Leveling Up Your Spirituality

Leveling Up Your Spirituality

“I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death and so somehow to attain to the resurrection from the dead.

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 :10-14

Hunger to know Christ more in your life

“I want to know Christ.”

Paul considered knowing Christ to be more important than his comfort. He left the “comfort zones” of his life just to know Christ more. Once he has an esteemed position in the synagogue, living a comfortable and prestigious lifestyle, free from all persecutions and sufferings he encountered when he became a Christian. Paul is willing to endure sufferings just to know Christ more. He continued to desire for it though he had been a believer for a time. Even years after the “Damascus experience” when he had a face to face encounter with Christ, he continued on pursuing to know Christ more in his life. Paul had a realistic perspective on what it means to know Christ. It involves experiencing God’s power. It involves suffering with Him. We will not grow deeper in knowing Christ unless we experience His power in our lives. In times of distress, we can know the power of Christ. In times of trials and severe testings, we can know the power of Christ. Paul’s knowledge of Christ had grown deeper through the distresses, severe testings and difficulties he encountered in his life.

Have a humble evaluation of yourself

If anyone had to brag about his accomplishments, you would think it would be the Apostle Paul. Despite of all that we had done, there is no perfection in this life. There is no getting better until you say, “It is what it is.” Jesus is a wonderful Savior and He is everything but we are not. I am not as strong or as wise as I think I am, but God is stronger and wiser than I can imagine. We have to remain humble not thinking highly of ourselves as it is written in Romans 12 :3; ”Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought but rather think of yourself with sober judgement, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.”

Have holy aspiration

We must constantly pursue Christlikeness. Christlikeness is the ultimate goal of Christianity. Discipleship is a success only if Christ’s virtues and character are reproduced in a person’s life. Christianity without christlikeness is a vanity. It is easy to profess that you are a Christian but it is difficult to live out the Christian life. It involves daily dying to the self-life. It involves mortifying our sinful nature. Christ must remain be the centre of the believer;s life to pursue christlikeness. We must always be reminded of what Christ says : “If anyone wishes to follow me let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow me. “ We must daily die to the self and to the world. I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Have a hearty determination

“But one thing I do. Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead.”

Greatness in any arena comes to those who can say with Apostle Paul , “One thing I do.”. We must be firm in our determination to pursue the calling and mission God has entrusted to us. We should never look back., we should forget what lies behind. What are the things that we should forget ? Our worries, fears. defeats even our past achievements We have to press on what lies ahead. We have to press on for the great reward awaiting the victorious in faith.

Have a heavenly inclination

Christians should set their affection on heavenly things. Christians must not only focus on things on earth, but must be heavenly minded. True believers are not in heaven yet, but they are in their steps towards that direction. The citizenship of Christians is in heaven they are just pilgrims in this world. We should not be so convenient with the things of this world for this world is not yet our home. WE are destined for the heavenly city, the New Jerusalem. Being heavenly minded will make us believer pursue holiness. We must be always reminded of Revelations 3 : 21 ;

“To him who overcomes I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcome and sat down with my Father on his throne.”

This is indeed the greatest seat to possess much much greater than the seat at the White House with President Donald Trump.

This hub is an excerpt from the Vesper Worship Service message preached by

Pastor Jong Limlingan on February 5, 2012 at Grace Bible Church (Manila, Philippines)