On Your Mark

On Your Mark, Get Set, Go!

Philippians 3:8-11, 13,14 KJV
8Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, 9And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: 10That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; 11If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.

…but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

In this chapter of Philippians Paul is encouraging the believers to place their confidence in Christ and not in their flesh. The reason behind his encouragement was there were some among them who were trying to follow and fulfill the law through circumcision. Paul then share reasons why he could have confidence in himself and while doing so compares all of his prior experiences as dung compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ.

I titled this series of thoughts, “On Your Mark, Get Set, Go!” because one of the best purposes for fasting and prayer is to know Christ more intimately. To achieve intimacy with Christ we must empty our flesh of anything and everything that hinders our relationship with Jesus. The biggest question many of us may have is “On Your Mark, Get Set, Go” for what, or where? This answer is summed up by what Paul says in verses 13 and 14 of the passage above. I will paraphrase it in my own words. Forget that you may have reasons to be confident in yourself. Forget the good, bad, and ugly experiences that have brought you to this place in your relationship with Christ. Stretch yourself by pursuing Christ passionately today. Allow yourself to be conformed into the image of the one who created you. Let your eternal destiny pull you forward. Press, apply pressure to your flesh, strain to resist it but nonetheless press on toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ. So, are you ready to forget and press on toward the mark of knowing Christ more intimately? If your answer to the question above is yes, then take your place on the starting line of a new day. Here it comes. “On Your Mark, Get Set, Go!” toward Him today with all your heart.