Philippians 3:12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.
13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
There are many reasons the Body of Christ has slipped from being the church militant to the church dilettante. We have gone from serious disciples and making an impact on the world to being a group of people who look like we are just toying around with Christianity so we can make it to Heaven with no real zeal for God or concern for folks going to Hell. We have stopped singing “Onward Christian Soldiers” and “Am I Soldier of the Cross”. Now it is “Kum-by-ya” and “We Gotta Get Out of this Place”. We may be “Standing on the Promises”, but we are sitting on the premises waiting for the Rapture. We meet. We eat. We retreat until next week if we are not too busy or the Cowboys aren’t playing. We give a small amount of our time, less of our talent and whine about the tithe. We want to do what we want to do while singing “You Are Worthy of It All”
Forgetting that which is behind
To many people are stuck in the Past/Nostalgic
Isa 25:6 And in this mountain shall the LORD of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined.
Lees are residue during fermentation and aging. Good for wine, but bad for people. Hard and crusted. Always done this way, won’t work, content with status quo, false security. Bills are paid, enough members, apathetic.
Jer 48:11 Moab hath been at ease from his youth, and he hath settled on his lees, and hath not been emptied from vessel to vessel, neither hath he gone into captivity: therefore his taste remained in him, and his scent is not changed.
12 Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will send unto him wanderers, that shall cause him to wander, and shall empty his vessels, and break their bottles.
Zep 1:12 And it shall come to pass at that time, that I will search Jerusalem with candles, and punish the men that are settled on their lees: that say in their heart, The LORD will not do good, neither will he do evil.
Personal failure – 1 John 1:9 Everyone God ever used was a sinner and a failure at some point.
Hurt by People - Rom 12:19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.
Hurt By God -
Psa 73:2 But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped.
3 For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
David often felt like God abandoned him. Jeremiah called God a liar and suffered greatly for telling the truth. Moses complained to God because things were not going smoothly. David’s child with Bathsheba died. His favorite son rebelled and then was killed. All of the Apostles were executed except John who was exiled. Somehow they missed the prosperity gospel.
Some are stuck on Today. They have no vision.
Pro 29:18 Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.
It may take awhile to be fulfilled. Most people quit just short of achieving their goals. “Most people never run far enough on their first wind to find out they've got a second.” - William James
Dan 8:26 And the vision of the evening and the morning which was told is true: wherefore shut thou up the vision; for it shall be for many days.
Now be careful. Many people are running around today seeking visions and can find plenty of people to oblige. There are false prophets and false visions. Some will try to sway you from your mission and disobey God.
1Ki 13:14 And went after the man of God, and found him sitting under an oak: and he said unto him, Art thou the man of God that camest from Judah? And he said, I am.
15 Then he said unto him, Come home with me, and eat bread.
16 And he said, I may not return with thee, nor go in with thee: neither will I eat bread nor drink water with thee in this place:
17 For it was said to me by the word of the LORD, Thou shalt eat no bread nor drink water there, nor turn again to go by the way that thou camest.
18 He said unto him, I am a prophet also as thou art; and an angel spake unto me by the word of the LORD, saying, Bring him back with thee into thine house, that he may eat bread and drink water. But he lied unto him.
People do lie in God’s name
Jer 23:25 I have heard what the prophets said, that prophesy lies in my name, saying, I have dreamed, I have dreamed.
26 How long shall this be in the heart of the prophets that prophesy lies? yea, they are prophets of the deceit of their own heart;
27 Which think to cause my people to forget my name by their dreams which they tell every man to his neighbour, as their fathers have forgotten my name for Baal.
God did not send them.
Jer 14:15 Therefore thus saith the LORD concerning the prophets that prophesy in my name, and I sent them not, yet they say, Sword and famine shall not be in this land; By sword and famine shall those prophets be consumed.
Some will prophesy to destroy you and we know who comes to steal, kill and destroy.
Jer 27:15 For I have not sent them, saith the LORD, yet they prophesy a lie in my name; that I might drive you out, and that ye might perish, ye, and the prophets that prophesy unto you.
In spite of all those dangers we must press forward toward the mark
We are to march on
as an army of God not the pew sitters of God.
As ambassadors, not traitors.
As warrior princes and princesses, not peasants.
As healers, not haters.
As soulwinners, not whiners.
The Armies of Hell are militant and sleep not while we are AWOL or asleep in the Light.
Those of those who served in the military took an oath when we enlisted. We Christians should also have such an oath. Maybe something like this.
I solemnly swear to obey the Supreme Commander of Glory and His Son whose name is above all names to whom every knee shall bow and every tongue confess. I will obey the Uniform Code of Holiness as outlined in the Bible. I will protect it from enemies both outside and inside the Church.
I will not leave another child of God behind me nor leave them in apathy or remain AWOL. It is my mission to take captives from the enemy and edify the saints no matter if I am a paid staff member or not or have a title or not.
I will strive to reunite the Body for Him and put my personal preferences aside. I will mark them that cause divisions. I will exercise my gift(s) in the Body and in the community until my last breath empowered by the Holy Spirit and shun brethren not living as they should and heretics after the second admonition praying that God will bring then to repentance.
I swear this with all my heart, mind and soul. God is my witness.
I do not want to shame or guilt trip anyone into stepping up to serve and be more involved in what God is doing. I want you to be inspired by the fact that the Creator of the Universe did not only work out the plan for salvation for a great eternity, but He has a desire to include you in what He is doing now! He wants you to have a life more abundant, not redundant. He does not want you to live a life with no purpose. He has a purpose for you and has crafted a gift for you. He has also prepared people who will respond to the gospel work in you. There are people you can reach that I cannot and there are people I can reach that you cannot, but if we all report to duty we will win more souls, edify more saints and save more lives than if we dwell in the past and have no vision.
The war is on and the battles are hot. Rise up, my brothers and sisters! Put on the armor and march on! March on! He is our victory and our leader! Heb 12:4 “Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.” Remember them that are in bonds and near death for their faith. Stand with them against this evil day. Draw your spiritual swords and charge the gates of Hell that will not prevail! March on! March on!!!! Maranatha!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pE3cgkTKdYs
