Press On
“….Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.
Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3: 12 – 14
Jesus wants to meet you where you are and guide you to become all you can be for your joy and His glory. He has a “you” in mind that is more fulfilling than you have ever dreamed; a you brimming with confidence, filled with assurance, and overflowing with a sense of purpose.
He has done and is doing this for millions. It is the kind of potential He has in mind for you. You can be all He would have you be. That will give Him victory and you vitality. Are you ready for a great adventure that will take the tedium out of life, defend you against boredom, and spare you a sense of futility?
The trumpeter for God’s army knows no retreat. He knows well the command to “Charge.”
The only place to go forward looking backwards in the sport of rowing.
To achieve your potential it is essential to forget the past and focus on the future. Past events influence your presence, but they must not be allowed to determine your future.
Most people will admit two things. One, they haven’t reached their full potential, and they are ambitious to achieve a more fulfilling life that is gratifying.
Remember, “The load of tomorrow added to that of yesterday, and carried today, makes the strongest falter.”
The text employs an athletic term to describe aggressive striving for improvement.
The term “perfect” or “perfected” translates an athletic expression for the finish line in an athletic contest. Life is not a sprint, a quick burst of brilliance or brisk energy. It is a marathon which must be “run with patience” (Hebrews 12: 1).
The term “apprehend” refers to a hearty ambition to achieve the plan God has for life. Got it? Good!
This may not be where you are presently. You may be going through an experience that is causing you to ask, “What is going on here, Lord?” Be assured that whatever it is He wants to use it ultimately to help you mature. Thus, even an adversity becomes an advantage.
You break the power of the past by living in the present for the good of the future. Lay aside every weight; emotional scars, failures, negative parental imprinting, your losses, wash outs, flops, and duds.
Press on! Do you hear the trumpet sound? That is the order to C-H-A-R-G-E-!