“12 Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 13 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. 16 Only let us hold true to what we have attained.” (Philippians 3:12-16)
Three Areas of Your Life To Inventory:
1. Your past.
❑ Take an honest look at it.
“Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect …” (v. 12a)
❑ Determine to learn from it.
“… or am already perfect, but I press on.” (v. 12a-b)
❑ Forget it and move on.
“13 But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (vv. 13 & 14)
2. Your present.
❑ You focus.
“But one thing I do …” (v. 13b)
❑ You jettison.
“… forgetting what lies behind …” (13c)
❑ You navigate.
“13d … straining forward to what lies ahead, “14a I press on toward the goal for the prize …” (vv. 13 & 14)
3. Your future.
❑ You have a high calling.
“… I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (v. 14) ❑ You have a holy calling.
“Therefore, go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you …” (2 Corinthians 6:17)
❑ You have a heavenly calling.
“1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:1-2)