Forgetting Those Things Which are Behind

First of all, let me sincerely thank all of you who prayed for Mary and me during my recent bout with double pneumonia. To say the least, this past year has been a challenging one for us in regard to my physical health. We could not have made it through in VICTORY without the precious prayers that all of YOU have sent up to the Throne of our Lord.

That leads me into my thoughts for this bright new year of 2016. I know that it is “customary” for those of us who dare to teach to conjure up something related to “resolutions” at the beginning of each new year. I am trying to resist the temptation to “go there”, but I must confess (as will be momentarily obvious) that I have not been entirely successful in the attempt!

The scripture that is bouncing around in my spirit is from Philippian’s chapter 3, beginning with verse 7:

7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.

8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,

9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;

11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.

12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.

13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,

14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

WOW! I know there is far too much in this passage of Scripture to attempt to address in the context of this brief missive. So, I will focus on two simple thoughts … FORGETTING those things which are behind, and PRESSING FORWARD to those things which are before us.

I realize that the instruction to FORGET might seem to be in conflict with our recent discussion of “Ebenezers” (stones of remembrance.) It is not. What Paul is specifically referring to in this portion of his letter to the Philippians is the forgetting of all of the HUMAN efforts that he expended, in vain, to earn God’s acceptance. Rather, Paul clearly states that he wants to be “… found in him (Jesus), not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith”. What we are being encouraged to DO here is to first GROUND ourselves in the righteousness of God which is attained through FAITH in Jesus Christ, and to then FORGET all of the failures in our past which did NOT lead to the desired “end” … acceptance by God the Father.

It is only by forgetting all of the “failures” that each of us has in our past that we will be able to move ahead – PRESSING FORWARD – toward the PRIZE of the HIGH CALLING of God in Christ Jesus. What is that PRIZE? While there is a common aspect of that PRIZE (one common to all believers – ie the attaining of acceptance in Jesus Christ) there is also a very personal aspect of that “PRIZE which is going to be unique to each of us.

What is it that the Holy Spirit is calling you to do this new year? It may be something that is entirely “new” to you or it may be something that is a continuation of a “call” that you have been pursuing for years. Whatever it is, I would encourage you, right now, to do the following:

  1. Ask for forgiveness for whatever failures may be in your past. Along with asking for forgiveness from the Father, make sure that you forgive YOURSELF! We far too often “receive” the forgiveness of the Father for our past sin but then take that sin and enshrine it in memory as an “Ebenezer”. OH YES … we can and far too often we DO set up negative “Ebenezers” (stones of remembrance) in our minds and spirits for things the Father has already forgiven and has cast away from us as far as the east is from the west. (Psalms 103:12).
  1. Having received forgiveness from the Father and from yourself, be RESOLVED to never allow what is in your past to hinder you from PRESSING FORWARD toward the   ” PRIZE, the Mark, the GOAL, the REWARD of the HIGH CALLING of God in Christ Jesus …”.

There it is (in a bit of a “nutshell” – your resolutions for this new year: FORGET/FORGIVE, and PRESS FOWARD!

I invite you to pray this short prayer with me:

Dear Father, I thank you that you always hear me and that you are always willing to forgive me of ALL unrighteousness. I ask you now, Father, to forgive me, for Jesus sake, of all that I have done in my life that did not proceed from FAITH. I ask that, through your Holy Spirit, you empower me to forgive myself for all of the failures that I have had. Father I accept, right now, the revelation of your Holy Spirit with regard to the specific HIGH CALLING you have for me this coming year. Reveal it to me and then give me the wisdom and strength to press forward to achieve the goals set forth in and by that HIGH CALLING. I ask this in the precious and never failing name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen and Amen.

We LOVE YOU and look forward, Lord willing, to meeting each of you in this coming, gloriously triumphant, new year.