“Not Attained”

Introduction

The Apostle Paul’s overriding passion in life was ‘that he may know Christ and experience the power of His resurrection’ (Philippians 3:10-11). It was the same passion he wanted to inject into the saints at Philippi to have as people who are living for Christ (Philippians 3:15). On this short journey, we will discover Paul’s winning mindset as found in Philippians 3:12-15.

If Paul was going to let his vision guide his life, his first mindset can be found in Philippians 3:12 (NKJV) where he said, “Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.”

We Have Not Arrived

According to Paul; who planted churches, preached the gospel, persecuted for the sake of Christ, and penned down the majority of epistles, his vision was an ongoing quest. He never arrived at his destination even though he fought the good fight of faith (2 Timothy 4:7-8). He declared, “Not that I have already attained…”

One Big Lesson

The big lesson we can learn is that spiritual life is a journey. We never come to the point when we rest and say we have arrived at our destination. The most mature believer on earth still studies the Bible, prays, and exercises other spiritual disciplines to stay on fire for Christ.

Conclusion

Maybe 2023 wasn’t a good year for you. Count it all joy that there is another year approaching with opportunities to grow and pursue your love for Christ. You have not arrived but you are not where you used to be.