Press On!

If I had to summarize a New Year's thought or admonition in two words, I would say, "press on!" As you look to a new year in Christ, as given to you by His grace, "press on!" As you contemplate your relationships with your spouse, your children, your family and your friends, "press on!" As you consider your involvement in you local church, your ministry, your brothers and sisters in Christ, your neighbors, your employment, your employees, "press on!"

We find the Apostle Paul using these words twice in Philippians 3:12-14, where he is inspired to write, "Not that I have already obtained it, or have already become perfect, but I press on in order that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." As we look to a new year; as we are challenged to "press on" in our faith, to know Him better, to be transformed by the renewing of our minds, let us not miss this important point presented in this passage of scripture.

As Paul wrote of pressing on he noted that a condition of doing so was "forgetting what lies behind". I think God intentionally left out a list of "what lies behind" but I believe Paul was referring to those things that cause us to stumble in our walk with the Lord. The list would be quite long and each of us could find those things that have or perhaps are hindering our walk in Christ. What lies behind for you may not be that which lies behind for your brother or sister in Christ. But they are the things that can upset one's faith. The things that will cause difficulties in our relationships with those around us. Our family, our friends, our employers, our employees, our co-workers, our neighbors, our church families.

This "forgetting" can be difficult and I will say that it cannot be accomplished in the flesh. This is not the sort of forgetfulness that some find quite easy to come by in their lives. Forgetting your car keys. Forgetting to take the trash out. Forgetting something at the store. Forgetting someone's name. We all know this sort of forgetfulness and how prone we can be to practice it.

But the "forgetting" referred to here by Paul is active, determined and purposeful, and can only be accomplished as we walk in the Spirit. It is the spiritual warfare that we are engaged in that makes this sort of forgetting difficult. The enemy will be quick to bring that which "lies behind" to your mind and will do so frequently in hopes of causing you to stumble. The scripture speaks of this striving, this incompatibility, this opposition. Believers and unbelievers. Righteousness and lawlessness. Light and darkness. Christ and Belial. Spirit and flesh. Our gracious and merciful God so works in our lives that we might "share His holiness". But our enemy's hope is to distract us from a devotion to the Lord; to lead us "astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ". 

Our enemy is intent on destroying all that is good and all that brings glory to the Lord Jesus. Our marriages. Our families. Our friendships. Our local congregations. The body of Christ. The enemy is well pleased with divorce, broken family relationships, broken friendships, lost reputations, discouragement and disharmony in the body of Christ. There may be something that you are not free to forget. Let me explain. It may be that the Helper desires to bring you to remembrance of something that you need to confess before Him. Perhaps He is bringing you to a place of Godly sorrow as He graciously leads you to repentance. Perhaps an apology is in order, I do not know. But after a wrong has been righted, press on and "do not give the devil an opportunity". 

Through prayer, His word, His grace and His power we can forget those things that wage war against our soul and hinder our walk with the Savior. Know for certain that our enemy will use our rememberance of these things against us and against those we care for. Our family. Our friends. Our neighbors. Our church. The body of Christ. As we consider "forgetting what lies behind", may we seek help from the One who remembers no more our sins and lawless deeds. And in Christ, press on!