"Hot Pursuit Of The Prize!" Part 3 Series

Question: What are you in hot pursuit for?

Maturity: "having little or no potential for further growth."

Christian Maturity:

1. Is Christ Likeness! Vs. 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." (NIV)

"Paul was apprehended by Christ, that he might apprehend Christ." John Calvin

Romans 8:29-30

2. Is the Self-Awareness of Imperfection! Vs. 13a "Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it." (NIV)

1 Corinthians 10:12

"A divine dissatisfaction is essential for Spiritual Progress." Warren Wiersbe

3. The Goal is for Progress! Vs. 13b-14 "Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." (NIV)

Forget: "to no longer be influenced or affected by something."

"We cannot change the past, but we can change the meaning of the past." Warren Wiersbe

Hebrews 12:1-2

4. Understands the Support of Community. Vs. 17 "Join with others in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you." (NIV)

Proverbs 11:14

5. The Enemy is Worldliness! Vs. 18-19 "For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things." (NIV)

Belly: "inner desires or longings."

Colossians 3:1-2

6. Outcome is Glorification! Vs. 20 "But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ." (NIV)

7. The cause to Action is to Stand Firm! Vs. 1 "Therefore, my brothers, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, that is how you should stand firm in the Lord, dear friends!" (NIV)

Question: Will you rise and stand Firm to the End?