PRESSING ON!
PHILIPPIANS 3:14
Philippians 4:4 7
Why is it that Paul repeats over and over again the word, "Rejoice?" It is found 10 times just in this one little book. One thing we can determine is that we can never be the Christian God wants us to be without obeying that command to rejoice in the Lord.
The position of the believer is a position of faith...and faith incorporates optimism. And the reason for that is simple..."God is." Now, how many believe that? Okay, God is...but what God? There are many so called "gods" spoken of today. Which one do you believe in?
The God that is the cosmic killjoy who keeps us from having any fun or any enjoyment in life?...the God who is so far removed from us that we are left down here to fend for ourselves?...or the God who is some angelic Santa Klaus who gives us gifts if we’re good...but punishes us when we fail to reach perfection?
The God I’m talking about is the God who is all powerful, all knowing, the God who is everywhere. The God who loved me so much that he sent His Son to die for MY sins...the God who said He would never leave me nor forsake me..the God who gave me power to go out into the world and do great and mighty things in His name...
The God who gave us power to tear down strongholds...and fight the good fight of faith that will give us the victory that overcomes the world...HE’S THE HOLY ONE...THE GOD OF THE BIBLE...AND HE LIVES!! And because He lives I can not only face tomorrow, as the song says, but I can rejoice...and live a life of victory. Glory to God!
And isn’t that what its supposed to be like for all Christians? That is certainly the only way we can help a lost and dying world. Who in their right mind would want to follow after a cold, dead, miserable looking religion? Especially when the world offers something that claims to have everything that will make us happy.
But in spite of all the world supposedly has to offer, people out there are hurting and empty, and they need to see a ray of hope...not a black cloud of doubt about the ability of God to be relevant.
People need some brightness sent their way...not a wet blanket of dry formalism that saps their strength and removes the last shred of faith they may have been clinging to. People need to find a God with whom they can have an intimate personal relationship...and the only way they can find that is through those of us who claim to have that very same thing.
But the sad fact is, that we are generally so caught up in our own problems and difficulties...we are so bogged down with problems and doubts and fears that we can’t offer them a God who will help them rejoice always....because we ourselves haven’t found that either.
What is the opposite side of the rejoicing Paul is talking about? WORRY! ... And I want to show you this morning that worry will make you a coward and a cheat...but it doesn’t have to be that way at all. The possibility of victory is just as real as God Himself...and just as available for each of us this morning.
Why is worry so bad. Because worry is a faith killer. Verse 6 says, "Don’t be anxious about anything." And that is God’s way...it is an absolute...there are no exceptions.
Worry is the way of the world...and if I was a sinner separated from God...unforgiven and headed for hell, then I should be worried. But the believer doesn’t have these problems. He is a "new creature; old things are passed away, behold, all things become new." (2 Cor. 5:17)
Worry was not included in the plan of God for Adam. It only came as the result of sin. It was part of the guilt package that came after Adam sinned. And it continues to be part of the package that Satan delivers to us.
Worry is an abrasive that burrows down inside us and undermines our confidence...it undermines our relationships...it can even affect our health. And God hates it...every bit as much as He does stealing...
And worry is something that is noticeable. Artaxerxes, the Persian king, noticed it in Nehemiah. If you want to turn there...in chapter 2 of the book of Nehemiah the king said to him, "Why does your face look so sad when you are not ill? This can be nothing but sadness of heart." And Nehemiah said, "I was very much afraid."
Pessimism, gloom, doubt, and that downcast appearance are the worst possible witness. Is God dead? Has the church been foreclosed? Has heaven been evacuated? Have prayers been returned unopened...stamped "address unknown?"
The king knew Nehemiah’s testimony...but he also knew that his appearance and attitude didn’t reflect his belief in an all powerful God. Sure, circumstances weren’t the best in Jerusalem...but God was moving at that very moment to rectify them.
You need to understand that it’s your doubt and worry that hinders others...but most of all it hurts and hinders you. A sad heart is a defensive heart...it is a heart in retreat. But it can be changed.
Nehemiah became an outstanding attack general...one that moved forward. Now there were times when the piles of rubble and the harassment from outsiders appeared to be too much for the will of the workers.
In chapter 4, one of his top administrative assistants said to him in verse 10, "The strength of the laborers is giving out, and there is so much rubble that we cannot rebuild the wall." But Nehemiah replied, "Don’t be afraid...remember the Lord."
This is our secret weapon. Peter learned this same lesson in Luke 5, when Jesus told him "launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a catch." What was Peter’s reply, "...we’ve worked hard all night long and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets."
The tougher the going...the more optimistic we should be. Nehemiah showed this on another occasion when the people were overwhelmed by threats from the people outside...and this man spoke some very familiar words..."Don’t grieve; for the joy of the Lord is you strength."
You see, worry produces an inferiority complex...it dehumanizes you... it makes you crawl. And God hates it! He wants you to stand...STAND UP ...Ephesians 6:13, "After you’ve done everything, stand!" And when you do, God will move in a way that will make it all worthwhile.
Worry makes you a coward. If you give in to it, it will cause you to run away. But there is no place for cowards in the kingdom of God. Hebrews 10:38 says, "My righteous one will live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him."
It was Job who said, "What I feared has come upon me." And many times the law of attraction goes to work and we bring about the very thing we are worried about. But worry accuses God. It says God is a liar.
It says that I am too small..too insignificant...too unimportant for God to notice me. But that is simply not true. The fact is I am an heir of God and a joint heir with Jesus. And that is something Satan doesn’t want you to know.
As Christians, you and I have been placed in the body of Christ. We’re His bride. And that is a very honored place to be. We have a covenant relationship with Him. And that is a sacred as any exchange of vows could ever be. And that brings with it certain promises.
Psalm 84:11 says, "No good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly." Romans 8:28 "We know that all things work together for good to them that love God" That’s His contract with us.
Now let me ask you, "Has God, or hasn’t God kept His word with you?" He doesn’t always accommodate us with a preview...we have to trust Him. And that isn’t always easy. But if my conduct doesn’t reflect the faithfulness of God, then I sin.
There is no greater contradiction than an unhappy, frightened, complaining, fearful Christian. That person makes a lie of everything he testifies to or sings about. And besides that it is one of the biggest turn offs for those outside the faith.
Our main text, verse 6 said !"..in everything...with thanksgiving..."„Ç When you are afraid...trust in God. Someone once said that "Courage is fear that has gone to prayer."
Thanksgiving is an expression of faith...and faith pleases God. In fact, the Scripture says that without faith it is impossible to please Him! And that should be the desire of our hearts...to please Him. We need to appropriate that perfect love He has for us...because perfect love casts out all fear...and sets us free from worry. PTL!
But now I want to go back for a moment to the previous chapter... because chapter 4 begins with the word "Therefore." What is so important about that word? Well, it’s "there for" a reason.
It means this...because of what was said before, this is what follows as a result of that...or pertaining to that. "Because of what you said before, we are to rejoice in the Lord always..." And to understand just what Paul was referring to we need to look back to the previous point he was making.
And the heart of his point I believe can be found in verse 14..."I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."
Paul seems to have been ready to end this letter when fresh and alarming news caused him to take up his pen again. And it was in reference to the Judaizers that he continues.
It was the Judaizers who were altering the whole basis of salvation, making it by faith AND...instead of faith only. Paul goes on to show them that God doesn’t operate a credit and debit account. The finest human achievement is garbage compared to the standard of life He demands...but also provides for us.
In verse 10 Paul says what is most important to him...to know Christ! But knowing Him in such a way as Paul was referring, means more than a casual acquaintance. And when you come to that place where Christ is that pre eminent in your life...nothing else matters more.
Vs. 13 ...Now Paul very clearly states that he hasn’t "arrived"...he is not a superhuman who never has the same faults and setbacks that most of us have. But he is one who doesn’t look back...whether to the bad or the good...but says there is one thing I do...
And those few words are important...they are important because the speak of devotion. And as believers we must devote ourselves to one thing also...and that is running the Christian race. And those who win the race are those who concentrate...who keep their eyes on the goal and will let nothing distract them.
Look at the direction here...Paul is looking..straining..for what is ahead. He says forget those things which are behind. But before we go any further we need to understand what he means by the word forget.
In Bible terminology, to forget does not mean to fail to remember. Apart from senility, hypnosis, or brain damage, no mature person can forget what has happened in the past. "To forget" in the Bible means "no longer to be influenced by or affected by."
So "forgetting what is behind" simply means that we break the power of the past by living for the future. To many Christians are shackled by regrets of the past...they are trying to run the race by looking backward. And it’s no wonder they stumble and fall and get in the way of other Christians.
And it’s just as bad to get distracted by the successes of the past. The things that are ahead must be what we concentrate on. But there is another essential that we must look at. In verse 14 Paul says "I press...
And this word carries with it the idea of intense endeavor. The Greeks used it to describe a hunter eagerly pursuing his prey....
A man doesn’t become a winning athlete by listening to lectures... watching movies..reading books..or cheering at games.
He becomes a winning athlete by getting into the game and determining to win. Now think of this...wouldn’t it be great if Christians put as much determination into their spiritual life as they do their hunting, fishing, sports, or other hobbies?
Paul took the same zeal that drove him when he persecuted the church and turned that in a zeal for serving Christ. And we can learn from his progression of thought here in chapter 3.
He realized his accomplishments and failures...but rather than look back at either, he strained...pressed on to win the prize for which God had called him. And when he reaches the goal he will get the reward.
But lets go back to our original thought from chapter 4. And that was to rejoice in the Lord...always. How is that possible? Let’s look at verse 6 once more...it says "Don’t be anxious."
This Greek word we translate "anxious" really means to be pulled in different directions. Our hopes pull us in one direction...our fears pull us in the opposite direction....and we are pulled apart.
But again I think we need to look at Paul’s example. He was a man who had a vision and a call. He realized that...he determined that he would let nothing of the past interfere with his vision and goal... and he strained with everything in him to achieve that high calling.
And because of that he was able to rejoice...always! He was willing to do his part and trust the rest to God...knowing that God would be faithful to see him through.
