Philippians 3:12-14

STP Devotional for the Week of 02/02/26

Can you think of anything you start but never finish? Like getting older, growing hair/nails, reading your Bible. Why do we like to finish things? It gives us a sense of accomplishment and allows us to move onto the next thing.

In Philippians 3:1-11, we learned that there was a lot Paul could boast about in being a good Jewish man. He told us, though, that he counted it all as loss if it didn’t help him know Jesus better.

Remember that Paul met Jesus on the road to Damascus. He met the disciples, argued with Peter, traveled with Silas and Barnabus. He preached God’s word in temples in Rome, Crete, Caesarea; established churches and ended up in prison writing letters to the churches he helped create. He has accomplished all these things and yet the first thing he says in Philippians 3:12 is “not that I have obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own because Christ Jesus has made me his own.”

The next few sentences are some of my favorite verses in Philippians. I adopted them as my life verses. Listen carefully: “Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (v.13-14)

I want to pay close attention to two things: forgetting what’s behind and straining forward to what lies ahead.

Why do you think Paul wants to forget what’s behind? Paul persecuted the Christians, condoned and witnessed the stoning of Stephen, and lived many years in complete opposition to Jesus. What about us? Is there something from the past you would like to forget? I want to forget the times I’ve been angry or talked harshly to someone, or times when I’ve judged people incorrectly, or times I disobeyed my parents. There’s lots of reasons to forget what we’ve done in the past.

So, straining ahead seems a more hopeful goal, a more positive direction to be heading. What can we be excited for? Serving Christ! Preaching the gospel through your class’s show. Meeting new people and sharing God’s word with them.

I love the words Paul uses here – straining forward and pressing on. They indicate forward motion but also having to fight to get there. He’s telling us that the forward motion will be difficult. Why do you think? Because we need to strain against evil, against the world, and against the wiles of Satan. It is not an easy road, so why should we choose it? Paul answers this at the end of verse 14 – because there is a prize! Have you ever won a prize? Did you have to work hard to get it? Was it worth it?

The prize Paul refers to is worth the straining and the pressing. The prize we win is Christlikeness both here on earth and in heaven. The prize is being called into God’s presence in heaven, something which is unattainable here on earth.

Press on!

AT HOME:

• How can straining forward in your relationship with Jesus increase your joy?

• Does focusing on the prize of spending eternity with Jesus make you want to be more intentional in choices you are making?

• What would you do differently if you decided to live each day gripped by the reality that you are a citizen of heaven?