Do you ever get to the point where you are kind of melancholic? Not in bad way; in a good way but very pensive and thoughtful. Also, not because any bad or good thing happened, so many of each have happened over the years as they are normal things that must happen to all living beings, but because God is at work in me bringing me into a deeper walk with Him that I may “come up higher in every area of life.” Deep down in my heart, I am filled with joy and a quiet calmness: an assurance that God is able to do all He promises and shall do them in perfect time.
In this time, I hear a word resounding over and over again and that is what I am sharing with you today. It’s a word that gives me a feeling of starting afresh with God. It is also a word that should bring one into a closer walk with Him thereby taking us deeper into Him whilst yet lifting us higher in real terms so that God may display His greatness through us. I trust that this is what God is beginning to do in the lives of a number of us hence my decision to share this word. Knowledge makes things easier.
Philippians 3: 13 “No dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus is calling us.”
It is time to “press” on that you may go forward. Race here refers to the race of life which includes our walk with God because we are believers. We need to “press” that we might go forward. To press suggesting that energy has to be applied and we definitely have to forget the past. The weight of the past, which includes our victories, failures, problems, pain etc., will reduce our capacity to press. The problems and failures are easy to forget but the real problems lie with the success and joy of the past but we have to leave them behind.
In pressing, we need focus and concentration. Distractions are very unwelcome guests at this time s we must guard our hearts. To guard our hearts is to be careful what we hear which has a lot to do with who we talk to and spend time with. Careless talk is terrible because though you may be aware that it is wrong, you have taken in information that at the very least, you may have to think about again thereby wasting time. There is no end to the harm it can do. You may even find yourself adjusting your theology to accommodate even a little part of this strange thought that started off with careless talk.
Ephesians 5: 4 “Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse talks-these are not for you.”
Do you know that believers have become the worst culprits of careless talk? How can we then have enough spiritual energy to press? Sometimes, we as believers unwittingly loan our mouths to the devil. That would be the easiest way for the devil to reach another believer since we are not guarded when we speak to ourselves. Knowing this, we need to form the habit of thinking about what we say before we say them so that we are not instruments through which satan will destroy another believer. You and I have a responsibility to ourselves to take heed what we hear so we must take heed who we talk to.
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