KEEPING OUR EYES ON THE PRIZE

Philippians 3:1-14

INTRODUCTION: Although we are first in many wonderful areas as a nation we are also first in many not so wonderful areas as a nation. We have the world’s largest economy. We have the strongest military in the world, and the world’s most advanced technology. However we are also the world’s most wasteful country.We produce more waste than anyone else in the world. We also are wasting our lives and that is the greatest waste of all. We need to learn to keep our eye s on the prize! We must learn what God’s goals are for each of our lives or we may run the race of our life and wind up not fulfilling God’s purpose for our lives. But how do we learn what God’s goal is for our lives and how can we keep our eyes on the prize?

      I.   FORGET WHAT IS BEHIND YOU!

We need to understand none of us will ever reach all the goals our Lord has laid out for our lives: Philippians 3:12. Yes, the apostle Paul was the world’s greatest theologian, church planter, and missionary but even Paul admitted he didn’t have it all together. The first step to moving forward toward your God given goals is to stop looking backward: Philippians 3:13. We cannot totally forget our past failures but we can stop letting our past failures from hindering us from fulfilling our God given goals: Isaiah 43:25. We are to learn from our past failures and our past successes but not allow them to hinder our future progress. We must all learn from the past. Live in the present. Look to the future.

II.   FOUCUS ON WHAT IS AHEAD OF YOU!

The apostle Paul put his past in the rearview mirror so he could focus better on where his Lord planned for him to go: Philippians 3:13. We must learn to focus on “God’s one thing” for our lives if we would live for His glory! Jesus told the rich young ruler: “One thing you lack!” Jesus told Martha “One thing is needed!” King David said: Psalm 27:4-5. Seeking “God’s one thing” for our lives will help us concentrate and is the secret source of Divine power in our lives! We can only really focus well on one thing. What was the apostle Paul seeking? Philippians 3:14. Paul focused on “the upward call of God!” You ask: “What is that one thing?” We must seek with all our hearts to know our God and to glorify Him. We need to keep our “eyes on the prize!”

III.   WE MUST FACE WHAT IS BEYOND US!

The apostle Paul uses one term twice in this passage to tell us how to face our future. Philippians 3:12 and in Philippians 3:14 Paul uses the term “press on.” Those words mean to “relentlessly pursue!” Paul says, “No matter what may happen I will relentlessly keep my eyes on the prize of knowing God and glorifying Him with my life until I cross the finish line!” Sadly too many of us take our eyes off the prize and chase after the things of this world. We “take our eyes off the prize!” What “One thing will you be focusing on with the rest of your life?” Let me ask you: “Are you focusing on what you want for your life or on what your God wants for your life?” How would your life change if you really got “your eyes on the prize of knowing God’s will for your life and pursuing it with all your heart?” When we get our goals to match up to what our Lord’s goal is for our lives we will start to make real progress toward the prize! Matthew 6:25-34. Are you seeking first God’s kingdom and God’s righteousness?