 Okay, so chapter three, right? Chapter three, Philippines, let's read a few verses. Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. For me to write the same things to you is not tedious, but for you it is safe. Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the mutilation. For we are the circumcision who worship God in the Spirit. Rejoice in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh. Though I also might have confidence in the flesh, if anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so. Circumcise the eighth day of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews, concerning the law of Pharisee, concerning zeal persecuting the church, concerning the righteousness which is in the law blameless. But what things were gained to me, these I have countered laws for Christ. Yes, yet indeed I also count all things lost for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord, for whom I have suffered the laws of all things, and count them as rubbish that I may gain Christ. And be found in him not having my own righteousness which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith, that I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings being conformed to his death if by any means I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. So he started by saying, my brethren rejoice in the Lord. So if you see this, he says this a few times. I think we see in chapter one also, chapter one also he talks about how he will rejoice. Chapter one was 18, says only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached and in this I rejoice and will rejoice. And he talks about in chapter two just now we read, he's saying, for the same reason you also be glad and rejoice with me. So he's talking about how he's being poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of their faith. And he's saying, I'm glad and rejoice with you all. For this reason, you also be glad and you rejoice. So here in chapter three also he's talking about rejoicing. It's wonderful that we can learn something from Paul, from his whole outlook towards life, outlook towards ministry. And he's saying rejoice in the Lord. And rejoice in the Lord. And he's talking to those people who are, even though he's a prisoner, he's saying rejoice in the Lord. So which means that rejoicing in the Lord or joy, that for us to have the joy, which is a fruit of the Holy Spirit, which we read in Galatians 522, it doesn't have to depend on our circumstance, our physical circumstance. It doesn't have to have, it need not be, I have these things and therefore I will rejoice or everything is going fine, therefore I will rejoice. It doesn't have to be that way at all. It's very clear that Paul, so many times he writes in this, what is called as the prison episode, he writes it and he says, you rejoice, rejoice in the Lord. I rejoice. And so he says, rejoice in the Lord. And again, we know that he will say that in chapter four also, rejoice in the Lord. And again, I will say rejoice. So definitely it's the work of the Spirit in one's life, which causes a person to rejoice and also our perspective of a higher reality, our grasp of the higher reality, that is our grasp of the spiritual reality, knowing that. Here are certain things that are eternal and here are certain things that are temporal. Okay, now if my grasp, if my grip on the things that are spiritual or eternal things, if I'm going to have that before me at all times, then I will be able to rejoice. But if it's going to be on the temporal and my focus is there on the things that are, you know, always on the things that are carnal, then I will not be able to rejoice. So saying rejoice in the Lord verse one, for me to write the same things to you is not tedious, but for you it is safe. Okay, so I'm writing the same things over and over again, and he's going to talk about what is it that he's writing? What is it that he's repeating? Right? So, you know, as a teacher, as an apostle, you know, as one who's laying down doctrine, you know, one of the things of teaching is repetition, right? Like you, a teacher, I'm sure the way we learned our alphabets and the way we learned some of these things is through repeating, you know, multiplication tables in maths, you know, we repeated over and over again. And with the intention of learning, understanding, we, you know, memorizing so that it will remain with us, we repeated it over and over again. So as a teacher, he is repeating certain things and Paul says, you know, for me, it is not tedious, it's not tiresome. In fact, for you, it is safe. Sorry, for the simple reason that you will understand it, you will get to, these things will remain with you. So he uses the word, you know, for you, it is safe, right? Literally, it means it secures, you feel you are secure, you will be certain when these truths are repeated over and over again. Okay, so he's writing the same things, he's not afraid of writing the same things, he's not afraid of repeating the same things, because, you know, repetition means, okay, here are some things to be reiterated, right? These are important things. So I'm going to, you know, say it once more. So in case you didn't, you don't, you didn't understand it earlier, or in case you missed it the earlier time, now you have another chance, another opportunity to understand it, and also to receive it, right? So he's saying, yeah, it is good, it is for you, it is safe, for you, it is something that is, that will make you secure and certain, so I'm repeating it, okay? So what does he say? What are the some things that he's repeating? Verse two, beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the mutilation. So he's, the word beware means be aware, and it also means be alert, right, discern, be careful, okay? So it means observe, discover, understand. So, you know, if there is anything worth, you know, if there's any danger, it's worth that you, you know, keep yourself safe. So he's saying beware of these things. So he's listing down beware of, you know, certain things that he, that we need to be aware of, be careful of, right, discern. So he's saying, what are those things? He's saying beware of dogs. Obviously, he's not referring to the animals, but he's referring to, he's using a word which the Jews used to refer, used to use, you know, the Jews still used at those times to refer to people who were non-Jews, and they used it in a very derogatory term, right? You remember, the Syrophoenician woman who went to ask the Lord, Lord, you know, heal, you know, I'm healing, sorry, she went there on behalf of her daughter, and the Lord says, you know, it is not good to take what the children's bread and give it to the dogs. And she knew what he was referring to, and the Lord used that term there, and she went on to say, okay, but even the little dogs, you know, pets that you keep at home, even they eat crumbs that fall from the table, and the Lord commanded her faith, okay? But the word term dogs was used very disrespectfully by the Jews against the non-Jews, because they looked at themselves as someone far superior, because they had the law which was given to them by God, and God was interacting with them, and through them would come the Messiah, and etc. So, all the non-Jews or the Gentiles were, you know, sometimes referred to disrespectfully as dogs. Now, Paul is using that same word, and he's saying, you beware of dogs. So, what is he referring to? And is he referring to Gentiles? He's actually writing to the Gentile church, right, the non-Jewish church. So, who is he referring to? So, he's referring to, you know, when we read the rest of the words, and the next words we understand. So, he's saying, beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the mutilation, you know. So, he's referring to people who were teaching, referring to people like, he was referring to the Jewish teachers or Judaizers who were traveling, visiting those who had put their faith in Christ, Gentile churches, and they were teaching them that they needed to be circumcised. Now, something that we see in Galatians also, false brethren whom Paul refers them to as, you know, they were going around teaching, meeting with non-Jewish people who had put their faith in Jesus and saying, you need to be circumcised in order to be born again. You need to keep the law of Moses in order to be saved, right? So, he's saying, beware of those evil workers, beware of the mutilation, mutilation, mutilate means to cut away something. You know, he's, you know, referring to the circumcision which they were teaching, you know, which they were saying, you need to be circumcised. So, beware of the mutilation. And then verse 3, we are the circumcision. So, he's referring to certain, you know, what, even in the Old Testament in Jeremiah, where Jeremiah, I think it's, yeah, let's look at Jeremiah 4 and verse 4. Okay, Jeremiah 4 verse 4 says, circumcise yourselves to the Lord and take away the four skins of your hearts, ye men of Judah, inhabitants of Jerusalem, lest my fury come forth like fire and so on. So, what is, you know, here circumcision is something to do with the heart, which we see in the book of Romans also. Like, let me just get read that verse. Romans 5, I think, yeah. Sorry, Romans 2 and verse 25. Okay, Romans chapter 2 and verse 25. So, for circumcision is indeed profitable. Okay, now just skip a few verses here. Verse 28, okay. Romans chapter 2 and verse 28. For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh, but he is a Jew who is one inwardly, and circumcision is that of the heart in the spirit, not in the letter, whose praise is not from men, but from God. So, here he's saying, you know, it's something to do with the heart, something to do with what the internal change. So, that is, you know, circumcision is that. So, here he's saying, you know, we are the circumcision. You know, we are the ones who have had an internal change, a change of heart. You know, we've had a transformation because of our faith in the Lord Jesus. So, we are the circumcision who worship God in the spirit. Right. Now, that's the conversation that the Lord Jesus had with the woman at the well. John chapter 4, 23, 24, that God is spirit. Those who worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. And so, he says here, Paul is saying, you know, we are the circumcision who worship God in the spirit. We've had a change of heart. You know, our spirits are born again. Now, when we worship God, our spirit worships, you know, we worship from our spirit. We worship as led by the Holy Spirit. So, we are the ones, we are the circumcision who worship God in the spirit. Rejoice in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh. Okay. So, rejoice in Christ Jesus. Again, he says, you know, rejoice in the Lord. Rejoice in Christ Jesus. Have no confidence in the flesh, meaning that all these outward forms, excuse me, all these outward forms, all these, you know, the circumcision and keeping of certain time and day and traditions, don't put your confidence in that. Now, that is, you know, that is not going to alter anything or be beneficial to you in the spirit. Right. So, have, do not put your confidence or your trust or rely in those things. Okay. With your trust and confidence and reliance, not be on the things of the flesh. Put no confidence in the flesh. Okay. So, saying, you know, if anyone, you know, that's what we see, right, verse four, though I also may have confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so. So, he's talking about, you know, all the outward forms and all the outward rituals and everything that he did or he held on to as a Pharisee before coming to Jesus. Right. So, he's saying, you know, have no confidence in the flesh. So, if anyone were to have confidence in the flesh, you know, it would be me because of all the things that I very diligently kept and the things that I did. Okay. All the traditions and everything. So, he goes on to explain. Okay. What is it? Circumcise the eighth day of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin. So, he's referring to his lineage. You know, I was from this tribe, the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews concerning the law of Pharisee. So, we know that he was training under Gamaliel as a Pharisee, to be a Pharisee. So, he was really the strictest right. He was being trained to be a Pharisee. And he was a Pharisee under Gamaliel training. So, verse six, concerning Zeal, you know, his Zeal for his teachings and Zeal for, you know, when it came to being a Pharisee, well, he was very zealous. He thought that these believers, these people who are putting their faith in Jesus, were against, were actually blaspheming the law. So, in his mind, you know, they were doing the wrong thing and they needed to be punished. And so, concerning Zeal, his enthusiasm for his religion, he was very zealous. He persecuted the church. Right. He went ahead and he arrested people, threw them into prison, got letters of permission from the, you know, from the Pharisees and from the High Priest and Sanhedrin and he went around persecuting. Concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. According to the law, he did everything. You know, he tried not to miss anything. So, he's saying with confidence that concerning the law, he was blameless. Well, this is what the law prescribed. Paul would do it. It said, don't do this. He will not do it. So, concerning the law, he was righteous. He did everything. Every formula, every tradition, he would do that. So, according to the law, he was blameless. Then was seven. But what things were gained to me, you know, all these, keeping all these traditions and all these trainings as a Pharisee and all these, you know, learnings that he had had. What things were gained to me says, these I count as loss, loss for the sake of Christ. So, whatever things were gained to me, whatever things were, you know, advantages to me at that point as a Pharisee, advantage, you know, maybe influence, maybe the kind of authority, the kind of position that he had, the pride that he had in as one who kept the law, whatever things were gained to me, these I count as loss or damage or something that is a waste. These I counted loss for Christ. Right. So, here he's saying, you know, yet, yeah, I count all things in verse eight. Indeed, I count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord. Okay, so here he uses another word to say that I count, sorry, I'm sorry, he uses the same word loss. And he says, for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ. So, all these things are compared to, you know, when I compare them, I find that these are, you know, these are not worthy, worthy even to be compared with the excellence of the knowledge of Christ, you know, knowledge of Christ far superseded all that, far superseded all that it is, it can't even be compared, it was excellence of the knowledge of Christ. Right. So, saying, you know, this is how I was, and that is how I've come to be. And the knowledge of Christ, the personal experience, the salvation that he experienced in Christ, there's nothing compared to that. All the other things are literally nothing. And the word used there, you know, I count them as loss. And he says, I suffered the laws of all things and count them as rubbish. Okay. And the word that he uses there, again, is, it means it is excreta, you know, a dung, you know, excreta, which is the waste of animals, like the dung of animals, the excretement of animals, you know, he uses very strong word, you know, he says, that is what it is compared to the knowledge of Christ. So you see, you know, two different things. And this is Paul, who had, you know, undergone a lot of training and zealous for the things of, you know, the law and everything. And he's saying, you know, this is what it is, it is, it is actually rubbish. And it is filth. It is worthless. It is, it is, it is like an animal excretion. It's like done. For the excellence of the knowledge of Christ. So this is our knowledge of Christ is it is, it is wonderful. It's excellence, right? Excellency, which is something that is something that stands out, something that is superior, something that is wonderful. Okay. So it is much, much, much superior, wonderful and beautiful and quality, superior, excellent. It, you know, there's no comparison. Right. So he's saying, I call account this as rubbish for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ. So he sees a clear difference, you know, the transformation and the, and the knowledge of Christ. And, you know, he just sees that as something that is something worthy of excellence. Right. So, so verse nine says, and sorry, verse eight also says, for the, for the cause of Christ, or for the, because of the excellence of the knowledge of Christ, I have suffered the laws of all these things. Whatever, whatever he might have gained, whatever reputation he might have gained as someone, whatever standing he had in society, whatever influence that he had as a Pharisee. I've suffered the laws of all these things. And in fact, he was being persecuted and he was persecuted for the faith. He was being hunted down, put in prison for the sake of Christ. And, and he was writing from prison. So he was, you know, he was writing from experience. So he says, I have suffered the laws of all things for the sake of, for the sake of the knowledge of Christ. And, and count them as rubbish, count them as even done that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that, okay, you say talking about, you know, that we found in him, with that righteousness, which comes from faith. So, well, saying, you know, there is this righteousness, which, which is from the law in the sense, okay, I've done everything right, all the works that I've done. And therefore, you know, I can count myself as according to the law, well, I am righteous. Okay, and maybe when you check can see, you can see that, okay, that I have some sense of, you know, righteousness because of the law, but that's nothing. So, you know, and be found in Christ, you know, this is what I want that I may gain Christ and be found in Christ with the righteousness that comes from my faith in the Lord Jesus. Because of my faith in the Lord Jesus, he imputes his righteousness upon me, he gives his righteousness, I get, I'm covered by his righteousness, and I want, you know, that I may be found by him having this righteousness because of my faith in Christ, which is from God by faith. First thing, that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, okay, that I may know him and the power of his resurrection. And, and he goes on to, you know, talk about a few things as well, and the fellowship of his suffering being conformed to his death. So, he's talking about, I may know him, that I may know the power of his resurrection, that I may know the fellowship of his sufferings being conformed to his death. Okay, so the power of his, that I may know him, first of all, you know, saying that, you know, he's already, now, it's not that he does not know Christ, but he wants to know more of him, right? He wants to know more of him, he wants to have this experiential knowledge of him, and the word, the Greek word he uses this genoscope, which means to, you know, I want to have an experiential knowledge. I want to be intimate, excuse me, intimate with the Lord. I want to know his heart, and I don't, I just, I just want to go beyond this head knowledge. It's not head knowledge anymore, but it's heart knowledge. I want to have a heart understanding. I want to experience an experiential knowledge. I really want to know him. It's not information about him, or knowledge about God, or knowledge about certain things, right? So he has experienced, he has experienced Jesus, he has heard his voice. You know, the Lord has come and he has, he has led him, he had spoken to him, and ministry also, he has experienced his power being filled with the Spirit, and all that. So he says, you know, I want to know him more. Oh, that I may know him, that I may know Christ, that I may, you know, hear his voice, experience more of him, experience his touch, his love, his grace, his favor, right? So all that, that I may know him. So he's saying, more than I know now, more than I know him now. I want to be closer. I want to have a closer walk. See, you know, the passion for the presence of the Lord, right? So it's not just, okay, I'm doing ministry in this place. So many people have come to know the Lord, you know, I'm, you know, taking pride in those things. It's not that at all. So he's saying that I may know him at the end of it all. This is what matters that I may know him. So Paul was, he talks about the kind of effort that he put in ministry. He says, you know, I labored more than them all because yet I know this is the grace of God, the grace of God enabled me to work more, you know, do more and everything. So it's not that he was just sitting around saying, I want to know Christ. No, he did his work. He was moved by the grace of God. He was moved by the compassion of God. And he went about, you know, ministry in science wonders miracles. Like, so we, you know, he did all this by the power of the Lord Jesus, by the power of the Holy Spirit. And yet he says that, you know, that I may know him, that I may know him more than I know him now, that I may hear his voice, that I may experience more about Jesus. Okay, so that, that I may know him, verse 10, and the power of his resurrection. So he's talking about the presence of God, the person of the Lord Jesus, and the power of the Lord. At Paul never shied away from letting people know that you need to pursue the power of the Lord Jesus and the power of God, the miraculous, supernatural, miracle-working, you know, raw power of God. There's, you know, it goes where it goes with the presence of God. It goes with the person knowing the person of the Lord. So Paul never held himself back. In fact, he urged people, he, he, you know, in all his teachings, and he urged people to go pursue the presence and the power of God. Like, how do we know that? We, you know, one of the places we see is, of course, here we see this, and about his own, you know, pursuit, and, and of course, he says, be imitators, imitate me as I imitate Christ. So we know that all that he's doing, he's, he's asking people, you know, he's leading by example and asking people to follow the example that he's setting before them. And also we see, you know, in 1 Corinthians 14, right, you see that he's saying, okay, pursue love, desire, spiritual gifts. The spiritual gifts are an expression of the power of the Holy Spirit, right, the power of the Holy Spirit is expressed through the gifts of the Holy Spirit. So he's saying, desire, spiritual gifts, pursue love, the love of God, which he spoke about in chapter 13, the agape, the unconditional love of God. So pursue love and the desire, desire, you've seen the word, you know, the intensity, go after, pursue, crave for the power. So here also we see that, oh, that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, the Holy Spirit resurrection power, the same power that raised Christ from the dead, that he says, you know, that I want to know more about that. I want to, I want to have an experiential knowledge about that, not just read about it, not just talk about it, but I want to experience it, right. Okay. And the fellowship of his sufferings being conformed to his death, so which means that, you know, part of following Jesus, well, the sufferings for the sake of Christ is also part of it, right. And like we studied in 2 Corinthians, we see all the, you know, the difficulties and the travel, the persecutions, like he talks about that, right. Let me just quickly read that 2 Corinthians chapter 11, if you see, you know, he writes verse 23 onwards, he says, you know, in labours more abundant in stripes about measure, above measure, in prisons more frequently in deaths often. And then he writes about, you know, from the Jews, five times I received 40 stripes minus one, three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked a night and a day, I've been in the deep. In journeys often in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in the wilderness, in the sea, among false brethren, weariness and toil and sleeplessness, often in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. And, you know, he lists on all these things and he says, you know, this has been my experience in ministry, right? I undergo this. So he's saying, you know, oh that I might know him, the power of his resurrection, the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings, like being conformed to his death, okay, that I might know the fellowship of his sufferings, that I might have a, you know, communion of the kind of sufferings that, you know, that goes along with the sake of Christ. And being conformed to his death, meaning, that's the triumphant one, that is being triumphant, right? Because his death actually spoke triumph over everything, over the works of Satan, over the works of the flesh, his work spoke triumph, his death spoke triumph, declared victory. So he's saying, be conformed to his death, like if you read Romans chapter six, right, knowing this, that our old man was crucified within Romans six verse six, and maybe, maybe we can look at verse five also, for if we have been united together in the likeness of his death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of his resurrection. So who wrote these words, Paul, right? So he knows that being conformed to his death, meaning that it is being conformed to all that he died to, and being alive, that all his, these, you know, are being resurrected, and being alive in all that he's alive to. So saying, you know, he says in verse six, knowing that our old man was crucified with him, that the body of sin might be done away with that, we should no longer be slaves of sin. For he, who has died, has been freed from sin. Now, if we died with Christ, we believe that we should also live with him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over him. For the death that he died, he died to sin once for all, but the life that he lives, he lives to, he lives to God. So he's talking about, you know, this victory over sin, he's talking about this, you know, his victory over Satan and sin and so on. So he's saying, you know, this thing, the victory over the flesh, so saying that I might also have that know him and the power of resurrection and the fellowship of his suffering being conformed, okay. Now, so, you know, being conformed, being fit into the pattern, right, being conformed, fitting it, right, perfectly being conformed to the, to his death, if by any means I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. Okay. So that's, that's a way of saying that, you know, it's not like he's doubting the resurrection from the dead, that he's saying that I want to be conformed to the death of Jesus, that now when there's a resurrection that I will be conformed to that as well, right, I will attain that as well. So, so that's verse 11. Okay. So now let's look at verse 12 onwards. So not that I have already attained or am already perfected, but I press on, 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. Nevertheless, to the degree that we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule. Let us be of the same mind. Okay. So verse 12 is, he's just saying, okay, not that I have already attained. Okay, not that I have already reached a place of fully mature, and not that I've already reached, you know, being perfected. Now, if you say, you know, being perfected, he says, you know, I don't count myself to have to have apprehended, verse 12, he says, not that nor I am already perfected. So one of the things we need to understand is that this perfection that he's talking about is not the standing that we have in Christ. It's not, you know, he's not talking about being justified. Because we read in Hebrews that by one sacrifice, what do we read then, right? Yeah, he offered one sacrifice. Okay, I'm looking at Hebrews 10. And verse 12, but this man after he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, just skipping down to verse 14, for by one offering, he has perfected forever those who are being sanctified. See the words there. For by one offering, what has he done? He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified. Okay, so that's something we need to understand that we are perfected forever, but we are being sanctified. There's something that is happening. That is something that has already been done. Okay, so that is Hebrews 10 and verse 14. Okay, so if you look at that, you know, by one offering, one sacrifice, he has perfected, okay, matured, accomplished, completely brought to a finished state, a perfect state. There's nothing more to be done. But at the same time, these are being consecrated or set apart or made holy, separated. Okay, now both, it's a reality for both, but it's talking about two different things here. You are being perfected. I mean, you are perfected, but you are being sanctified. As believers, we are perfected. We are made perfect by that one offering, by that one sacrifice, but we are being sanctified. There's an ongoing sanctification that is happening. Okay, so that is what he's referring to, you know, when he's saying, not that I've already been made perfect. Okay, so he's talking about how we are being sanctified, that he is also being you know, sanctified. So he's saying that not that I'm already perfected, he's talking about the work of sanctification or consecration that is already, you know, that is continuing, that is happening in his life, that he's not already attained. Again, he's talking about that, you know, I've not reached that place. I've not reached that place of, you know, completion yet. Okay, so I've not reached that place. But what does he do? But I press on. I follow after. I pursue. I press on. Which means to go swiftly, to pursue intently. It's the picture of one who's running a race, who's running towards the goal. So he's saying, you know, I press on, I run towards the goal. I pursue the goal. Okay, and how does he do that? Right, in what way does he do that? He says, I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ has laid hold of me. So I may lay hold of that, you know, that the very reason for which the Lord Jesus has actually captured me, or he has laid hold of me. He has, you know, he has held me. He has apprehended or he has captured me, literally. So he's saying, you know, I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus also has laid hold of me. Okay, so that is, that is something that he's saying, you know, I've been captured by Christ. I've been laid hold of, and for all those reasons for which he sees me, he took possession of me. And for all those reasons, I need to lay hold of that. You know, I need to have a strong goal, I need to have a strong hold, sorry. So I press on, I pursue, and I, that I may lay hold of that. Okay, one of those things, what is the things that are freely given, the things that, that God is, you know, extending to me, maybe the revelations, the gifts, the outpouring of the Spirit, everything, I want to lay hold of that. I want to have a strong grip on that, a firm grip on that. Like, you know, he's saying, I don't want to let loose out on that. Right? So that I may hold on to that strongly. I may obtain it, appropriate it, have a strong grip of it. So which means that, you know, Paul says this, you know, you work, walk worthy of the Lord in, in the previous chapter, we see that, you know, he's saying, walk worthy of the Lord. And this is, sorry, yeah, I think it was in chapter one, let your conduct, conduct be worthy of the Gospel of Christ. And he's reminding that this is one way of walking worthy, that you don't lose your grip on things for which Christ has laid hold of you the way, you know, he has actually pursued you. He has, you know, you have made your commitment to the Lord and he's holding you. And there are things that he has extended to you. He has put in your life. He has put in your spirit. So don't lose out on that. I don't have a, don't be negligent of that. Don't lose your grip on that, lay hold of that tightly, because for this reason, he actually has laid hold of you, that you might have hope, that you might have comfort, that you might have a future, that you might walk worthy of him, whatever calling, gifting, you know, the way he has placed you in the body of Christ, all that he's putting in your life, the calling for ministry, everything, have a firm grip on that. Don't lose that. Don't be distracted. Don't lose your focus. Don't fall by the wayside. Oh, I'm going to press on, he says. You know, I've not reached that level yet, but I'm pressing on, and I'm so that I may have a strong grip of all these things. Okay. Verse 13, brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended, but one thing I do, I don't count myself, or I don't consider myself to have apprehended. Okay, that's verse 13. Right. I don't count myself to have already, you know, the same thing, you know, just like how, you know, not that I've already attained, he says, I don't count myself to have already apprehended those things. Okay. But this is one thing that I do. This is one thing that I do. Forgetting those things which are behind. I reach out. Right. I reach forward to those things which are ahead of me. And that is a very, very important lesson for us. Right. So the things that are behind could be regrets and failures. It could be accomplishments also. Right. It could be the high points of our lives. It could be the low points of our lives. It could be things that we are proud of. It could be things that we are not proud of. So here he's saying, if I need to lay hold of that, if I need to keep going forward, if I need to fulfill things that God has for me, then I need to do this. Right. He's saying, he's giving us a key for this. He's saying, you know, an answer for some of those things. So he's saying, you know, one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind. Now, these things have happened in the past. It could be good, bad, whatever. I might have accomplished certain things. I, you know, I'm not going to just stay there. I'm not going to stay there, but I'm going to move forward. Right. Sometimes some of those good things that have happened to us, you know, we just keep thinking about them over and over again. Nothing wrong. We give praise to God. Nothing wrong. We need to testify. Yes. What we need to move on. Reach forward to those things that are ahead. And verse 14 he says, I press towards the goal for the price of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. You know, I'm not forgetting my ministry. I'm not forgetting my purpose, the call of God. I go forward. Okay. There's work to be done. There's things to be accomplished and it involves the call of God. It's not come to an end yet. So forgetting those things that are behind, I press forward. I move forward. Okay. So this is verse 14. Okay. So let's stop here and then we will continue in the next class. Okay. So till Philippines 3 and verse 14, you know, if we've come here, we'll stop here. Okay. Thank you.