Keep Getting Up: Running Toward Heaven's Reward

Paul’s plea to keep striving centers on resolve, repentance, and disciplined effort. The text admits ongoing shortfall—accepting that perfection remains ahead—then presses forward like a runner aiming for the finish. Falling does not disqualify; recovery does. Moral failure happens, often in repeated patterns, but spiritual identity supplies the buoyancy to rise: acknowledge the wrong, confess it without spinning, and reorient the heart away from that path. These three steps form the discipline of repentance that fuels renewed pursuit.

Striving requires hard work even when a calling feels anointed. Vocation and service bring sacrifices, obstacles, and long seasons of labor; Christ’s power enables endurance and skill. Asking God for practical help and seeking guidance from those farther along in a given field turns wasted wandering into steady progress. Humility to request direction and the discipline to practice the Word daily translate belief into competence.

Perseverance also depends on community and prophetic encouragement. A timely word can restore courage, prompt decisive action, and move a person from discouragement to sustained reform. Believers run toward a prize already received by grace; salvation remains a gift, but rewards reflect stewardship—faithfulness plus competence. God honors both character and skill, and faithful service that sharpens ability positions one for increased responsibility.

Consistency matters. Progress is a platform for the next climb, not a parking spot. Hold gained ground, continue to train, and guard against complacency that leads to regression. The ideal is to “die climbing”—to spend every breath advancing toward God’s appointed aims. That posture blends honest self-awareness, disciplined repentance, hard work empowered by Christ, reliance on spiritual community, and steady, skillful stewardship of gifts and responsibilities. The closing prayer presses for endurance: to keep climbing, to get up when fallen, to work well, and to run straight toward the heavenly prize.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. Keep getting up after failure Falling will happen; resilience proves spiritual reality. Rise by refusing prolonged shame, treating setbacks as brief stations rather than final addresses. Repeated moral failures reveal patterns that repentance exposes and corrects, turning stumble into training rather than tomb. This recovery shapes character more than unblemished performance ever could. [03:26]
• 2. Work hard and invite God's help Calling does not cancel effort; vocation demands craft and sacrifice. Invite the Spirit into daily tasks so divine strength sharpens skill and wisdom complements toil. Humble prayer over concrete responsibilities transforms routine labor into faithful ministry and preserves energy for long-term pursuit. [15:40]
• 3. Don't give up; use faithful voices Courage often returns through timely, truthful encouragement from spiritual guides. A single word of exhortation can break discouragement and spur decisive reform and sustained action. Leaning into trusted ministry relationships prevents isolation and fuels the stamina required to finish well. [23:17]
• 4. Run toward the heavenly prize Salvation arrives by grace; the race seeks fruit, not justification. Stewardship earns rewards through competence as well as faithfulness—doing tasks well matters eternally. Keep lanes clear, sharpen gifts, and let progress become a springboard for the next ascent. [31:33]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [00:23] - Opening Affirmation
• [00:44] - Ready to Receive
• [01:06] - Philippians, Keep Striving
• [02:16] - Five Observations Introduced
• [03:09] - Fall and Recovery
• [04:56] - Proverbs 24:16 Explained
• [11:16] - Steps of Repentance
• [15:40] - Work Hard; Christ Empowers
• [23:17] - Don’t Give Up: Azariah’s Word
• [31:33] - Run Toward the Prize
• [36:09] - Hold Progress; Keep Climbing
• [39:16] - Closing Prayer

Bible reading: Philippians 3:12-16 (ESV)
Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. Only let us hold true to what we have attained.

Observation questions

1. What three things does Paul admit about his spiritual condition in the first part of verse 12?
2. What athletic imagery does Paul use to describe his approach to the Christian life in verse 14?
3. According to the passage, what is the relationship between the "goal" and the "prize"?
4. What instruction does Paul give in verse 16 regarding past spiritual progress?

Interpretation questions

1. Paul says he forgets what is behind him. Does this mean he ignores or denies his past failures and sins, or does it mean something else?
2. The passage differentiates between a "goal" and a "prize." What is the difference between the two, and why is it significant for understanding salvation and rewards?
3. What does it mean to "hold true to what we have attained"? Is this a passive or active state?
4. How does the concept of being "made his own by Christ Jesus" (v. 12) provide the foundation for the entire effort of "pressing on"?

Application questions

1. Falling is a part of striving, but staying down is not an option for the righteous. [03:26] What is a specific, repeated failure you tend to stay down in, wallowing in shame? What would it look like this week to practice the three steps of acknowledging it, confessing it without spin, and turning from it?
2. A calling requires hard work and Christ's power. [15:40] What is one practical, difficult task in your vocation, parenting, or ministry where you have been trying to rely solely on your own strength? How can you specifically "invite the Spirit into that daily task" through prayer this week?
3. A timely word of encouragement can break discouragement. [23:17] Who is a trusted, godly voice in your life that speaks truth to you? If you don't have one, what is one step you can take this week to seek out that kind of relationship?
4. We are to run for rewards, not for salvation. [31:33] How does understanding that your citizenship in heaven is secure change your motivation from trying to earn God's love to wanting to serve Him well?
5. God honors both faithfulness and competence. [33:54] In your area of responsibility (work, home, church), are you merely being faithful by showing up, or are you also striving to be *good* by sharpening your skills? What is one way you can develop your competence this month?
6. Progress is a platform, not a parking spot. [36:09] What is a prayer God has answered for you, a level of growth you've attained, that you are now tempted to get comfortable at? How can you use that progress as a foundation to climb to the next thing God has for you?
7. The ideal is to "die climbing." [38:16] Looking at your current spiritual posture, are you climbing, watching, or apathetic? What is one "next step" of faith, no matter how small, that you can take to ensure you are moving forward?