PRESS TOWARD THE MARK

Philippians 4:13-14 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, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Are you just floating along through life with a kay -sa-ra- sa- ra whatever will be will be attitude and just hoping every thing will be hunky dory (after all you are a Christian)? Sad but true far too many dear Christian folks are tricked into doing just that because of wrong thinking, that since God is omnipotent then He is in control of every thing and whatever happens in my life is His will and for my benefit. No folks Jesus said The thief cometh but for to steal, kill, and to destroy; but I have come that ye might have life and have it more abundantly. John 10: 10. First Peter 5: 8-9 says Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. My simple theology "good God: bad devil" you have an enemy seeking to devour and destroy you called the devil. If you fail to take the authority in the Name of Jesus given to His church and, by faith, resist the devil, his forces will rule and reign in your circumstances. Galatians 3: 13 declares Christ HATH (already has) redeemed us from the curse of the law.... the three fold curse is poverty, sickness and spiritual death (separation from God) Now if Christ has already redeemed us from it we shouldn't have it. In the Old Testament book of Hosea it says MY people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Every Christian I know has suffered plenty of lack, sickness, and feeling like God was far far away in their life due to lack of knowledge of the will of God as plainly stated in The New Testament. But Hallelujah today is a brand new day. The failures as well as the victories of the past are history, Paul said one thing I do "FORGETTING the past; I PRESS." Reliving past glory brings regret. Reliving past failure brings remorse. Living in the NOW brings revival. Yesterdays gone and things will never be the same. Life is a continual change. If you miss some glory from the past determine to press into an even greater glory today and in the future. If past mistakes are haunting and hindering you just repent and walk on righteously and press into the place God has for you. When I was in high school and playing basketball, our coach had a strategy called a full court press. If the opposing team was scoring too easily on us coach would call for the full court press and we would double team the ball and work extremely hard to steal the ball from them before they could even get it into their scoring half of the court. The success of this strategy depended upon being better conditioned than the opposition as you had to run very hard to the ball constantly and disrupt his timing by your aggressive style of play. In my opinion the adversary has been scoring much to easily against the church's defense and it is high time to get into shape spiritually and put on the full court press! (Can you say amen somebody) Hebrews 12: 1-2 says Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; The Greek word here translated patience is hupomone meaning cheerful endurance or constancy or perseverance. Some great men of God have left earth this year and gone to the Grandstands to watch us finish our race. I for one am preparing to PRESS. In running track the longer races consisted of multiple laps around the track, coming around the final turn on the last lap you could see the finish tape stretched across the track and everyone would "kick" or press for the finish. The outcome was most often determined by who had the most "heart" and the best conditioning. I challenge you today to get into the Word like never before. Find out who you are and what you have in Christ Jesus. Begin to DO the Word like never before and let's together start to make the devil and his imps sorry to see us wake up in the morning.

permission granted to share freely