Moving Past Life’s Failures

What the Bible says about a A Victorious Spirit – part 5

The attitude that the Apostle Paul had been not just a motivational speaker’s hype, you know, something said to sell books and audios. No this was something that he lived because of the Spirit of God living in him.

”12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, 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, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:12-14 NIV)

This man, writing from prison, had experienced a lot of what seemed to be failures in the ministry God had given him. According to his letter to the Corinthian church he had: 1) been in prison multiple times 2) beaten so many times he could not count them 3) almost killed multiple times 4) whipped five times with thirty nine lashes 5) beaten with sticks 6) had Jewish leaders stone him 7) been robbed, shipwrecked three times (spending all night and a day in the ocean) 8) lived in danger constantly.

I mean I don’t think anyone wants to sign up with this guy as a ministry partner! And yet he says “I want the goal God has for me!” He lived out that victorious spirit. And we can too.

We can practice what he did …”forgetting what lies behind.” How many of us have been caught in the trap of regret? I don’t think I know anyone who has not had some kind of terrible experiences in their life. A divorce, rejection, or sickness you can get over; loosing someone very dear to you, being betrayed by someone you trusted, lost things. And for many people those things affect them so bad that their lives are changed for the worse… sometimes permanently. And yet we like Paul can “forget those things” and move on. What a relief. We are not perfect, but God is. He is the One who holds our future in His hands and allows us to experience failures and get back up. Because we know God is with us, all things are possible for us. God can turn terrible events into great blessings. In fact knowing that is true allows us the freedom to fail. Our lives do not have to be paralyzed by fear of what might happen next year. The reason is God will be in the next year with us!

Paul tells us to rejoice all the time, to constantly be cheerful. This is part of his modus oporendi to live the victorious life. I look at the troubles he had in his life and the fact that he told others to rejoice and be happy and I have to hang my head in shame for complaining. He practiced the discipline of giving praise and thanks for everything that came his way. Instead of being “under” circumstances, Paul lived above them with a joyful victorious spirit.

”17 But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. 18 So you too should be glad and rejoice with me. “(Philippians 2:17-18 NIV) What a way to live!