Moving Forward

Are we moving forward in Christ? Are we moving backwards? Are we stuck in one position? As Christians, we are called to be ones who will continually be moving to another level in God. Our life should always be moving higher. We should never be where we were two or three years ago. Our relationship with God is one that should be of growth and of progress.

Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. 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. Philippians 3:12-14 (NKJV)

In the verses above, Paul indicates to us that he is not perfect. He has not attained everything as yet but this didn't stop him. Sometimes we think that we can not move forward because we are not perfect and we are not achieving what we should do. Sometimes we also let our past stop us from moving forward. We consider the things that we did in the past and we say to ourselves that we are not worthy of achieving anything and that we are not worthy of this Christian life. In spite of all this, Paul said 'I press on'. Paul pressed on to attain the things that Christ had for him. In this life as a Christian, it is necessary for us to be determined and to not give up. When we give up, we miss out on the things that we could have achieved if we stuck in there. Do not give up on God because He will never give up on you!

Paul forgot about the things that were behind him. He forgot about his past. He did not let his past stop him from pursuing Christ. Paul was a persecutor of the Christian church. He had a past that would have left a terrible mark and shame on his life but when he came to Christ, all of that shame left. There is no condemnation to those that are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1). There is no condemnation to you. Are we letting our past stop us from being who God has created us to be? Are we letting our past hinder our relationship with God? Our past is our testimony of how God saved us but it is not a place for us to live.

We have to reach forward to those things which are ahead. We have to reach for the greater. Jesus said that greater works than these we will do (John 14:12). We are called to be greater, to be different from this world. We are called to be transformed into the image of Christ, to have the mind of Christ and to be moving from glory to glory.

But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. 2 Corinthians 3:18 (NKJV)

Let us press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let us make it a goal to always be moving from glory to glory in Christ. Let us desire to always be moving forward and never going backwards. We are always in a process of being transformed, in a process of being refined and purified to be like gold.

Let us commit today to move forward. I will follow You forward!!