Phil. 3:12-14

Introduction  Have you ever had regrets?  Maybe it is something you did last year that you should not have done?  Or may it something you should have done?  The only person who never had regrets while living on earth was Jesus Christ.

 The apostle Paul was the greatest Christian to have ever lived.  But he too had regrets, heartaches, sorrow and remorse.  But today, Paul is going to help us get out from the cloud of guilt and move onto a crown of glory.

1. Be Dissatisfied With Your Position v.12  Paul was saved, sure and sanctified.  But he was not satisfied.  Even though Paul was a dynamic leader,  A powerful prayer warrior and  A spiritual giant,  He wanted to improve his spiritual walk.

 Do you want to grow in your personal life and in your spiritual journey?  Then you must never accept:  A. Living in the past.  B. Never rest in the present.  Paul was such a great man because he was more concerned with his character than his reputation.

 He never thought of himself as being successful.  We all want to be successful in our own way.  Remember – success is not a destination.  It is a never-ending process.  How can you make the rest of your life the best?

2.Be delivered From Your Past. v.13  We can never experience a better tomorrow if we are always thinking about the past.  Ecclesiastes 7:10 – “Do not long for the old days”  We will never be able to focus on the future until we get unfocused from the past.

 Paul uses very aggressive terminology in these verses.  “Press on”; “Reaching forward”; “the goal”.  As in every race, it is not where you have been, but where you are heading.  You will never sail your life to peace and joy still while still anchored to the past.

 Remember, God is not as concerned with your past as you are.  Paul was striving to move past his position in life and his life of the past.  Paul had to:  a. Forget his past guilt. - He was a murderer, a blasphemer and a persecutor.

 The deep scar of sin and sorrow was on his heart.  b. Forget his past grief. - He was beaten, jailed, mocked, shipwrecked and rejected.  c. Forget his past grudges. - He was lied to, mistreated, forsaken and thrown out.

 Forget in this verse means is to be no longer influenced of affected by our memory.  We must cut the ropes of our anchored past and start sailing past our guilt, grief and grudges.

3. Be Devoted To A Purpose v.13  Paul did more than one thing.  He made tents. He preached sermons.  He planted churches.  He wrote books.  Paul did a lot of things

 But his top priority in life was to "press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God.” v.14  “Goal” – a mark on which the eye is fixed.  Paul had his eyes on his goal in this life and his prize in the next.  What is your priority today?

4. Be Determined In Your Passion v.14  “ I press on” –v.12  “ I press toward” – v.14  It takes more than aspiration, inspiration and perspiration.  It takes determination.  When life delivers hard blows, we need passion to fight back.

 What matters most is not where you have come from.  But where you are going and do you have the passion to get there?

Conclusion  True Life Story  He was 93 years when he died in  Suffered economic crisis early in business.  His bankers stole 47 million over a period of time.

 Suffered mental breakdown.  Hospitalized for 10 years.  Tried to commit suicide but unsuccessful.  Tried again. Heard the nurse singing “God will take care of you”

 Remembered his mother.  “When everything goes wrong and all seems hopeless, do not forget that God will take care of you.”  Was healed instantly. Doctors surprised.  Goes on to recoup his money.  Who was he?

J.C. Penney

 J.C. Penney.  As he grew older his eyesight was greatly impaired.  But he said, “My vision is greater than ever.”