| Philippians 3:13 & 14 – 14 February 2018 |
Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
NKJV
These are familiar verses to many of us and we usually see them in the context of taking our eyes off the past and looking ahead to the future. However, I feel the Holy Spirit highlighting this passage of Scripture to us in a whole new way.
There is a call on your life, an upward call . From the very first day you gave your life to Jesus, He has been calling you closer and higher. He has been saying to you: “Come up and see” (Revelations 4:1). He is drawing you deeper into His love, and into the secret places of His heart! There is no higher calling and no nobler cause than to let your heart be wooed by the One who loves you with a passion. You have been chosen and marked. You have been planted into the family of God and made a joint heir with Jesus Christ. Whatever your career or ministry, this is the primary thing – to know Him and love Him, and to become like Him; to flow in the fullness of His Spirit, and release His Kingdom on the earth; to worship Him in spirit and in truth, to seek His heart, and to live in the power of sweet intimacy with Jesus. This is the higher call, to love this Bridegroom Prince with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and with all your strength, and to make Him your top priority. Forgive and forget the things of the past that held you back. (Isaiah 43:18). Let go of the regrets, the hurts, the fears, the failures, and look ahead towards the amazing future God has for you. I declare a cycle of disappointment is broken from your heart and life as you turn your gaze to Jesus, the One who already bore every grief and disappointment upon Himself. It is an upward call, as He beckons us on, and takes us from strength to strength, from glory to glory. Jesus told His disciples “When I am lifted up, I will draw all men to myself” (John 12:32). He is High and exalted and the name above every name, the One to whom every knee shall bow. Choose to follow His call. He is taking you high!
Jesus is the ultimate prize we are running towards. He says to us today “I am your shield and your exceedingly great reward.” (Genesis 15:1). What greater gift could we receive than Jesus?! Or what greater gift could we give to this hurting world? “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” (John 15:13) Or: “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” (Romans 8:32). God gave us His most beautiful and His best, the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus the “Word” is the ultimate “love language” of God. Because He loves us so deeply, He gave His only begotten son (John 3:16) so that we may step into everlasting life, and everlasting love. When you receive God’s greatest “Gift”, you cannot help but feel the cost, and the depth of this most unfathomable and deepest of loves. When you receive this greatest of Gifts, you receive the ultimate Prize! God loves you so much that you experienced and received His Gift! Hear the voice of the Lord today, as He says to us “Take your eyes off the world and set them on Me. I am your shield and your very great Reward. I already ran the race for you, and I became your Prize. I already won the war for you, and it is for your love that I laid down My life. I give Myself to you freely. Will you receive this Gift and give yourself wholly to Me? I love you precious beautiful Bride, and I want to see you live completely free.” There is no higher calling, there is no greater love. There is no better reward than the depths of revelation in Jesus!Dear friend, this Valentine’s day is a good time to give yourself some new goals for this year, goals that take you deeper in your walk with Jesus, and make you more sensitive to His voice. This year may have started off with many challenges, but be encouraged that this is only an indication of the amazing things God has in store for you which the enemy tried to hinder. God has a seven fold restoration awaiting you! It is time to look ahead and celebrate! It is time to set your gaze on Jesus the ultimate Prize. This year is going to turn out well because God has many glorious things planned for you, but most of all, He gave you the ultimate Prize – the gift of Jesus Christ through whom we enter into the fullness of every blessing. “So let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.” (Hebrews 10:22 & 23). Our glorious God is faithful, and He will never go back on His Word. His love is real, and all His promises are “yes” and “amen” in Jesus (2 Corinthians 1:20), our great reward, our ultimate Prize, hallelujah!
