The church in the city of Philippi was a constant source of support for Paul. And in this letter to the Philippians, written from a Roman prison, he not only thanks the people for their help, he also encourages them to come together in unity, guard their hearts and minds, and never become complacent in their relationship with God. A goal Paul Himself never stopped striving to achieve. Even with his many credentials and accomplishments, Paul remained passionate about growing in his relationship with the Lord and becoming a reflection of Jesus to the world around him; always keeping his eyes focused on God’s promise of eternal life to all believers. And following in Paul’s footsteps, we too should aim for a goal of a deeper bond with God and becoming more Christlike in all we do.
In speaking of his goal Paul says, “Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and teaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (vs. 3:12-14) In these words, Paul gives us some wisdom on how, like him, we can achieve the goal of becoming who God wants us to be.
Practice Humility- Paul was the first to admit that he was far from perfect. And even with all of the great things he did for God’s kingdom and as far as he had come, he was humble enough to know that he wasn’t yet where God intended him to be. It’s when we arrogantly believe that we’ve already arrived that we become complacent in our relationship with Him. For as Proverbs 18:12 reminds us, “Before destruction the heart of a man is haughty, but humility goes before honor.”
Be Diligent- We all have times when we feel like we just can’t take one more step. I’m sure, being persecuted and imprisoned, Paul had a few of those moments himself. Yet instead of giving up he pressed on, trusting God to carry him through his weakness. When we too are feeling weary and down trodden, God promises that when we are abiding in His will He will supply the strength we need to move forward in achieving our goal. In Deuteronomy 31:8 He declares. “It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”
Forget The Past-Paul gave no mind to his victories, lest he grew proud, nor to his defeats, lest he grew bitter. He understood that dwelling in the past can keep us either stuck in perpetual guilt from our mistakes, or stuck in nostalgia for days gone by; both preventing us from “reaching forward to what lies ahead”. We, like Paul, need to realize the value of letting go to get ahead. For as he says in verse 3:8, “I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish.”
Keep Your Eyes On The Prize-Paul loved Jesus, and the one thing that kept him going through every circumstance and hardship was knowing that one day he would dwell with Jesus for eternity. The joy of that prize kept him determined to reach his goal of knowing and becoming like the Lord. Because Paul trusted God to fulfill every promise, he knew that nothing he suffered for the Lord was in vain. And so it is with us. When we keep our eyes fixed on the prize of an eternity with Jesus, we can find victory in obtaining our goal. We serve a faithful God and are encouraged by the author of Hebrews to , “hold fast the confession of our hope for he who promised is faithful.”
When it comes to reaching our goals, there is no better example to be found then Paul. The steps he took, he did so confidently knowing they would lead him to receiving the “resurrection of the dead”, resulting in rising with Christ and sharing in His glory. And such a prize surpassed any earthly hurt or suffering. So be like Paul who encourages us to, “join in following my example and observe those who walk according to the pattern you have in us.” (vs. 3:17) Set heavenly goals, step out in faith, and keep your eyes on the prize!
