Pressing Toward The Goal


I. Introduction:

A. Our goal should be to lay hold on eternal life (I Timothy 6:12-19).

  1. Once grasped, holding on till the end (Hebrews 3:14).
  2. Not running to a certain point and then failing as some have (Galatians 5:7-9).

B. To have the mentality of Christ in seeking to be finishers (John 4:34).

  1. Jesus knew He was given work to finish (John 5:36).
  2. We know that our Lord expects us to keep the course until we die or until He comes again (Matthew 24:44-46 and Revelation 2:10).

II. Body: Philippians 3:1-15

A. Attaining unto the resurrection (I Corinthians 15:50-57).

  1. Not as though any of us have already attained (I Thessalonians 5:8-10).
  2. Not having a sense of entitlement (Luke 17:7-10 and I Peter 4:17-19).
  3. Reaching forth, continuing forward (Acts 14:22 and Hebrews 6:11-12).
  4. Not settling into spiritual ease (Amos 6:1, I Corinthians 16:13, and Titus 3:8; 3:14).

B. To press means: “to pursue (literally or figuratively); by implication to persecute: - ensue, follow (after), given to, (suffer) persecute (-ion), press toward” (Strong’s # 1377). This word is most often translated in the KJV as "persecute(d)" (28 times). i.e. Matthew 5:11, Matthew 5:44, Luke 21:12, etc. In this same context it is translated “persecuting” (vs. 6) and “follow after” (vs. 12).

  1. The idea in pressing is, as translated in I Thessalonians 5:15, to “ever follow” or to “ensue” as translated in I Peter 3:11. All of this highlights the intensity of what it is to press.
  2. Consider the concept of running a race to the finish, to run with endurance till the end (I Corinthians 9:24-27 and Hebrews 12:1-3).
  3. Forgetting the things behind you, not living in the past, and not looking back (Luke 9:62).

C. We don’t want to come short of the finish line (Hebrews 4:1-11).

  1. If we turn away at some point, we will not have earned a credit line that pushes us forward (Ezekiel 18:24).
  2. Think about the perspective on life a finisher has (Philippians 1:21 and II Timothy 4:6-8).

III. Conclusion: At the end, the salvation of your souls (I Peter 1:1-9).


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