Establishing Goals

“ESTABLISHING GOALS”

Phil 3:12 -14

“12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”

INTRO: The definitions of these key words for our spiritual lives are very essential. Establishing means: start or set up something or place something permanently; while Goals is the result or achievement toward which effort is directed.

I. WHY DO WE ESTABLISH GOALS?

1. We can not dwell on the past

1) Is. 42:18 "18 “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.”

2. We have to let loose

1) Mat 16:19 “19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” “

3. We can not live in bitterness

1) Heb 12:15 “15 See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many“

(1) It effects us and others

4. We have a whole life ahead of us

II. WHAT GOALS ARE SUPPOSE TO BE PERMANENTLY?

1. Goals that are short-term

1) Losing weight is not a set goal

2) Getting an education

3) Achieving material things

2. Long-term

1) Having a profession

2) Getting married

3) Having a family

3. Permanent Goals

1) Our walk with Christ

(1) It’s a new life

(2) We will make mistakes but have to realize that it is for the long run

2) Our relationship with Christ

(1) Praying (it’s a two way street

(2) Reading the Bible

3) Our focus in the why’s

(1) We are no longer children of darkness

i. Is 9:2 “2 The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.”

(2) We were set apart

i. Jer 1:5 “5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”

ii. Phil 3:12 “12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me”

III. THE END RESULT OF OUR ACHIEVEMENT

1. There is a prize

1) We don’t do it for the prize but we will be rewarded

(1) “6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”

2. To be made perfect

1) Phil 3:15 “15 All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you.”

3. Achieve an objective

1) Phil 3:16 “16 Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing”

4. Knowing that it is heavenward

CONCLUSION: