Philippians 3:13-14

1. Philippians 3:13-14 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

2. Five Things to Forget... ...to be spiritually mature.

3. Setbacks • We are too prone to brood over our losses - especially financial and material losses. • But Jesus taught that the only loss which should truly concern us is the loss of the soul!

4. Matthew 16:24-26 Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?"

5. Setbacks • We are too prone to brood over our losses - especially financial and material losses. • But Jesus taught that the only loss which should truly concern us is the loss of the soul! • Losing friends, health, job, property or position are bad but are also minor inconveniences compared to the excellence of gaining Christ.

6. Philippians 3:8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.

7. Slights • We must not dwell on past grievances or injuries. • Harboring hatred or resentment poisons a person's whole perspective on life. • There is not much room for anything else in a heart filled with bitterness.

8. Ephesians 4:26-27 "Be angry, and do not sin": do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil.

9. Ephesians 4:26-27, 31-32 "Be angry, and do not sin": do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil. Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you.

10. Successes • Many good men have been ruined by success. • Saul of Gibeah was a noble man until he was anointed king of Israel and then his life turned to tragedy.

11. 1 Samuel 13:6-14 When the men of Israel saw that they were in danger (for the people were distressed), then the people hid in caves, in thickets, in rocks, in holes, and in pits. And some of the Hebrews crossed over the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. As for Saul, he was still in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling. Then he waited seven days, according to the time set by Samuel. But Samuel did not come to Gilgal; and the people were scattered from him.

12. 1 Samuel 13:6-14 So Saul said, "Bring a burnt offering and peace offerings here to me." And he offered the burnt offering. Now it happened, as soon as he had finished presenting the burnt offering, that Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might greet him.

13. 1 Samuel 13:6-14 And Samuel said, "What have you done?" And Saul said, "When I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that you did not come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered together at Michmash, then I said, 'The Philistines will now come down on me at Gilgal, and I have not made supplication to the Lord.' Therefore I felt compelled, and offered a burnt offering."

14. 1 Samuel 13:6-14 And Samuel said to Saul, "You have done foolishly. You have not kept the commandment of the Lord your God, which He commanded you. For now the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. But now your kingdom shall not continue. The Lord has sought for Himself a man after His own heart, and the Lord has commanded him to be commander over His people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you."

15. Romans 12:3 For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.

16. Successes • Many good men have been ruined by success. • Saul of Gibeah was a noble man until he was anointed king of Israel and then his life turned to tragedy. • Let us remember that without the mercy of God we could do nothing, have nothing, be nothing!

17. Sorrows • We must not allow our sorrows to imprison us in the past. • As one old preacher used to say, "We must look for life's pearls."

18. Romans 8:18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

19. 2 Corinthians 1:3-7 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ.

20. 2 Corinthians 1:3-7 Now if we are afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effective for enduring the same sufferings which we also suffer. Or if we are comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation. And our hope for you is steadfast, because we know that as you are partakers of the sufferings, so also you will partake of the consolation.

21. Sins • We must not allow our sins to defeat us. • With God's help, we can put them behind us. • Sin can be cleansed from our lives. • The blood of Christ is more powerful than sin!

22. Hebrews 12:1-2 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

23. May God grant us both the wisdom to know what needs to be forgotten and the will to forget them.