Subject: A Strategy For Success
Text: Philippians 3:7-14
“But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. 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. 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, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”
Introduction: Thomas Edison holds more than 1,000 patents for his inventions. Legend has it that it took him thousands of designs and prototypes of the lightbulb before he finally got it right on just that one invention. There are countless examples of how he tried and failed in his career. When asked about it, he said, “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” ~Thomas Edison, American Inventor
It is hard to imagine what our world would be like if Edison had given up after his first few experiments. Because He was resilience, he gave the world some of the most amazing inventions of the early 20th century, such as the phonograph, the telegraph, and the motion picture.
His inspiring story of commitment forces us to look at our own lives—do we have the strategy we need to overcome our challenges? Or do we let our failures derail our dreams? And what could we accomplish if we were committed enough and had the strength not to give up?
Paul, who is the writer of our text, developed the faith and strength not to give up. So, Paul provides a strategy for us and the Philippian Church here in this text. As we move forward to become the best that we could be for Christ, deepening our commitment and practicing our faith, we will need a strategy. Rather than being complacent with where they were, they needed to set their sights higher. The Apostle Paul gives this church his personal testimony. Paul was never one to let circumstances conquer him. Rather, with the help of God, he was determined to fulfill his God-given purpose. In this text, Paul’s attitude, dedication, determination, and commitment shines through in a powerful way.
As men and women of God who have different perspectives, needs, and desires, if we are to run this race with patience, we will need a strategy. There are so many things that attract our attention, so many goals to reach until it is difficult to stay focused in these confusing times. How can we reach our potential for Christ? How can we give it our best? How can they stay focused during these difficult days? How can we deepen our commitment and practice our faith in these confusing times?
Apostle Paul set a good example on how to succeed in the Christian race. He ran his race with a wholehearted commitment and gave every effort to win Christ. He wants the Philippian Church to strive for excellence. He understood the high price to be paid because he was paying it himself. It will take diligence and exertion to attain what God desired for them and for every one of us, but the price is worth the effort.
Many of us in the body of Christ become motivated and excited about their future and our destiny until problems arise and difficulties come. We make bold declarations of faith about who we are and where we are going, but some fail to reach their goals in life because they have no strategy for success. A Strategy is a well thought out, workable plan to keep moving forward, to keep making progress. Our goal of becoming the best Christ-like disciples we can be for the kingdom of God will be challenged.
First Peter 5:8, says, “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.”
We have an adversary, Satan who desires to stop our progress. We are challenged by Satan who wars against us; he tries to defeat us. So, we must have a workable strategy to overcome him. Satan comes to challenge our commitment. He comes to steal our joy, drain our strength and tempt us to give up. We are challenged by our own limitations. All of us had limitations, but limitations do not have the power to rob us of success if we have a workable strategy. In this text, I believe Paul offers us a workable strategy. Games are won or lost on Strategy. In baseball, a blunt can be just as important as a home run. In Basketball, a free throw can be just as important as a three-pointer. In football, a field goal can be just as important as a touchdown. The difference is strategy.
Apostle Paul had a great affection for this church. It was a benevolent, caring congregation that supported his ministry throughout his career. He wanted them to succeed and flourish in the kingdom of God. Every child of God should be striving for excellence. To fulfill my God given purpose is my greatest desire. If you and I are going to be successful in running this Christian race, that is to live a life of purpose, obtain a good report and desired results, we must have a strategy.
Apostle Paul is very open with us in the Scriptures. In the book of Acts, we can see many of his challenges on his personal travels. In the First and Second Corinthians, we can witness his challenges in his personal ministry. Notice with me two passages in first & second Corinthians, where Paul defends his apostle ship and ministry. He talks more about his ministry in First and Second Corinthians than in any other book in the Bible.
In First Corinthians 15:8-10, Paul argues for his right of apostleship, " Last of all, as though I had been born at the wrong time, I also saw him. For I am the least of all the apostles. In fact, I'm not even worthy to be called an apostle after the way I persecuted God's church. But whatever I am now, it is all because God poured out his special favor on me—and not without results."
Then in Second Corinthians 11:5, Paul describes his ministry by saying, "For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles, but though I be rude in speech, yet not in knowledge...."
The idea is that Paul labored as a debtor to Christ. He was overcome with love and appreciation that Christ saved him, called him and decided to use him in His service. Paul openly confessed that he had less natural talent, less natural ability, though his speech was rude he was able to accomplish more than all the other apostles. Paul learned how to maximize the moment. He learned how to labor more often, to be more productive, and to get more results. How could this apostle accomplish so much? He was not a very good speaker with a homely appearance and besides this, he had some serious obstacles to overcome.
(1) He had a dark history – Paul persecuted the Church of God publicly. He arrested believers and testified against them. His reputation was well known for wreaking havoc in the Church. Even after his conversion to Christ, he was rejected by the other apostles because they were afraid of him. Yes, Paul had a history, a dark past. His friends were few, his enemies were many and suffering was his lot. Yet he was successful in running the Christian race.
(2) He had a weak presentation - First & second Corinthians is Paul attempt to justify being called an apostle. He was not the greatest speaker, Paul referred to his speech as rude, uncouth, unpolished, not smooth, or eloquent. His physical appearance was weak, his eyes were diseased. He really did not measure up to the other apostles in appearance nor presentation. Paul had a great message of truth, but a weak delivery! Peter was more robust, and Apollos was eloquent, but Paul was different.
(3) He was born out of due season. He was not among the original twelve apostles. Paul describes himself as "one born out of due season." He was not in the company of Jesus during his earthly ministry. He did not witness the earthly miracles of Jesus. Yet, his ministry was more successful. He expanded the kingdom of God. He established more churches. He wrote two-thirds of the New Testament books of the Bible. Why, because Apostle Paul developed "a strategy for Success." Paul knew his strengths and limitations. He acknowledged that he could not preach everything or do everything.
(a) Paul selected his message - Christ and Him crucified
(b) Paul selected his target group - an apostle to the gentiles
(c) Paul selected his mission field – virgin soil for the Gospel message.
In writing to the church at Philippi, Paul offers them and us a strategy for success in our pursuit of excellence. For Apostle Paul, the pursuit of excellence meant pursuing Christlike perfection. After we come to know the Lord personally and intimately, we must go on to perfection. In Philippians 3, Paul gives his personal testimony of how he ran the Christian Race and offers several suggestions that we might use as a strategy.
Strategy Number 1: Paul Ran His Race with a recognition that there was room for improvement. He had a commitment to keep growing in grace. Paul had a willingness to confess his shortcoming. "Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect..."
In pursuit of excellence, Paul recognized that he had not arrived. Anyone who strives for excellence must have a willingness to confess their shortcoming and admit that there’s room for improvement. It’s hard to move forward when you feel like you have already arrived. In our lives, there are some things that God alone has to do in us, but there are other things we must do for ourselves. We cannot do God's part, and God will not do our part. A willingness to admit and confess our shortcoming is an indication that we recognized room for improvement. Before we can disciple others, we must submit to discipline ourselves.
"Proverbs 25:28 reads, "Like a city that is broken into and without walls is a man who has no control over his spirit."
If we are going to be successful in running this race, we must have control over our own spirit. Controlling our spirit, emotions and intellect requires discipline. We must discipline our mind - "As a man thinketh in his heart so is he" Proverbs 23:7. We must discipline our will - will to obey the word of God in every area of our lives. We must discipline our emotions – take authority over how we feel. We must discipline our bodies - Take care of our physical vessels. If we do our part, God will do the rest! God will finish what he started. Philippians 1:6, “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.” Paul had a willingness to keep growing and we should too! Too many Christians graduate from Church. Do you have a commitment to keep growing in Grace? You must learn to work on yourself more than anything else, more than your job or position, more than friends or family. Grow in Grace.
Strategy number 2. Paul Ran His Race With A Certainty of Aim. He was committed to pursuing Christlikeness. Paul developed a certainty of aim. "But I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also, I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended:"
What are you following? What are you aiming toward? What are you committed to? What is your goal? Do you have a single goal in mind? Are you certain? The certainty of aim has to do with life focus, the things we are pursuing. For the believer, Christlikeness is the goal. Paul was saying, “I have found my calling, and I am in "hot pursuit” of fulfilling my purpose. I know what God wants me to do and I spend my time, my energy, my resources, and strength in the pursuit of that purpose. Fulfilling the purpose of God was Paul’s passion. It was what he lived for. What’s the driving passion of your life?
Illustration: A story is told of the greyhound racing dog. Up until a few years ago, greyhound dogs were euthanized when they got too old to race. They were not good for breeding and too old to race. A group of ladies started an adoption agency whose sole purpose was to find a good home for these dogs. A man’s daughter adopted one of the greyhounds. When he visited her home at Thanksgiving, she showed her dad the beautiful greyhound she adopted. After dinner, her dad went into the backyard to visit with the dog. He asked the dog, “Greyhound, how are you doing?” Did you ever race in Miami? Did you ever win? The stately greyhound responded, “Life is good! I have a big yard to play in, three square meals a day and an owner who love me.” He continued, Yes, I ran in Miami and won five times!” The man asked, “Did you get too old to run?” Did you get injured? The stately greyhound responded, “No, I quit.” The man asked further, “Why did you quit?” The greyhound called him a little closer and said, “I found out the rabbit wasn’t real.”
There are so many things that attract our attention that we must have a certainty of aim. There are a lot of rabbits that are not real. Be careful what you spend your time chasing. Don’t spend another day chasing after things that are not real! Only what you do for Christ will last. Deepening your commitment is personal, ongoing, and necessary. A wise man once said, “Watch your thoughts, they become your words; watch your words, they become your actions; watch your actions, they become your habits; watch your habits, they become your character; watch your character, it becomes your destiny.”
We must commit to keep pursuing Christ until Christ be formed within us. In Galatians 4:19, Paul says it this way, “Oh, my dear children! I feel as if I’m going through labor pains for you again, and they will continue until Christ is fully developed in your lives.” Paul’s heart was broken because the Church at Galatia got sidetrack. Don’t allow the rabbits you see to sidetrack you because the rabbits aren’t real. Commit To Growing in Grace, Commit to Following After Christ, and Commit to Keeping Control of your Mind.
Strategy Number 3: Paul Ran His Race with a Commitment to Guiding His Thoughts. He kept control of his mind. Paul was very selective about his mind. There were some things he chose to remember and others he chose to forget. “but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before.”
Satan has a way of trying to control our thought life. He brings up our past failures, mistakes, and He tries to condemn us, reminding us of the mistakes of the past, our disappointments, and injuries. At other times, Satan tempts us to look back with a desire to go back. Paul says, “I am forgetting those things which are behind"… Paul chose to remember his past and all God had done to prepare him for fulfilling his purpose. His past mistakes became a part of his testimony. Paul’s attitude seemed to be the past was real, it happened. Mistakes were made, and I am sorry. I have repented and forsook my sin. It's over. I am covered by the blood of Jesus. The old Saul is dead. I am a new creature in Christ Jesus. I am forgiven, delivered and free. I keep control of my mind.
There was some things Paul chose to forget. All the things that Paul thought could save him before he committed to Christ, he chose to forget. His credentials of being born of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews, Circumcised the eighth day according to the law, a Pharisee control by zeal for the law, persecuting the church; trying to earn righteousness by keeping the law. He chose to forget all his credentials. His history, culture and upbringing were important, but they could not save. When he desired to do good, evil was always present.
Then Jesus came, God’s answer to sin, who willingly suffered, bled, and died to pay the penalty for the sins of the world. Jesus rose from the dead for our justification, offering free salvation to all by grace through Faith. Paul chose to trust Christ alone for salvation, forgiveness, and redemption; then trusting Christ for complete transformation and spiritual perfection. In these confusing times, we must Keep growing in Grace, Keep following after Christ, Keep Control of your mind – some things you need to remember and others you must forget, and finally, keep focused on your assignment.
Strategy Number 4: Commit to focusing on your assignment. Paul concentrated his effort on pressing towards the mark - "this one thing I do..." reaching forth unto those which are before, I press towards the mark for the prize of the high call of God in Christ Jesus."
Paul seems to realize that his assignment was personal. He could not be like anyone else; he could not do everything. He could not reach everybody, everywhere, all the time so he focused in on "one thing." The one thing that he was called to do, and did well, he would do. He maximized his results through a focused effort. If the enemy cannot discourage us from our God given assignment, he will try to overload us or distract us from our assignment. Often, the enemy’s most effective weapons against servants of God are distraction, discouragement, busyness and burn out. Looking around at others may distract and discourage us; trying to do too many things will overload us and rob us of our effectiveness. We must give ourselves to the one thing we are called to do. Overloaded hands are ineffective hands.
Illustration: For almost 70 years, the only beverage produced and sold by The Coca-Cola Company was the flagship Coca-Cola® invented in Atlanta in 1886. It wasn't until 1955 that Coca-Cola beverage offerings started to expand when a bottler in Italy started selling Fanta® Orange. From that point on, the Company began adding a wider variety of beverage selections and portion sizes for consumers. The Coca-Cola Company believes in offering an assortment of beverages for every lifestyle, life stage and life occasion. Today, over 500 beverage brands are sold in more than 200 countries. This amounts to 3,500 beverages in numerous categories, such as regular, low and no-calorie sparkling beverages; fruit juices and fruit drinks; bottled water; sports and energy drinks and ready-to-drink teas and coffee. Coke Cola makes refreshing soft drinks in almost any size from 6oz., 10 oz. 16, 20, 24, ½ liters, 1, 2, and even 3 liters. You can purchase them over the counter or from a machine. Coca Cola is all over the world because of a focused effort. They did not get in on the computer boom. They did not get into the pharmaceutical market. They did not get into building amusement parks. They focused on one thing, ice cold refreshing soft drinks and they have turned it into liquid gold.
Paul clearly understood his call, and he gave himself to one thing, preaching the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. He preached Jesus and Him crucified. He preached to the gentiles and places where the gospel had not been preached. He had one goal, one purpose, one desire, “that I may win Christ.”
Paul uses some very strong words in this text, “Reaching forth” and pressing towards” Let me say a word about these two phrases and I will close: The phrase “Reaching forth” means straining towards the goal, to leap over obstacles, run through troops, break down barriers and whatever else is needed to overcome. The literal idea is the picture of a man climbing up a ladder, standing on the top round, and even getting up on the tips of your toes to accomplish his goal. Then the word “Press” means to act on with a steady force, push against; to push close together; to squeeze out, to remove wrinkles; to keep moving forward; to keep on asking and urging. Paul uses these strong words because he wants us to understand what it takes to be successful in this Christian race. There is a price to pay in pursuit of excellence. Many may not be willing to pay the price. But this is a powerful strategy for success. This is probably not for everyone, only for those who are willing to strain forward, leap over obstacles, run through troops, break down barriers, act with steady force, push against and keep moving forward.
Our strategy for Success amid a pandemic, political upheaval, social injustice, with a thousand voices crying for our attention, we must Keep growing in Grace, Keep following after Christ, Keep Control of your Mind, be selective with your memory – some things you need to remember and others you must forget, and finally, keep focused on your assignment. What is the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus? Why all this Reaching and pressing? The prize is transformation, Christ being formed in us! The goal is to be like Jesus so the world may see Him and come to know him as Savior and Lord.
I am committed to deepening my commitment, and to practicing my faith. The Hymn writer, Johnson Oatman said it this way,
“I’m pressing on the upward way, New heights I’m gaining every day;
Still praying as I onward bound, “Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.”
My heart has no desire to stay; Where doubts arise and fears dismay;
Though some may dwell where these abound, My prayer, my aim, is higher ground.
I want to live above the world, Though Satan’s darts at me are hurled;
For faith has caught the joyful sound, The song of saints on higher ground.
I want to scale the utmost height, And catch a gleam of glory bright;
But still I’ll pray till rest I’ve found, “Lord, lead me on to higher ground.”
Lord, lift me up, and let me stand, By faith on Canaan’s tableland; A higher plane than I have found, Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.” Amen.
