Keep your Eyes on the Prize

A lesson on effort that flows from focus.

Run to get the prize video
http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=5bbe5d9ffceabc46b291
1 : 16

Develop a personal mission statement.
It should be in line with God’s will for your life.

Remember that God’s will is good pleasing and perfect according to Romans 12:2.
You should be passionate about this mission.
The reason you’re alive is to accomplish this mission.

Run to win
1 Corinthians 9:24
Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.

How do we live?
It’s likened to running for a prize. Running to win.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xZTCzP5_No
YouTube Video
4:38

There is a Soldier aspect to Being a Believer in Jesus!

2 Timothy 2:3,4
3Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs—he wants to please his commanding officer.

1. Endurance of Hardships
2. Focus on the mission, (not civilian affairs)
3. Please the one in authority

1. Endurance
Romans 15:5
May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus,

God gives endurance
If you are a quitter then I encourage you to ask God for endurance.
Endurance
1 Thessalonians 1:3
We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.

Endurance is inspired by hope.
When we lose hope it’s not long until we begin to entertain thoughts of quitting and ultimately we will quit where there is no hope. Endurance will run out.

Endurance
Hebrews 12:3
Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

When we see things in the light of what Jesus went through it gives us endurance. Ask yourself, “Is it as bad as hanging on a cross?” Seeing life through this lens puts things in the proper perspective.

2. Focus on the Mission
Matthew 28:19
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
Focus on the Mission
2 Corinthians 4:18
So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

We put our focus on the eternal realities we read about in the Scriptures. This is wise because the eternal realities will be here forever. However the temporal realities around us need some focus but not our best.
A good understanding
1 Timothy 4:8
For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.

Spend a little effort of the temporal things of this life but your focus should be on spiritual things.

Matthew 6:33
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.


When we prioritize the Kingdom of God and his righteousness and put them first. God takes care of the other issues of our lives.

Matthew 6:19-21
19"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Eternal treasures have a better return than the Earthly treasures.
Focus on Jesus
Hebrews 12:2
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Jesus had Joy in going to the cross because of a heavenly attitude and an understanding of God’s ultimate plan.
How about you? Is your attitude joyful when facing difficulties? Do you have a heavenly perspective toward what’s going on or do you simply squirm under the pressure and get upset.
We’re supposed to fix our eyes on this part of Jesus. The part that endures scorn and shame.

3. Please God
Romans 8:8
Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God.

When sin is reigning in your mortal body you cannot please God.
Please God
1 Thessalonians 4:1-12
1Finally, brothers, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more. 2For you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus. 3It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; 4that each of you should learn to control his own body[a] in a way that is holy and honorable, 5not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God; 6and that in this matter no one should wrong his brother or take advantage of him. The Lord will punish men for all such sins, as we have already told you and warned you. 7For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. 8Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit.
9Now about brotherly love we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other. 10And in fact, you do love all the brothers throughout Macedonia. Yet we urge you, brothers, to do so more and more.
11Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, 12so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.

Ways to Please God
1 Thessalonians 4:1-12
Be Sanctified v. 3
Avoid Sexual Immorality v. 3
Love your Brother more and more v. 9
Let your daily life win the respect of outsiders by working hard and being self-sufficient. Not dependent on anybody. v. 12

Please God
Hebrews 11:6
And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

Believing in God and believing for things from God pleases him. It’s not carnal to believe that God is going to bless you. It actually is pleasing to God.

Believe for the impossible!

The illustration is a simple one.
Give your best, give your all. Run to win, not just to finish.
When we get into a competition there are various levels of desire in all the athletes. Some people “really want it” while others are less committed in heart.

2 Chronicles 16:9
For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.
Fully committed can be understood to mean, their giving their best.

1 Corinthians 9:27
No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

When Paul speaks about being disqualified for the prize and beating his own body it makes me think that he is practicing the word of God not just preaching it. Just preaching it isn’t enough even though others will benefit from it. It must be practiced by the preacher to keep that prize from being lost.

Can you lose your salvation?
Yes but

Hebrews 6:4-6
4It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, 5who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, 6if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace.

If you do lose your salvation you can’t repent and come back according to this verse.
If you think you lost your salvation and yet you sit here today desiring to be closer to God you couldn’t have lost your salvation because God’s grace wouldn’t have drawn you back to a place of repentance.

Philippians 3:14
I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Hebrews 12:2
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Jubilee Family Church