WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.880 There's really no other way to gain hold of Christ. 2 00:00:02.880 --> 00:00:08.440 It's through the cross, not through your study, not through your theology. 3 00:00:08.440 --> 00:00:13.960 All that is good, but it's first when you die on the cross with Christ Jesus, then you 4 00:00:13.960 --> 00:00:21.600 get all that He has for you. 5 00:00:21.600 --> 00:00:24.420 Welcome back to a deeper dive into Philippians. 6 00:00:24.420 --> 00:00:29.660 Today we'll be looking at Philippians chapter 3 from verse 12 to 16. 7 00:00:29.660 --> 00:00:33.180 And the title for this message is Staying Hungry for the Lord. 8 00:00:33.180 --> 00:00:38.960 Because I believe in this section Paul encourages us to be hungry and just pursue the Lord. 9 00:00:38.960 --> 00:00:45.740 So let's jump in the verses and I'm going to read from just verses 12 to 14 and then 10 00:00:45.740 --> 00:00:49.020 we'll look at 15 and 16 later. 11 00:00:49.020 --> 00:00:51.100 So verses 12 says this. 12 00:01:20.020 --> 00:01:26.900 I love this section of verses because Paul is reminding us that there are levels that 13 00:01:26.900 --> 00:01:28.400 he's not reached yet. 14 00:01:28.400 --> 00:01:32.020 He's reminding us as much as God has used him, he's not there yet. 15 00:01:32.020 --> 00:01:33.780 He's not arrived. 16 00:01:33.780 --> 00:01:37.700 And that's a good thing for me because sometimes I think we feel like after you've studied 17 00:01:37.700 --> 00:01:41.020 a couple of verses in the Bible and you've preached a couple of times, you feel like 18 00:01:41.020 --> 00:01:44.960 you've attained, you feel like you've accomplished your goal spiritually. 19 00:01:44.960 --> 00:01:50.320 And this is towards the end of Paul's ministry and he's saying, I have not arrived yet. 20 00:01:50.320 --> 00:01:54.760 Because there's so much more to God that we don't even know yet. 21 00:01:54.760 --> 00:01:58.880 Paul is telling us we're not there yet, but let's keep going. 22 00:01:58.880 --> 00:01:59.880 Let's press on. 23 00:01:59.880 --> 00:02:05.640 And when I read this section, I think about Matthew chapter 11 verse 12. 24 00:02:05.640 --> 00:02:07.480 And this is what it says. 25 00:02:07.480 --> 00:02:13.560 And from the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven suffers violence 26 00:02:13.640 --> 00:02:17.480 and the violent take it by force. 27 00:02:17.480 --> 00:02:20.840 And the violent take it by force. 28 00:02:20.840 --> 00:02:25.080 This word violent is a Greek word, beazo. 29 00:02:25.080 --> 00:02:31.000 And it means to use force, to apply force, to force one's way into a thing. 30 00:02:31.000 --> 00:02:36.680 John came preaching about the kingdom of God and many since then have been forcing their 31 00:02:36.680 --> 00:02:38.920 way into the kingdom. 32 00:02:39.000 --> 00:02:44.440 Jesus wants us to force our way into his kingdom. 33 00:02:44.440 --> 00:02:47.880 He doesn't force the kingdom on us. 34 00:02:47.880 --> 00:02:53.320 He sends people to preach the kingdom and then he expects us to come running to the 35 00:02:53.320 --> 00:02:54.320 kingdom. 36 00:02:54.320 --> 00:02:57.040 He will never force himself on you. 37 00:02:57.040 --> 00:02:58.960 He wants you to want him. 38 00:02:58.960 --> 00:03:00.880 He wants you to pursue him. 39 00:03:00.880 --> 00:03:06.920 He wants you to be hungry for him and choose him over every other thing. 40 00:03:06.920 --> 00:03:13.800 And you see that in Matthew 7 when Jesus tells us, seek him and we will find him. 41 00:03:13.800 --> 00:03:16.720 He wants us to pursue and seek him. 42 00:03:16.720 --> 00:03:17.960 That's his goal. 43 00:03:17.960 --> 00:03:23.840 His goal is for intimacy with us and he wants us to be hungry for him. 44 00:03:23.840 --> 00:03:28.520 That's why Paul is saying, I've not attained, I'm not already perfect. 45 00:03:28.520 --> 00:03:30.400 He's hungry for more. 46 00:03:30.400 --> 00:03:32.860 Hunger is a sign of health. 47 00:03:32.860 --> 00:03:37.540 And so when God wants us to, when he says, be hungry for me, he wants us to show that 48 00:03:37.540 --> 00:03:39.300 we are healthy spiritually. 49 00:03:39.300 --> 00:03:43.420 Because if you're unhealthy spiritually, you will not desire him. 50 00:03:43.420 --> 00:03:45.180 You will not want more of him. 51 00:03:45.180 --> 00:03:47.260 You'll just be comfortable and relaxed. 52 00:03:47.260 --> 00:03:51.620 But if you're healthy spiritually and have an encounter with him, you will pursue him. 53 00:03:51.620 --> 00:03:55.620 You will study the scriptures, you will pray, you will be around, surround yourself with 54 00:03:55.620 --> 00:04:00.080 believers who are hungry so he can help you, motivate you to know him more. 55 00:04:00.080 --> 00:04:04.840 And so in this section, Paul is saying, not that I've already attained or I'm already 56 00:04:04.840 --> 00:04:09.000 perfected, but I press on. 57 00:04:09.000 --> 00:04:12.280 I press on to what he has for me. 58 00:04:12.280 --> 00:04:15.560 I press on to all that he's provided for me. 59 00:04:15.560 --> 00:04:19.000 I press on to the knowledge that's still out there for me. 60 00:04:19.000 --> 00:04:22.600 I press on into relationship with him. 61 00:04:22.600 --> 00:04:29.200 And then look at the other part of verse 12, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ 62 00:04:29.280 --> 00:04:31.680 Jesus has also laid hold of me. 63 00:04:31.680 --> 00:04:38.800 In the first section of this verse, Paul states this, that I may hold of that. 64 00:04:38.800 --> 00:04:44.540 And what I'm talking about is, not that I've already attained or I'm already perfected, 65 00:04:44.540 --> 00:04:51.920 but I press on that I may lay hold of that which Christ Jesus has laid hold of me. 66 00:04:51.920 --> 00:04:56.360 And the question that I ask is this, what is this that that he's talking about? 67 00:04:56.360 --> 00:05:00.560 What is he referring to when he says that I may lay hold? 68 00:05:00.000 --> 00:05:04.040 of that and this is what I believe he's talking about he's talking about what 69 00:05:04.040 --> 00:05:09.120 he was mentioning in the previous section from verses 8 to 11 and I'm 70 00:05:09.120 --> 00:05:14.360 gonna read verse 10 quickly so that you can see that I may know him and the 71 00:05:14.360 --> 00:05:18.520 power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings being 72 00:05:18.520 --> 00:05:23.640 conformed to his death that's what I believe is referring to that he may lay 73 00:05:23.640 --> 00:05:30.720 hold of this that he may lay hold of him that he may lay hold of the power of 74 00:05:30.720 --> 00:05:35.200 his resurrection that he may lay hold of the fellowship of his suffering being 75 00:05:35.200 --> 00:05:39.880 conformed to his death that's what he's referring to see Paul gave up all 76 00:05:39.880 --> 00:05:46.480 worldly accomplishments and status so that he can gain Christ he sacrificed 77 00:05:46.480 --> 00:05:52.120 everything he was at the top of the social world of his time the top of the 78 00:05:52.120 --> 00:05:58.160 economical world he was at the very top but he gave all that up so that he can 79 00:05:58.160 --> 00:06:04.860 gain Christ and that's the that's what you have to do to to be hungry to stay 80 00:06:04.860 --> 00:06:09.760 hungry for God you have to sacrifice you have to surrender the things of this 81 00:06:09.760 --> 00:06:15.160 world so that you can gain more of him so that you can gain more of him and 82 00:06:15.160 --> 00:06:20.920 then he continues to say this in verse 12 that I may lay hold of that for which 83 00:06:20.920 --> 00:06:30.040 Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me how did Christ Jesus lay hold of him 84 00:06:30.040 --> 00:06:34.960 Christ Jesus laid a hold of him when he went to the cross and died for our sins 85 00:06:34.960 --> 00:06:41.280 Christ laid hold of us when he said yes to the punishment that belonged to us 86 00:06:41.280 --> 00:06:47.040 that's how he gained Paul and that's how he gained us through his death burial 87 00:06:47.040 --> 00:06:53.120 and resurrection Christ laid hold of Paul and he laid hold of all of us in 88 00:06:53.120 --> 00:06:58.720 other words what Paul is saying here is he presses on so that he can learn to 89 00:06:58.720 --> 00:07:03.680 die on the cross like Christ because once you're dead on you're dying on the 90 00:07:03.680 --> 00:07:09.140 cross like Christ you're gaining more of him there's really no other way to gain 91 00:07:09.140 --> 00:07:14.400 hold of Christ it's through the cross not through your study not through your 92 00:07:14.400 --> 00:07:19.400 theology all that is good but it's first when you die on the cross with 93 00:07:19.400 --> 00:07:25.440 Christ Jesus then you get you get him then you get all that he has for you 94 00:07:25.440 --> 00:07:32.040 Paul's desire and goal is for him to look like Jesus Christ that's his heart 95 00:07:32.040 --> 00:07:39.280 and that's why he's pressing in so that he can die on the cross and get him so 96 00:07:39.280 --> 00:07:43.880 anyway let's move on to verse 13 brethren I do not count myself to have 97 00:07:43.880 --> 00:07:47.920 apprehended but one thing I do for getting those things which are behind 98 00:07:47.920 --> 00:07:52.480 and reaching forward to those which things are ahead verse 13 is one of my 99 00:07:52.480 --> 00:07:57.800 favorite verses because it helps me focus not on the past failures not on 100 00:07:57.800 --> 00:08:03.640 the past victories but helps me focus on what's ahead because sometimes we were 101 00:08:03.640 --> 00:08:10.080 trapped in our past sometimes we've experienced terrible past and it holds 102 00:08:10.080 --> 00:08:15.720 us back and prevents us from moving forward and prevents us from going into 103 00:08:15.720 --> 00:08:20.720 all that God has planned for us and also when he says I do not count myself to 104 00:08:20.720 --> 00:08:26.680 have apprehended but one thing I do I forget those things which are behind in 105 00:08:26.680 --> 00:08:32.720 the life of Paul this must have been a very important mindset because God used 106 00:08:32.720 --> 00:08:40.360 Paul in a very powerful way Paul was used to change culture to change cities 107 00:08:40.360 --> 00:08:46.080 he had vision open visions he had great experiences with the Lord but he chose 108 00:08:46.080 --> 00:08:52.360 to forget those things and move on he didn't live in the past we are sometimes 109 00:08:52.360 --> 00:08:59.680 prisoners of our past there is safety and comfort in the past because you 110 00:08:59.680 --> 00:09:04.360 already know what happened it's like the saying goes better devil you know 111 00:09:04.360 --> 00:09:08.720 than a devil that you don't know we know the past so you're comfortable with the 112 00:09:08.720 --> 00:09:12.760 past we don't know the future we're nervous about what's coming ahead and so 113 00:09:12.760 --> 00:09:18.200 sometimes we rather stay back there and then face the future some of us might 114 00:09:18.200 --> 00:09:25.400 have abusive past traumatic past and was so afraid to put ourselves out there and 115 00:09:25.400 --> 00:09:30.200 engage the future because you're afraid what happened to us might happen again 116 00:09:30.200 --> 00:09:37.000 and so we stay trapped and I'm encouraging you today leave the past 117 00:09:37.000 --> 00:09:44.080 good or bad look to the future look to Jesus who knows your future and then 118 00:09:44.080 --> 00:09:48.440 Paul goes on to say this I do not count myself to have apprehended I don't 119 00:09:48.440 --> 00:09:55.240 understand why those things happen in the past I don't understand why I 120 00:09:55.240 --> 00:10:01.920 was born in the family I was born into why I was the one that was single 121 00:10:00.000 --> 00:10:06.720 out and abused. Why did it happen to me? I don't understand that. And that we can spend our 122 00:10:06.720 --> 00:10:16.560 lifetime trying to ask, why me Lord? Why? Why? Why? Why? But it's saying, forgetting those things 123 00:10:16.560 --> 00:10:23.280 which are behind us. Let's reach forward to the future. If it's a trauma thing, deal with it. Don't 124 00:10:23.280 --> 00:10:31.760 ignore it. Seek counsel. Seek a therapist. Go to church. Let the Lord heal you from the wounds. 125 00:10:31.760 --> 00:10:37.200 And then, because you can never move forward if you have wounds in your heart. The wounds have to 126 00:10:37.200 --> 00:10:43.040 be first healed. Then you can move forward. So when he encourages to forget the things which are 127 00:10:43.040 --> 00:10:50.000 behind us and move forward, because life happens to all of us and we must choose to move ahead. 128 00:10:50.000 --> 00:10:58.480 Look at verse 14. I press toward the goal of the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 129 00:10:58.480 --> 00:11:04.400 I'm going to reread that in the NLT. I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the 130 00:11:04.400 --> 00:11:11.360 heavenly prize for which God through Christ Jesus is calling us. Paul forgets his previous successes 131 00:11:11.360 --> 00:11:18.480 and failures and focuses on finishing the race that was set before him. His goal in life is to 132 00:11:18.480 --> 00:11:26.960 receive his prize from Christ. His goal is to finish the race that was set before him. Now look 133 00:11:26.960 --> 00:11:34.560 at this verse in 2nd Corinthians chapter 5 from verse 9 to 10. Therefore we make it our aim, 134 00:11:34.560 --> 00:11:40.800 whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to him. For we must all appear before the judgment 135 00:11:40.800 --> 00:11:47.440 seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body according to what he has 136 00:11:47.440 --> 00:11:56.000 done, whether good or bad. What Paul is telling us here is this. We're going to stand, for us believers, 137 00:11:56.000 --> 00:12:02.320 we're going to stand before Christ and he will judge us based on what we've done in this life. 138 00:12:03.120 --> 00:12:08.080 And this is just for believers. The non-believers will stand before the great white throne judgment 139 00:12:08.080 --> 00:12:12.320 and they're going to stand before God the Father. We believers are going to stand before Christ 140 00:12:12.320 --> 00:12:19.440 and give an account for what we did with what Christ gave us. He's given us God the Holy Spirit. 141 00:12:19.440 --> 00:12:25.120 He's given us gifts. He's given us callings. He's given us so much and he's given us all blessings 142 00:12:25.120 --> 00:12:33.680 in heavenly places. So he expects us to finish our race and we will stand before God 143 00:12:33.680 --> 00:12:39.680 and give an account of what we've done. And so that's why Paul is saying, I press toward the goal 144 00:12:39.680 --> 00:12:46.480 for the price of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. He moves forward. He does not let the past 145 00:12:46.480 --> 00:12:53.040 impact him. He chooses to say, I know that was bad. I know that was terrible but I'm going to choose to 146 00:12:53.040 --> 00:13:00.400 look to you Jesus and take the next step. And when he finishes his race, he will receive a robe of 147 00:13:00.400 --> 00:13:06.720 righteousness. He will receive a crown from Christ Jesus and that should all be our goal. So let's 148 00:13:06.720 --> 00:13:15.040 continue here. Let's go to verses 15 and 16. Therefore let us as many as are mature have this 149 00:13:15.040 --> 00:13:21.600 mind and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you. Nevertheless to the 150 00:13:21.600 --> 00:13:28.160 degree that we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule. Let us be of the same mind. In 151 00:13:28.160 --> 00:13:34.880 verse 15, Paul is encouraging us to have the same mindset as he's having. The mindset of 152 00:13:34.880 --> 00:13:41.280 finishing the race and receiving the price from Christ. He especially expects the spiritually 153 00:13:41.280 --> 00:13:48.800 mature to have the mindset. And he finishes verse 15 by saying that if you do not have the mindset 154 00:13:48.800 --> 00:13:54.880 of finishing the race, pray that God will reveal that to you. And the way you get the mindset, you 155 00:13:54.880 --> 00:14:03.120 have to live a life of surrender. I believe Paul leaves it to the Holy Spirit to reveal to you 156 00:14:03.120 --> 00:14:08.800 because it is not something that can be taught. I cannot teach you how to surrender. I can tell 157 00:14:08.800 --> 00:14:14.400 you what surrendering is but I can't teach you how to do it. You and the Holy Spirit have to 158 00:14:14.400 --> 00:14:22.320 come together and choose to live that lifestyle of surrendering because that is how you finish 159 00:14:22.320 --> 00:14:29.680 the race. That is the mindset that we all need to have. And verse 16, nevertheless to the degree 160 00:14:29.680 --> 00:14:38.000 that we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule. Let us be of the same mind. Simply verse 161 00:14:38.000 --> 00:14:44.320 16 is telling us this, act your age. Act your age. Nevertheless to the degree that we already attained, 162 00:14:45.120 --> 00:14:49.680 act to the knowledge that you have. If you have this mindset of surrender and finishing the race, 163 00:14:49.680 --> 00:14:53.680 live like it. If you don't, ask the Lord to give you that mindset and grow in it. 164 00:14:54.640 --> 00:14:59.200 The Holy Spirit will hold us accountable. When we are standing before Jesus and giving 165 00:14:59.200 --> 00:15:02.400 account of what we have done, He will hold us accountable. 166 00:15:00.000 --> 00:15:06.560 done will be held accountable based on what we know. God does not waste anything and so if you 167 00:15:06.560 --> 00:15:13.200 think you can just live this life without with no abandonment think again because when you stand 168 00:15:13.200 --> 00:15:18.320 before Jesus you'll have to give an account of everything and so have this mindset of finishing 169 00:15:18.320 --> 00:15:24.800 the race and the way we get that is through the Holy Spirit revealing that to us. Holy Spirit will 170 00:15:24.800 --> 00:15:32.240 hold us accountable to the degree of revelation we have received. In verse 13 Holy Spirit challenges 171 00:15:32.240 --> 00:15:37.600 us to be hungry and so when we're hungry for more we get more revelation and then when we get more 172 00:15:37.600 --> 00:15:43.520 revelation we get more knowledge of how to live life and based on that knowledge there's an 173 00:15:43.520 --> 00:15:50.880 expectation of us to walk in it and then when we stand before Christ we'll be held accountable 174 00:15:51.440 --> 00:15:58.240 of how we've lived our life based on the revelation we've received. This challenges us to be ever 175 00:15:58.240 --> 00:16:05.920 growing and to not just sit on these revelations but to implement them in our lives. I really hope 176 00:16:05.920 --> 00:16:11.360 you've gathered what I'm trying to tell you. We'll be held accountable for everything that we're doing 177 00:16:12.800 --> 00:16:18.960 and God expects us to pursue him and be hungry for him but the main thing I want you to remember 178 00:16:18.960 --> 00:16:25.360 we have the Holy Spirit who will help us in all this, who will help us finish the race, who will 179 00:16:25.360 --> 00:16:31.840 help us accomplish what God has sent us here on earth to accomplish. Amen. Thank you for watching 180 00:16:31.840 --> 00:16:38.240 this message. I pray that you will join me next episode as we look at living up to the cross of Christ.