The past: A mile-stone or a mill-stone, the linch-pin or a lynch post. The basis for hope and heaven or a basis for despair and death.
Read Philippians 3 verses 1 – 14
Paul’s pedigree:
(i) part of God’s chosen race, (ii) well taught in the Old Testament scriptures, (iii) keen to keep God’s law, (iv) wanting to uphold God’s honour.
Paul’s problem: (a similar list)
(i)not wanting the blessing of others, (ii) missing the point about Christ, (iii) missing the ‘spirit’ of the law, (iv) persecuting the church.
Paul’s potential:
(i) Used his knowledge of God & the Old Testament to seek to convince the Jews, (ii) Would NOT allow his past to stop him witnessing to Gentiles.
1. ‘Forgetting what is behind’:
You can’t recover it or change it, but you can learn from it. Do you need to repent of it?
2. ‘Reaching forward … I Press towards the goal’:
What is our ultimate goal? ‘The Upward Call of God’.
N.B. The occult and idolatry are big stumbling blocks for some people. Be sure that you renounce any of the following and where necessary ask God’s forgiveness for your involvement with them.
[ ] Worship or prayer to other gods
[ ] Visits to pagan temples or places of worship
[ ] Enquiring about or participation in Eastern religions
[ ] Owning occult or pagan artefacts or religious objects
[ ] Involvement in meditation, yoga or martial arts
[ ] Involved with non-Christian religious sects (e.g. Mormons, J.W.’s etc.)
[ ] Membership of a secret society (e.g. Freemasons)
[ ] Involvement in Satan worship or related activities
[ ] Being part of spiritism or séances
[ ] Making sacrifices or praying to the spirits of the dead
[ ] Using an ouija board or crystal ball to contact spirits
[ ] Consulting a medium, fortuneteller, palm reader etc.
[ ] Reading and taking notice of horoscopes?
[ ] Owning or looking at material (books, C.D.’s, videos etc.) on occult or pornographic subjects
[ ] Taking ‘mind controlling’ drugs or being hypnotised
[ ] Being involved in witchcraft or magic
[ ] Using a charm for luck or protection