HALLEUYAH! HALLELUYAH!! HALLELUYAH!!!
RELEASE DATE: February 21, 2022
WEEK 7: (February 21 – February 27, 2022)
WEEKLY BIBLE READINGS:
Philippians 3: 12 – 14 (NIV)
12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
INTERPRETATION
In every soccer match, all players in a team are on the pitch for a particular reason – to win the match. In achieving this, all players including the defenders move towards a particular direction, outsmarting their opponent and aiming to hit the goalpost to increase the scoreline. I can say they are pressing towards the goal, figuratively and literally. This same principle applies to believers as we are on earth for a particular goal and it behooves us to press towards achieving the goal. What is this goal?
The word press comes from a Greek word that’s used over 40 times in the Bible, and 31 of those times it is translated persecute. It has to do with purpose, and more specifically, the intensity of purpose. “I press toward…” meaning that he is moving in a chosen direction, and thirdly, “I press toward with great intensity and purpose the mark.” Toward what? I’m pressing toward the mark, the goal, the one thing at which I have taken aim. Nothing else matters, nothing else has any importance for me – I am driven with great intensity toward this one thing – God, the things of God, and the kingdom of God.
In the scripture above, Paul explained how to be what you want to be and where you need to be spiritual. He reduced himself to one of them, stating that he has not attained or achieved anything (despite his achievements) but he continually strive to get the ultimate prize. This brings to mind his first epistle to the Corinthians where he said “So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!” Many believers today claim that they’ve ‘arrived’, empty barrels making noise; they’ve embraced complacency at different levels and are no longer interested in the things of God.
It is however important that we begin to see ourselves as people of the kingdom of God and that we begin to live in hot pursuit of a relationship with God which reflects that God and His kingdom really are the most important things in our lives. The challenge is for us to live like people of the kingdom, to love like people of the kingdom, to have kingdom values, to have kingdom desires, and that we set our sights on that one thing and run after it with great intensity. The challenge to you today (God’s challenge to you today) is to live a God entranced life, a God-consumed life, a God-centered life. How do you then maintain pressing towards the goal? Study God’s word daily and pray without ceasing,
Beloved, the onus is on us to continually press towards the goal – the kingdom of God. Like in a soccer match, do not be distracted; focus on the goal.
PRAYER
Jehovah, Jesus Christ, Holy Michael, thank you for your word. Father, we pray you to clean our hearts and give us the right attitudes; the right attitudes to press towards the things of God and God’s kingdom. Help to stay focused on the things that matter. Strengthen our spirit not to detract from your tenets and free our soul from all distractions. This and many more we ask for through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Thank you and God bless. Shalom.
Footnote: “A life without Christ is full of crisis but life in Christ is a great life full of peace. Let that be your Guide & Guard”
Isaiah 59:1 – Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened that it cannot save, neither his ear heavy that it cannot hear”