Pressing Forward

• What Does it Mean to Press Forward
• No Obstacles Will be Able to Stop You
• Looking Back Encourages the Possibility of Going Back
• We Do Not Want our Response to Fail of the Grace of God
• There is Much to be Gained and Learned by Forgetting

It is so important that we have direction in our lives, in order to stay on course. I believe it is time for us to press forward. Reaching to the next level, that higher calling in Christ Jesus. Apostle Paul acknowledged that he is not at a level he wanted yet. He has not yet arrived. That he was still a work in progress.

Paul consider himself not to have attained or have taken hold of the fullness of Christ, neither has he reached his desired goal. He realized that God is still pruning and shaping him. He also said he was striving to improve. That he would not give up. That his goal is a definitive mark of a higher calling of God in Christ. He also challenged every child of God to have the same mind as well, that we may not have become who and what we wanted; but we can get there. Paul said I Press Forward:

What Does It Mean to Press Forward?

To press forward means to proceed or move forward with more urgency. We can also say, whatever circumstances you had faced, put those circumstances behind you and move on. Pressing forward also means choosing to look what is ahead and being positive about the future and not dwelling of the past. You keep on going on even though you had made a mistake in the past because you know that God had send His son to die for all our sins and all those things have all come to past.

The enemy wants us to look behind us. He wants us to look in the review mirror. He wants us to continue to behold our pass. Maybe your pass had negative experiences. Maybe there were things you regret during or saying. It is the enemy plan, he wants you to look backward, and not move forward. God wants us to move forwards. God wants you to keep pressing forward in Christ Jesus. As we press, we are to put pressure on the enemy. As a result, we are going to continue to operate in victory. You have everything you need to fulfill your destiny. God has you here for a reason. Your best days are ahead of you. You are an overcomer, and you can overcome any obstacle in your life. Paul talks about a press of the high calling of God in 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. (Philippians 3:13). (KJV)

What is Paul saying here? Forgetting those things that have hurt you, offended you, or rubbed you the wrong way. Forget all the people who have falsely accused you, misused you. It’ s time to let them go. It is time to reach beyond all of that to the mark of the prize. Why? Because Dwelling in the past is dangerous. Let it go.

You may face obstacles along the way but that is only an opportunity for us to rise up and to overcome it and as well as to stretch our believes, our faith to another level. God wants us to go further than our past successes. He wants to take you to another new height. He wants to do exceedingly abundantly above all we can ever ask or think.

Now unto him that is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us. (Ephesians 3:20)

No Obstacle will be Able to Stop You

No obstacle will be able to stop us in our race, nothing is going to make us flinch, and nothing is going to trouble us, if we do not lose sight of the goal. CHRIST himself, our SAVIOR, our life, our hope, the one who loves us, and the one who will have us forever with HIM.

The Apostle Paul was laser-focused on the race, the goal, the finish line, he would not look back at his failures, or disappointments. Now, remember, Paul was Saul who persecuted the church violently. He played a part in the stoning of Stephen, and he could have let guilt and shame cripple him for that. But Paul forgot the past. He did not dwell on his sufferings, beatings, shipwrecks, and imprisonment. He looked forward resolutely toward the finish line where he would see the face of Jesus Christ.

One of the things that keeps so many people from going forward is their unwillingness to forget or set aside things from their past. Many are unwilling to forget their prosperity, position, and possessions to fully follow Christ.

Too many of us may have worldly attachments that keep us from serving Christ, and we may need to learn to forget them just as Paul was willing to do. We also must learn to be willing to forget our pains and problems. Many believers cannot go forward in their walk with Christ until they are willing to lay aside some hurt, offense, problems, or not wanting to let go of their past. God wants us to keep our focus on him.

Remember Lot’s Wife in Genesis 19:26. She was so associated and entangled with the world, she could not exist without at least a glance back to what she was leaving behind. By her hesitancy and disobedience, she was struck dead and her “grace period” expired.

Do not be a Lot’s wife, stuck on a recent difficulty of your past.  It was hard for her to let go.  But, in order to move forward, forgetting past hurts, offenses, problems, and failures are necessary to genuinely press toward the mark of Christlikeness. We should learn from life’s injuries, not be held captive by them. There is a brighter future ahead of you.

Forgetting is often the prerequisite to going forward. As we follow the example of the Apostle Paul and echo his words of “this one thing I do,” let us not miss the truth that to reach ahead and press forward it may be necessary to forget some things.

Let me offer three thoughts about the importance of going forward and overcoming the offenses and hurts of the past. There are many reasons we should forget the past and go forward. Chief among them is the reward of knowing we have done what is right.

There may have been struggles, difficulties, failures, disappointments, pain and sorrows and stormy weather. And sometime during those circumstances the voice of the enemy come in and “says just give up” you are wasting your time; you will never make it. I hear people saying today,” I will never find happiness in a relationship”; “I will never experience healing in my body”.” I will never lose the weight I need to”. “I will never overcome the bad start my life has experienced”; “I will never overcome the poor decisions I have made”. “I will never get the job I am looking for, the promotions I have worked for”. “I will never fulfill the destiny and purpose God planned for my life”. That is what the lies of the devil is saying. What you have to say about it? Your words are the final authority.

Those are lies the enemy has placed in your head. If you are a child of God, success is part of your DNA in Christ.  You are more than a conqueror through Christ Jesus. You are a world overcomer. You overcome by the Blood of the Lamb and the Word of your Testimony.

And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. (Revelation 12:11)

The scripture never talks about impossibilities with God. Luke 1:37 says “With God nothing will be impossible”. If Satan has whispered defeat in your ear, do not believe it, do not receive it, and do not accept it. Defeat is not in your DNA in Christ.  You are a winner. You are victorious.

Romans 8:37 says “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”

In Christ, you are not a quitter, In Christ, you do not give up, In Christ, you do not get too tired to keep on pushing. It is incredible when I think of our Lord Jesus, being beaten, bruised and Marred as Isaiah said, but he kept on pushing for our forgiveness. He suffered death on the cross, for our salvation but he kept on pushing. He spent three days in deaths grip, but even there, Jesus kept on pushing until God raised him from the dead on the 3rd day. He did that as an example for us. Jesus wants us to keep on pushing! To hang on in there.

Let me share a principle that will help you keep on pushing to victory and success in your life. Replace” I will never” and “I can’t’ with, I can, and I will. The next time Satan whispers failure or defeat into your life. Tell him he is a liar, failure and defeats are not in my spiritual DNA.

Philippians 4:13 says “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

2 Corinthians 2:14 say’s “thanks be to God who always causes us to triumph in Christ”.

Despite the circumstances, you will not be defeated. In Christ, you have the victory. My spiritual DNA is that of a victor, an overwhelming conquer through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Paul knew that God alone was the source of his salvation as well as the source of his spiritual growth. The closer we get to completion, the more we realize how much further we have to go to become like Christ.

Paul also tells us, that we need that eager aspiration, that enthusiasm that comes from God within us, causing us to reach out toward greater things. We need that eagerness of heart if we are to succeed.

Paul says, “I press toward the goal for the prize.” The phrase “press toward the goal” means to pursue, to go after something in an intense way. In addition to eagerness of spirit, we need to exert great effort to reach our goals. We need to clearly define worthy pursuits and forget about all our failures. We need to exert energy to meet our goals and not let anything get in the way of reaching them.

Paul, made a statement in Hebrews 12:1-2:

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.       Hebrews 12:1-3 ( NIV)

Paul knew that God alone was the source of his salvation as well as the source of his spiritual growth. The closer we get to completion, the more we realize how much further we have to go to become like Christ.

Let me offer three thoughts about the importance of going forward, laying aside the weights, and overcoming the offenses and hurts of the past.

1. LOOKING BACK ENCOURAGES THE POSSIBILITY OF GOING BACK

When it comes to offenses one of the best things, we can do to overcome them is to stop rehearsing the hurt in our ears and our heart. When we do this, we begin to justify our bitterness toward the other person. This keeps us from focusing on forgiveness, grace, and the fact that we have often been guilty of the same failings.

Looking back keeps us from looking to God for help and the potential of considering our offender in a better light. If our eyes and heart are turned in the wrong direction and we do not become deliberate forgetters, we then give place to the devil to spoil our spirit and we allow him to keep us in a cage of our own making. Forgiving and forgetting are keys to true freedom in the believer’s life. It is sometimes best to forget what is behind you so that it has no opportunity to overtake you again.

2. WE DO NOT WANT OUR RESPONSE TO FAIL OF THE GRACE OF GOD

In the twelfth chapter of the book of Hebrews, we find encouragement to lift up hands which hang down and to make straight paths for our feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way. In offense and injury, it is possible for us to develop a lame spirit and hard heart. However, God provides all the grace we need to be bigger than our hurts and offenses.

Bitterness and anger are deliberate choices to avoid the resources we have in Christ. When this happens, we run two risks. The first is to allow the injury to do more damage to us than it should have. Secondly, we run the risk of our response being more evil or hurtful than our actual injury. I have watched people, hurt over small things, respond negatively in a big way. They turned a small thing into a mountain and became viler in spirit than their supposed offender ever was.

When the Pharisees condemned people harshly for their sins, Jesus in essence told them their response was eviler than the sins of the people they were accusing. We need to go forward in forgiving so that we do not become worse than the very thing we think we hate.

3. THERE IS MUCH TO BE GAINED AND LEARNED BY FORGETTING

Paul pressed forward for a prize. To him there was something greater to be gained by moving ahead and not lingering in the past. That is true for us in terms of offense as well. There is simply nothing to be gained by going back to past hurts and refusing to get over them. However, by forgiving and pressing forward, we gain a greater Christ-likeness. We gain strength, maturity, understanding, and patience. We grow in wisdom and faith and give both our offenders and ourselves the opportunity to learn from the past and be better in the future. There are many reasons we should forget the past and go forward.

No matter where we are in life, God has more in store. He never wants us to quit growing or be at a standstill. We should always be reaching for new heights in our abilities, in our spiritual walk, in our finances, careers, and personal relationship. No doubt God has already done a lot in your past. He may have done wonders in your past, but you have not seen anything yet.

The best is still to come. Do not allow your life to become dull but instead keep on dreaming, hoping, and planning for bigger things. Know that your best days are not behind you. They are in front of you. But if this is going to happen, we must keep pressing forward, stretching ourselves. We should never set low expectations. Get rid of it.

We cannot change the past, but we can change or do something about the future. What is in front of you is far more important than what is behind you. Where you are going is more significant than where you came from or where you have been. Know this, when you think everyone has given up on you, God has not. He knows that He put seeds of greatness in you. But again, too often however we allow adversities, disappointments, and setbacks to deter us and before long, we find that we are not pressing forward anymore.

 “What happened in your past is not nearly as important as what is in your future.”

So, be encouraged my friend, by Paul’s emphasis here on forgetting the past and straining forward to what lies ahead. Do not let yesterday’s failures derail you from the goal of your upward call. Press on for the prize until you meet the Lord Jesus at the finish line. The author of the book of Hebrews, possibly Paul, made a similar statement in Hebrews 12:1-2:

That which lies behind Paul, which he is committed to “forget,” is all the great stuff on his spiritual CV that formerly shaped his identity. It was all his accomplishments, his law-keeping, his zeal for God, and his righteousness. He sets all these things aside so he might obtain new life, resurrection, through knowing Jesus and becoming like him.

This verse is not about forgetting your failures or regrets. (In fact, it’s often important to remember these things to highlight God’s grace at work in you – Ephesians 2:1-4, 11-13.) And it is not about casting vision for the future. It is about repenting of your self-reliance and coming to realize you have absolutely nothing to offer to make you right with God. Even your obedience to God and your ministry in service to him—such things ought never be your confidence.

“Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you” (Phil 3:15).

Prayer Declarations: Forgiveness and Repentance

1.

Dear God, I know nothing is hidden before you and you know all things. You search deeper within the way things appear and you watch my heart and my intentions at all times. (Luke 8:17)
I come humbly before you today asking that you forgive me for when I have not obeyed your commandment, to love others as you have loved me.
(John 15:12)
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2.
Forgive me for the times when I have despised wisdom and instruction and I have not done unto others as I would like for them to do to me.
(Proverbs 1:7), (Luke 6:31)
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3.
Forgive me for the times I have not been sensitive enough to the sufferings of my brothers and sisters in Christ but rather I have focused solely on my own sufferings.
(1 Peter 5:9)
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4.
Forgive me for the times I have not loved my enemies and pray for those who persecuted me.
(Matthew 5:44)
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5.
Forgive me for holding onto the hurts I have suffered from others and using it against my brothers and sisters in Christ.
(Matthew 6:14-15)
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6.
Help me to forgive others just as you have forgiven me so that we can all be healed through your healing balm in Jesus name I pray. Amen
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Prayer for Salvation and Baptism in the Holy Spirit

If you do not know Jesus as your Savior and Lord, simply pray the following prayer in faith, and Jesus will be your Lord!

Heavenly Father, I come to You in the Name of Jesus. Your Word says, “Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Acts 2:21). I am calling on You. I pray and ask Jesus to come into my heart and be Lord over my life according to Romans 10:9-10: “If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God has raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” I do that now. I confess that Jesus is Lord, and I believe in my heart that God raised Him from the dead.

I am now reborn! I am a Christian—a child of Almighty God! I am saved! You also said in Your Word, “If ye then being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: HOW MUCH MORE shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?” (Luke 11:13). I am also asking You to fill me with the Holy Spirit. Holy Spirit rise up within me as I praise God. I fully expect to speak with other tongues as You give me the utterance (Acts 2:4). In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

                                   YOU ARE NOW BORN AGAIN!

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