 All right, well we're going to go ahead and get started in our fourth session with the Master in Fullness of Joy and looking at the need to not get caught in our past or even our present but to move on. And so the importance of pressing on or going on. So turn with me to Philippians 3, 12 to 14. Philippians 3, 12 to 14, I had the wonderful privilege when my husband was at the Master's Seminary. I was the first graduating class in the 80s but I had a wonderful privilege of being discipled by Elizabeth George, many of you know her and for a couple of years while I was out there and she's written several books but one that I think specifically is very good in helping women with their thought life is loving God with all your mind and in that book she tells a story about a missionary who is trying to teach his people the verses that we're going to cover in this lesson and several days after the lesson one of his students approached the missionary with the following poem that he wrote that he felt would explain the verses that we're getting ready to cover and the poem went like this. Go on, go on, go on, go on, go on, go on, go on, go on, go on, go on, go on. Now there are seven more identical stanzas to this poem and don't worry I'm not going to bore you with them but I'm sure you get the message this student was trying to convey, right? Go on. But Paul says it a little more differently and in a little more detail and I'm glad because I'm not sure I could expose it very much on two words go on, go on, go on, go on. So let's see how Paul puts it, Philippians 3, 12 to 14. He says, not that I've already tamed or I'm already perfect but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus also laid hold of me. Brethren I do not count myself to have apprehended but one thing I do forget those things which are behind and reach forth to those things which are ahead. I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Now the outline for this lesson you have it there before you Lord willing we're going to look first of all the reason that Paul goes on verse 12 secondly the right means that Paul takes to go on in verse 13 and then the reward that Paul is going to receive for going on in verse 14. Now let's first of all look at the reason that Paul goes on. He says not that I've already attained Paul says you know what I'm not there yet. I'm not there yet. I haven't attained. I have not laid hold of perfection yet. These contrary to what many people teach today in churches you are not going to attain to perfection in this life and you know Paul even realized that I haven't attained I'm not perfect I'm not there yet and I've often told people you know if you ever meet someone that says they don't sin I would say I'd like to meet their spouse and ask them because I bet they would tell me a little bit different story. The only time we are going to attain or get that perfection is in glory I have never met a perfect person and if you have I want to talk to you afterwards if you can catch me before I leave and so Paul saying I want you guys to know I haven't attained I'm not perfect and you know that would be an amazing statement because to the church at Philippi Paul was a spiritual giant I mean we would say wow you're kidding me he hasn't attained in fact you might be Paul might be tempted to think you know hey maybe I have because in Philippians chapter three he starts talking about you know I'm circumcised the eighth day of I'm the stock of Israel the tribe of the of the Hebrews I'm all these things concerning zeal I persecuted the church touching the righteousness of the law I was blameless but Paul said even though I have all those qualities I am not perfect lady no one's attained no one is perfect I don't know who your spiritual guru is your idol but he or she has hopefully it's not Joel Osteen or Joel Joe espires but I don't know who it is you know there's so many out there today John MacArthur John Piper you know hopefully not Rick Warren but Martha peace Elizabeth you know whoever they are no one has attained now someone in this life tries to tell you they have you better beware and get away from them because Paul says therefore let him who thinks he has thinks he stands take he least you what fall better be careful ladies the closer that you and I get to Jesus Christ the more we should see our sinfulness and the more we realize that we haven't attained in fact the closer we get to God the more we see our wretchedness in our wickedness in fact one writer says the way up is the way down right and Paul goes on to say because it's not all not only have I not attained I'm not already perfected this means to be made perfect or complete in the sense of reaching one's prescribed goal it pertains to sinless affection I haven't attained I'm not perfect so what should we do Paul I mean if I can't reach perfection in this life why should I try I mean why don't I just give up I'm tired of fighting against sin I'm tired of it well Paul gives the reason for why he goes on notice what he says so that I I press on so that I can lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus laid hold of me the words press on here mean to follow after or pursue an object striving to obtain it Paul says I steadily pursue my course I don't give up I go on and on and on and on I persevere and do you know a genuine Christian perseveres Paul talks a lot about that in Hebrews you are Christ's son or we might say Christ's daughters if you hold fast to the end if you hold fast to the end ladies if you don't hold fast to the end it proves you are never of them because John says they went out from us for they were not of us if they've been of us they would have continued with us they went out it might be made manifest they were never of us they apostatized because they were never of us but Paul says I press on I keep persevering why why do you persevere Paul notice what he says so that I can lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus laid hold of me what does that mean well the lay hold of means to see suddenly and with eagerness to reach for something what is Paul reaching for notice what he says for that thing which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me what's Paul saying here listen very carefully Paul wants to reach and to lay hold on the purpose for which Jesus Christ took hold of him on the Damascus road when he saved him I'm grasping for that which also I was grasp we could put it that way in fact the idea that Paul is Paul saying I mean when he was called on the Damascus road by the Lord for a purpose and that purpose was to serve in fact the Lord laid hold of Paul for a definite purpose so Paul would lay hold of that for which now Christ had laid hold of him in fact let's go back to the time that he's talking about look back at Acts chapter 9 amazing story here when Christ laid hold of Paul when did you know and he's if you are born again you know there was a time when Christ Jesus laid hold of you too and I'm thankful he did I'm thankful he laid hold of me especially in my hypocrisy but here's Paul's story we all have a story here's Paul look at Acts 9 then Saul still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord went to the high priest and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus so if he found any who are of the way with their men or women he might bring them bound to Jerusalem and as he journeyed he came near Damascus and suddenly a light shone round about him from heaven and he fell to the ground he heard a voice send him Saul Saul why are you persecuting me and he said who are you Lord and the Lord said I am Jesus whom you're persecuting is it hard for you to kick against the goats so he trembling and I said Lord what do you want me to do and the Lord said him arise and you will go into the city and you will be told what you must do and the men who journeyed with him stood speechless hearing a voice but seeing no one and Saul rose from the ground and when his eyes were opened he saw no one but they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus he was there three days without sight neither ate or drank now there's a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias and to him the Lord said in a vision Ananias and he said here I am Lord and the Lord said to him arise go to the street called stray and inquire at the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus for behold he's praying and in a vision he's seen a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hand on him so he might receive his sight and Ananias answered Lord I've heard from many about this man how much harm he's done to your saints in Jerusalem and here he has authority from the chief priest to bind all who call in your name but the Lord said to him go for he is a chosen vessel of mind to bear my name before Gentiles kings and the children of Israel for I will show him how many things he will suffer for my name's sake and in Ananias when his way entered his house laid his hands on him said brother Saul the Lord Jesus who appeared you on the road as you came and sent me that you might receive your sight be filled with Holy Spirit immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales and received his sight at once and he rose and was baptized so when he was received had received food he was strengthened then Saul spent many days with the disciples at Damascus and immediately he preached Christ in the synagogues that he is the son of God then all who heard were amazed and said is not this he who destroyed those who were called on this name in Jerusalem and he's come here for that purpose so he might bring them bound to the chief priest but Saul increased the more and strengthened confounded the Jews who dwelt in Damascus proving that this Jesus is a Christ and after many days the Jews plotted to kill him what was the purpose for which Jesus Christ laid hold of Paul or seized Paul the answer is found in our Lord's verses in verse 15 here's the purpose to bear my name before Gentiles kings and the children of Israel my sister do you realize God seized you he grasp you with an eagerness for a purpose and that purpose is to serve him did you know that he didn't save you so you could sit around and eat chocolate bonbons and watch soap operas do you know what your purpose is do you know what your purpose in life is I think it's very important that we know what God has called us to be and to do and then that we do it and Paul says I want to lay hold of that thing for which Christ Jesus laid hold of me that's why I keep moving that's why I go on go on go on go on well after Paul gives the reason for why he goes on he gives he then gives two right reasons or means for which to go on I know some people in this life want to go on but the means they use are worldly and they result in unrighteousness but not Paul he wants to go on in the right way notice what he says in verse 13 brethren I do not count myself to have apprehended but one thing I do I forget those things which are behind and I reach forward to that which is ahead now Paul uses the term brethren to show him he loves him it's a term of endearment but he's very concerned he's very moved about this matter because you know what nothing new under the Sun and I imagine that like there's many of you here today that are having struggling moving on you're kind of becoming apathetic you're kind of tired of the Christian walk and the struggles and the burdens and the fight against sin there's nothing new under the Sun there were those in Paul's day to I mean we have that Yodian syndicate soon touchy in Shephlippians chapter 4 that we're fighting I don't know what their problem was probably had something to do over whether you home school or not or the color of the carpet or something I don't know but nothing new under the Sun we've always got issues and Paul's very concerned about them he's very moved about this matter brethren sister in I do not count myself to have apprehended remember I'm not perfect I haven't attained but then he goes on to say but this one thing I do notice Paul does not say as some of us would say I have a million things to do that's what I keep telling myself I have a million things to do Paul has one thing to do one thing alone in fact the one thing Paul has to do is found in verse 14 which is to press toward the mark of the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus and by the way my friend no matter if you think you have a lot of things to do today or tomorrow or the next day you know you have one thing to do you have one thing you need to be doing press toward the goal for the mark of the prize of the high calling in Christ Jesus in fact Warren Wearsby says this one thing is a phrase that is important to the Christian life one thing you lack said Jesus to the self-righteous rich young ruler one thing is needful he said to busy Martha when she criticized her sister one thing I know said the man who had received his sight by the power of Christ one thing have I desired of the Lord that I will seek after said the psalmist and then he goes on to say too many Christians are too involved in many things when the secret of progress is to concentrate on one thing ladies you know that was a turning point in DL Moody's life and too bad the school he founded has now gone botched but when back when I went to Moody Bible Institute it was a Bible school where I actually taught you how to study the Bible now it's become like many good institutions it's become very integrational and not a school that I would recommend but you know when DL Moody founded before he founded Moody Bible Institute remember the great Chicago fire and you grown girls probably don't know the cow that kicked over the lantern not the cow that kicked over the moon but the lantern and there was that great Chicago fire in 1871 and before that happened DL Moody was involved in Sunday school promotions YMCA evangelistic meetings and all these things he was doing all the stuff and after the Chicago fire the great Chicago fire which is where he lived that's where Moody Bible Institute is after that great Chicago fire you know he reevaluated his life because you know tragedy has a way of causing us to reevaluate our lives doesn't it and I know that those of you that go to cornerstone you've just had a serious tragedy with the death of a dear brother but that often causes us to stop and think right what am I doing with my life and he decided after the great Chicago fire that he would devote himself to one thing and that was evangelism he felt like that was the reason that Christ had laid hold of him was to be an evangelist in fact this one thing I do became a reality to him and as a result millions of people heard the gospel of Jesus Christ because DL Moody finally became focused on one thing ladies that's why I think it's imperative to know what God has called you to be in to do and I'm so thankful many years ago a long time ago my husband said Susan you need to write out a purpose statement and I'm like what do you mean a purpose statement he said why did God save you what is the one thing that he wants you to be doing with your life besides what is obvious and other wife and a grandma and you know what I'm really glad that my husband had me do that because I wrote out a purpose statement what I really felt God wanted me to do with my life and you know what it's really made me more focused and more productive for the Lord's work and to be able to press on and it helps me weed out things that are peripheral and concentrate on the one thing that is needful when the thing that I should be doing and to do it with excellence ladies in order for you and I and Paul to strive for that one thing we must forget some things and we must reach for some things in fact Paul puts it like this I forget those things which are behind and I reach forward to those things which are ahead now the word forget here is very interesting it means to lose it out of your mind to completely forget it to no longer be influenced or affected by it now what is Paul choosing to forget those things which are behind this means all of his gross failures the fact that he killed Christians even all the bad things you know the the sexual abuse not Paul but those those that have been abused it means you forget those things you lose it out of your mind you choose not to dwell on it but it would mean also his great advantages I mean he was a he was a Hebrew of the Hebrews he was a Pharisee he was circumcised the eight days of the stock of Israel he was the tribe of Benjamin I mean hey I've arrived no I haven't I got to forget that too I got to forget my great advantages and my gross failures I forgot to forget it all in fact the word behind here comes from the same Greek word in Luke 9 61 62 when one came to Jesus he said Lord I want to follow you but first let me go and bury you know my brother or bid farewell to those in the house and Jesus said no one having put his hand to the plow and looking back behind is fit for the kingdom of God in fact the word back is the same word for behind and the Philippians would understand what Paul is referring to here because at this time in the biblical world they were involved in Olympic races so they would understand what he's talking about pressing forward forgetting what is behind and pressing forward because if you're running in an Olympic race and you're trying to reach the goal you'd be a fool to turn and look back right because you know what's going to happen you're going to lose the race if you turn around and look back it's going to slow you down and you're going to start watching others and see how they're running the race now Paul is saying he don't he did not run the race by stopping to look at his past or to stop and think of the obstacles that were in his way but he ran with a single eye a single object in view which was what the prize I pressed toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus ladies you and I must we must do the same do not look back and allow your past to affect the race you are in right now and I want to speak very candidly to you about your past or becoming a victim of your past I know many women that I counsel they say well I'm you know it's just I'm just I'm just it's because of how I was brought up or it's because I'm my past this is the way I am because this is how I was brought up and I'll never change you know I came from a dysfunctional family so I'm dysfunctional I want to know who in here didn't come from a dysfunctional family do you know what dysfunctional means I looked it up in the dictionary it means to perform badly or improperly so you know what we're all dysfunctional how many of you have performed badly or improperly at one time or another the rest of you are liars and the Bible says no liar will enter into the kingdom of heaven so those of you that won't admit it you're lost I'm sorry according to what John says in Revelation but you know I looked up that in the dictionary almost laughed out loud because we're all sinners we all perform badly the point is we should not allow those things to hinder us from pressing on no matter what's happened to us in the past or what we've done in the past you know sometimes I can start thinking about my life before Christ and I can literally get sick to my stomach thinking about my sin before Christ but you know what I can't I can't dwell on that I've got to let it go lose it out of my mind I think how could God save me I was a wretch I was pretending to be a holy pastor's wife and I was living a life of hell at home and everywhere else I was involved in all kinds of garbage now I'm not saying we're not affected by our upbringing especially when me have been the recipient of something tragic I think our past does affect us sometimes you know but what I'm saying is we should not allow these things to keep us from being single-minded from accomplishing the goal that God has for us for reaching the prize and doesn't mean that we can't stop thinking about those things and lose it out of our mind and retrain our thought life every time I think about my past I choose to stop and start thinking on what I need to be doing now God has saved me God has forgiven me that's just a ploy of the enemy people that dwell in their past and stay in the past ladies you've allowed Satan to get a foothold in your life and he wants you right there so you can be defeated and you're of no use to the kingdom of God when you stay in the past like that I know people who do not move forward and they're ineffective for the Lord's work but this would also mean that we forget our past accomplishments everything great we've done because you know what if we start living in the past of all the great things we used to become puffed up and proud right well you know I used to do this right you know my mom was this or my dad was this and by the way can I add that we should not be watching other Christians in the race too often women do that too Paul says those that compare themselves among themselves are not wise ladies what happens is we see other Christian women are going yeah I mean how come I can't be like her I want to be like her I I haven't caught up with her in the race I want to be like her or we look at others behind us and we go yeah you know too bad for her I'm so glad I'm more spiritual and you know I know more Bible than she does and I've witnessed a more people than she has one is cause for despair the others cause for pride and both are sin right we're running our own race right not my husband's I'm not running my husband's race I'm running mine in fact I've told you this probably before one of the most freeing verses to me in my marriage is not a verse about marriage but it's a verse at the end of John when Peter James and John were walking along and Jesus looks at Peter he says Peter when you were young someone dressed you and carried you where you wanted to go but guess what when you're old someone's gonna dress you and carry you where you don't want to go this he signified what death he was gonna die Peter was gonna be crucified and Peter looks back and he goes looks at John he goes hey hey what about him what about John what's gonna happen to him Jesus is what is that to you you better follow me and you know that's helped me so much in my marriage so much in it what is that to you Susan what is that to you what he does or what is that to you what she does you better follow me and you know what I got enough to worry about my own life I don't have stuff to work on so we can't look at others either we're running our own race now notice the other way in which Paul pursues the one thing not only by forgetting what's behind but he says by reaching forward to those things which are ahead this means to stretch oneself and again the readers there at Philippi would understand this because they knew much about the Olympic races it was very common in those days and this was describing the runner who would like you know how they do we've seen them on TV they reach forward for their that last stretch to get to the goal line and their legs are stretching and even you know sometimes they just even win it by just a little bit on their nose I strain with all the determination I can't so I can get that prize now ladies in order for an athlete to run they got to be in shape right even though I don't I'm not a runner I do like to walk but I don't like to run but you got to be in shape right to run we too as believers we must run the spiritual race but we must be in shape in fact Paul tells us in another place how we can be in shape he actually mentions three ways listen to this Hebrews 12 one and two therefore since we are surrounded by so great cloud of witnesses let us lay aside every weight in the same which does so easily beset us and let us run with patience the race that is set before us looking under Jesus the author and finisher of our faith who who who who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross to spies in the shame and sat down the right hand of God sorry lost my train of thought I told you only had two hours of sleep so it's what you get ladies if you want to be in shape for the race you're running you must according to that verse those verses number one you must lay aside every weight and the sin which easily ensnare you what are the sins that ensnare you secondly you must run with patience thirdly you must look to Jesus that must be the goal ladies what sin or sin is weighing you down you know you can't run the Christian race with those sins attached to your spiritual life or you will not run very far at all secondly you must run with patience don't get in a hurry remember the tortoise and the hare it's a great example of that the story you've read to your kids you know remember they were on a race together and and the wise far the I'll just read it to you what a slow way you have well remember the hare once made fun of a tortoise and said what a slow way you have he said how you creep along do I said the tortoise try a race with me and I'll beat you what a boaster you are said the hare but come I will race with you then they ask the wise and far Fox to show them where to start and how to run the tortoise lost no time and started once and jogged straight on the hare leaped ahead until he finally left the tortoise behind he knew he could get to the end quickly so he laid down and took a nap and when he awoke he ran as fast as he could to the mark but alas the tortoise was already there slow and steady wins the race said the Fox ladies we must be patient that what that's what the writer of the Hebrew said run a steady pace and lastly most importantly we must look to Jesus he's the author and finisher of our faith he and he alone endured the cross despise the shame and is now sat down at the right end of God ladies when we look to him then we can run with patience and we can throw off the sins for he is our great helper so you might be asking what's in this for me I mean really why should I go on really I mean why don't I just give up well there's a reward for going on Paul tells us what it is in verse 14 I pressed toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus now the word press here carries the idea of an intense endeavor in fact the Greeks use this word to describe a hunter who was eagerly endeavoring to pursue his prey while fixing his eye on the object at a distance what is Paul pressing towards notice what he says the goal the object that's at a distance in fact when the runners in the Olympic races would run they would see a mark at the end or an aim and they would run and pursue for that goal and Paul saying I want that prize that I'm gonna get at the end of the race I want that prize and back then the prize wasn't very exciting it was a garland made out of olive they say olive leaves and pines and apples I mean doesn't sound very I don't think I would be I would run for that I might run for some chocolate or Starbucks coffee but not that but in biblical times it was a great event and people would get around and you know the winner would I mean he'd not only get that garland but there would be tears of joy and excitement there would be flowers they were even exempt from taxes now that might be a good reason to run I just paid some hefty taxes in fact they were even a given a great sum of money from the treasury in fact they say that it's at some of the games the emperor of Rome himself would give out the awards so it was a big thing to win the race in those days when Paul's writing and Paul here has in mind when he says I press for the prize it's it's not you know the big garland or being exempt from taxes or anything like that but the prize is from God busy because he says the upward call of God in Christ Jesus you know Paul's thinking of glory heaven that's why I press on I press on so that when I get there I'll waiting for me is the prize the upward call of God in Christ Jesus in fact Paul mentions this in another place regarding his race he says 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 can obtain for everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things now they do it to obtain a perishable crown but we for imperishable crown ladies Paul says I go on because I'm pressing towards the mark for the prize of the upward call in Christ Jesus you know those that ran in the Olympic races those Reese they're gonna wear out pretty quick especially if they're made of olive leaves and apples they're gonna start molding probably and even all that other stuff being exempt from taxes you know flowers they're all gonna perish away but not those who press toward the mark or the prize of the high calling of Christ in Christ Jesus that's incorruptible that's unfading that will never perish that's forever and ever and ever oh man so let's go over quickly what we learn what's the reason that Paul goes on from verse 12 so that he can lay hold of the purpose for which Christ laid hold of him what is the right means that Paul takes to go on from verse 13 he forgets the past and secondly he reaches forward thirdly what is the reward Paul receives for going on from verse 14 heaven and all it offers the best reward being Christ himself that's the best thing so in closing what about you do you have the mindset of the apostle Paul as you run the race are you holding on to your past whether it's good or bad why what are you doing right now to reach for the one thing that prize that is eternal someone once said my interest is in the future because I'm going to spend the rest of my life there is that where your interest is does your life show that by the fact that you are going on and on in spite of the past and going on and on reaching forth into the future my dear sisters go on go on go on go on let's pray father in heaven thank you so much for your word it truly is a joy and delight of our heart for we are called by your name oh Lord God Almighty and I know that there are many weary sisters in this room I know I've visited with many of them even this weekend that are burdened by many trials by many troubles and I pray oh father that you would use these very short words from the apostle Paul through your Holy Spirit to encourage them to press on forget the past and move on and Lord may even now be the beginning of a new era for them Lord where they will press on for the reason that you have chosen them that they would know what they are to be and to do in this life for the glory of God and for his kingdom and that they would begin to weed out those issues and things in their life that are weighing them down and in keeping them from pressing on and Lord some of those things that we might need to drop are going to be painful some of those things that we need to get out of our life so that we can run the race unhindered they might be painful but Lord help us to be obedient because father we know everything in this world is going to burn up and Lord what's done for you is the only thing that's going to last so help us to have that mindset I pray for Christ's sake amen