Reach For The Prize

Reach for the prize

Scripture Reference: Philippians 3:13,14 (KJV)

Philippians 3:13 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.

Many of us find ourselves in situations where we have come up short of the goals that we set out to achieve

Depending on how high we set our goals this could be worse for some than others

The worse thing I think that could happen however is for us to have no goals at all

Some of us have gotten our goals mixed up with our prizes

The first thing that I want to do is to let you know that there is a difference between goals and prizes

What is the difference between a goal and a prize?

GOAL

Goal - 1 a. the terminal point in a race b. an area to be reached safely in children’s games 2 : the end toward which effort is directed : AIM 3 a: an area or object toward which players in various games attempt to advance a ball or puck and usually through or into which it must go in order to score points b: the act or action of causing a ball or puck to go through or into such a goal c: the score resulting from such an act (synonymous with Intention)

Intention - 1: a determination to act in a certain way: RESOLVE 2: IMPORT, SIGNIFICANCE 3 a: what one intends to do or bring about b: the object for which a prayer, mass, or pious act is offered 4: a process or manner of healing of incised wounds 5: CONCEPT; especially : a concept considered as the product of attention directed to an object of knowledge 6 pl: purpose with respect to marriage

PRIZE

Prize - 1 : something offered or striven for in competition or in contests of chance; also : PREMIUM 2: something exceptionally desireable 3 archaic : a contest for a reward : COMPETITION

Next, I want to ask you five questions that I want you to write down or commit to memory and answer at your own leisure

1. What is the ultimate prize that you are reaching for in your life?

2. Are you reaching for that prize right now? If not then why not?

3. Name three things that are hindering you from reaching that

prize?

4. Name one thing that you have left behind to attain that prize?

5. What can you change to bring you closer to attaining your

prize?

I pray that you answer these questions either now or when you get home that you stay the course

Let’s go to our scripture for today

First of all Paul an apostle of Christ as blessed as he was did not count himself as if he had attained a prize

After all of the things that he had done to include write a large portion of the new testament, study from the best scholars, receiving a revelation from Christ, etc he still considered himself as not being there yet

Let’s look at what we have accomplished to be able to say that we have arrived: Good jobs, great marriages, built churches, bought homes, good friends, etc these are all great accomplishments yet they all fall short of any of Paul’s small accomplishments

However there is one thing that Paul took credit for doing that I would like for all of us to concentrate on right now

Paul stated that he had successfully left some things behind

That is what is holding so many of us back from achieving what God has called us to do

We have been successfully bound by Satan by allowing him to make us think that we need to hold on to some things that actually need to be left behind

Think of one thing that you could leave behind right now church

I am not saying forget about that thing but I am saying put it behind us

Some of us are silly and confused enough to think that we need to leave our spouses or family behind

No this is not the enemy saints and I can assure you of that

The one thing that we need to put behind us to never get in our way again is again is Satan

Jesus said in (Luke 4:8 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.) Get thee behind me Satan

He was not talking to Peter just as we don’t need to say that to those who are close to us but he was speaking to the spirit of Satan that had Peter bound at the time