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“Succeeding in Life” Philippians 3:12-21 03/01/2009 Dr. Dane Boyles. “Succeeding in Life”. In Philippians 3 Paul writes about succeeding in life. We learn much more about success – life – from models than we do from manuals.
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“Succeeding in Life”Philippians 3:12-2103/01/2009Dr. Dane Boyles
“Succeeding in Life” • In Philippians 3 Paul writes about succeeding in life. • We learn much more about success – life – from models than we do from manuals. • Next to Jesus, the most successful Christian who ever lived would have to be Paul.
“Succeeding in Life” • In Philippians 3 we have Paul’s autobiography. • 17Join with others in following my example, and take notes of those who live according to the pattern we gave you. ((Phil. 3:17) • In this passage Paul briefly explains 4 keys to successful living.
“Succeeding in Life” • EVALUATION: Face my faults. • You do an inventory of your life. • Paul himself was honest about his faults. • 12Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect.
“Succeeding in Life” • 13I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. (Phil. 3:12-13) • 12I don’t claim that I have already succeeded or become perfect. (Phil. 3:12, Good News)
“Succeeding in Life” • The point is, successful people never stop growing. • This is so contrary to people today. • The question you ought to ask yourself is, “Where do I need to change?” Take a personal inventory.
“Succeeding in Life” • ELIMINATION: Forget the former; let go of your past. • Stop being manipulated by your memories. • 13This one thing I do, forgetting what is behind. (Phil. 3:13)
“Succeeding in Life” • My past is past. I let go of my guilt, grief, grudges. • Success involves learning to forget. • 13 Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See I am doing a new thing! (Isaiah 48:13)
“Succeeding in Life” • Don’t let the past control you, or have power over you, or manipulate you. • Successful people learn from the past and, once they learn, they let it go and move on.
“Succeeding in Life” • Two things you need to forget if you are going to follow Paul’s pattern: • Your failures. • Your successes.
“Succeeding in Life” • 62Anyone who starts to plow and then keeps looking back is of no use for the Kingdom of God. (Luke 9:62, Good News) • You can’t run a race looking backwards. • The Question becomes: What memory do I need to let go of?
“Succeeding in Life” • CONCENTRATION: Focus on the future. • Successful people are goal-oriented. They focus on the future. • 13But this one thing I do … straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal. (Phil. 3:13)
“Succeeding in Life” • Paul has a single priority. • Paul says, find out what counts. • Paul says, “I have my goal clearly in mind.”
“Succeeding in Life” • What was Paul’s goal? • 9So we make it our goal to please Him. (2 Corinthians 5:9) • The question we ask ourselves is, What am I living for?
“Succeeding in Life” • DETERMINATION: Fight to the finish. • The principle of determination: • 12I press on, straining toward the mark… • 13I press on to with the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. (Phil. 3:12-13)
“Succeeding in Life” • 24But I reckon my own life to be worth nothing to me, in order that I may complete my mission and finish the work that the Lord Jesus gave me to do, which is to declare the good news of the grace of God. (Acts 20:24)
“Succeeding in Life” • Two promises concerning determination: • 9Let us not grow weary in doing good. For at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. (Galatians 6:9)
“Succeeding in Life” • 6Be confident of this very thing. That He (God) who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion unto the day of Christ Jesus. (Philippians 1:6) • What God starts, He finishes.
“Succeeding in Life” Conclusion • Which of these issues do you need to focus on? • Are you continuing to allow the past to control your present? • Are you trying to dabble in so many things that you can’t get anything done?
“Succeeding in Life” • Focus on what counts. • PRAY!
“Succeeding in Life”Philippians 3:12-2103/01/2009Dr. Dane Boyles