I press toward the mark for the prize of high calling of God in Christ Jesus
Phil. 3:14
The word “press” is very significant for our discussion because it indicates an exertion of energy. When you think of the word, you are likely to remember familiar words like “compression”, “depression”, “oppression”, “suppression” etc. A critical look at those words will show you the word “press” as being common in all of them. It represents a force being exerted to blow you out, or crush you or do any sort of damage. But when we look at the tone of Apostle Paul in the above quoted scripture, we see the same word being used, signifying that a necessary force must be applied if we are to arrive at the destiny God prepared for us. If you have thought Christianity is just about clapping, dancing, singing and listening to sermons without any personal goal in view, then you might have entered a vehicle that is going no where in particular. You don’t want to waste your time on a journey that bears no purpose to your life. Here then are principles to consider as you chew the verse we are examining:
Principle to remember #1
Life is not a playground, it is a battlefield (Eph. 6:11-13, 2 Cor. 10:3-5)
Lesson #1: Don’t be distracted. A playground is a friendly turf. You can abandon yourself to playmates and subject yourself to unguarded pleasures. But when you remember that life is a battlefield, then you are wise to take precautions because that may mean the difference between life and death. The world we live in is acutely scarce in a commodity called “Trust”. You really need to be focussed, to be discerning and not to take things for granted. I would not forget an incident that happened to me some years back. I was in a country called Guinea Republic, a French West African country. I was planning to return to my country Nigeria and I was doing some shopping around. From a street peddler, I saw a beautiful pair of shoe at a very lesser cost compared to what it was sold in the market. I decided to buy the pair of shoe. In the process of paying, a group of young boys came around and were asking different questions mostly in French which I did not understand. I tried hard to respond to them all to no avail. I made my payment to the shoe seller, got the new plastic bag containing my shoes and I was pleased to leave the scene to get home and tried my new shoes on. I got the shock of my life when I opened the bag and I discovered a terribly tattered, worn-out and stinking pair of shoe. It was the kind of shoes you would find in a dumpster in Africa or any Third World for that matter! I cried, I cursed; I really felt so bad for the whole week. I had lost lot of money on junks because of distraction. It can prove more fatal in a battlefield if you are distracted. It can cost you your life, be watchful! The weight of the goals you pursue may determine the depth of your distraction. The enemy can use anything to lure you off the path of your goals. And this is not just physical; it might even be spiritual or emotional. Think of it; anytime you find it hard to let go of a matter the word of God commands you to release, you have got a distraction in your life. How often Satan plants unforgiveness, bitterness, lust, jealousy and such likes in our hearts to distract us from the glory that lies ahead of us.
Lesson #2: Every battle is governed by powers; obey your Commander! (Put on the whole armour). A battle breaks out as a result of irresolvable contention between opposing forces. God commands His children to “Put on the whole armour of God” twice in Ephesians 6:11 and 13, and moved on to instruct what the armour is and how it must fit. (Ephesians 6: 10-18). Any soldier who does not obey his commander does so at his own risk. You cannot win this battle without God; you must listen to Him through His word.
Lesson #3: In battle, territories are either conquered or lost. To conquer, God must fight for you (Exodus 14:14, Deuteronomy 3:22, 2Chronicles 20:17, Jeremiah 1:19, Jeremiah 15:20). Without God, it is certain you will lose. It is therefore important that you do not treat God like Santa Claus, a seasonal freak who dispenses goodies at will. How can the center of your life hold if God is not the center? (2Chr.15:2)
Principle to remember #2
Don’t get stuck in battle mentality. If God allow any battle in your life as a child of God, it is that you may conquer a new territory. It is therefore important to break from the grip of war mentality and press toward the trophy God has in view for you. (Isaiah 43:18)
Lesson #4: God commanded that you should not remember former things. Why? Because you cannot change your past. He promised to do a new thing, if you do not believe, nothing new will happen to you. Every word of God is a promise. To believe is to affirm the integrity of God. To disbelieve is to hold to yourself (or other pep idols) believing God is not worth His Word. What a crime! (2 Timothy 2:13). Are you the one who asks can anything good come out of Nazareth? (John 1:46) The word of God to you is; If you believe, you shall see the glory of God. (John 11:40)
We are missionaries, men and women on a mission for the LORD, Jesus Christ our Saviour and Master. That is our call, our privilege, our destiny. We are pressing on till the final whistle (trumpet) is blown, Alleluyah! Some day we will be out of here to appear before the glorious majesty of our dear LORD and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.
Getting you thinking, the time is short
By Caleb Abbas