We don’t have the time to be lethargic

Jesus saved You and me to do the work of sharing the Good news and building the kingdom of God!

There is no such thing as a genuine believer sitting still after he or she has been saved.

You can’t waste time.

You can’t lose opportunities.

You can’t think you are safe and secure forever.

You can’t do what you like to do and have your way all the time.

If you have been saved by Jesus Christ you must run, you must follow, you must press towards the mark of the higher calling in Jesus Christ!

Philippians 3:12 CEB

12 It’s not that I have already reached this goal or have already been perfected, but I pursue it, so that I may grab hold of it because Christ grabbed hold of me for just this purpose.

The Goal

The goal now is to live for Jesus

The goal is to serve Jesus

Philippians 3:13 NLT

13 No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead,

God is Not Finished With Me!

So Many of us are stuck in the past

So many of us are stuck in past failures

So many of us are stuck in - past shortcomings

So many of us are stuck in an emotional and mental struggle - wanting to move - but finding comfort in the past !

The Question Is - How do we move past those things?

Yes It is one of the most difficult things in all the world to do.

And it is especially difficult if others are not forgiving and willing to let us put our failures and mistakes behind us.

So Paul tells us how to deal with the past.

How?

By concentrating and controlling the mind and by reaching forth to those things which are before us.

Philippians 3:13 NKJV

13 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,

One Thing

⇒ but one thing.

⇒ but this one thing I do.

Reach forth to those things that are before us.

We have got to forget the past and reach forth.

The past cannot be forgotten without reaching forth to what lies ahead.

We cannot sit around moaning and regretting the past.

When we do that we are only concentrating on the past.

The things of the past are to be forgotten.

The things of the future are to be the focus of the mind.

We must zero in on the things at hand and on the things that lie ahead.

If we do this, there is no time to wallow around in the past and its failure.

1 Corinthians 15:58 NLT

58 So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.

Galatians 6:9 NCV

9 We must not become tired of doing good. We will receive our harvest of eternal life at the right time if we do not give up.

One Thing

With all the mistakes Paul made in the first half of his life - he gives you and me hope and encouragement to Press On!

Paul pressed on toward the goal, toward God's purpose in Christ Jesus.

Paul’s goal was to be conformed to the image of Christ!

To have his life completely model that of his Elder Brother Jesus

It is to be conformed to the image of Christ—to be perfect even as He is perfect. Once we are perfect...

His goal was to change his life to live in such a way that God was always honored

His goal was to change his life to live in such a manner that God was always glorified!

His goal was to live in the power of God

His goal was to walk in the presence of God

His goal was to live in right standing with God

His goal was to live a life of purity and integrity

His goal was to live a life of worship before God

His goal was to serve God eternally

• we shall live worshipping and serving God eternally.

Here is what Paul knew and we should understand this

Romans 8:29 NLT

29 For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.

God knows you and God knows me!

He chose us to become like his Son Jesus!

He chose us to be a part of the kingdom of God!

He is calling us to press on! Forget the past and lay hold to the future! To understand our destiny is to change the world!

God is not finished with you!

Keep on Pressing toward the Mark

I’ll leave you with this

1 John 3:2 NKJV

2 Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.