Pressing On Toward Christ: Forgetting the Past

May 03, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: Bronze Medals and Unfinished Races

Paul gripped his pen, sweat mixing with ink as he wrote to the Philippians: “Not that I’ve already reached the goal…but I press on.” The apostle pictured runners straining toward a finish line, muscles burning yet eyes fixed. His own spiritual race involved abandoning past failures and religious trophies alike. Even his bronze medal moments as a Pharisee meant nothing compared to knowing Christ. [57:17]

The Christian life isn’t about perfect performance but persistent pursuit. Paul didn’t deny his past—he refused to let it hijack his future. Jesus had already secured his salvation; now Paul strained toward deeper Christlikeness through daily surrender.

What “bronze medals” do you cling to—past achievements or failures that distract you from today’s race? Write one accomplishment and one regret you need to release to keep running. How might holding these hinder your focus on Christ’s call today?

“Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.”
(Philippians 3:12, NIV)

Prayer: Ask Jesus to reveal what past victories or wounds you’ve made into anchors.

Challenge: Write “I press on” on your mirror or phone lock screen.

Day 2: Pumping Gas for Glory

Two Bible college students wiped oil from their hands, grinning at the sedan they’d serviced beyond requirements. They checked tire pressure, topped fluids, and smiled at confused customers. When asked why, they answered: “Christ compels us.” Their race wasn’t about ministry titles but serving radically in mundane moments. [01:17:15]

God cares less about our platforms than our posture. Those gas station attendants mirrored Jesus—who washed feet and ate with outcasts. Every act done in His name advances His kingdom, whether preaching or pumping gas.

Where has routine duty become drudgery instead of worship? Choose one mundane task today—doing dishes, replying emails—and perform it consciously “for Christ.” What might change if you saw daily work as part of your heavenly race?

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.”
(Colossians 3:23, NIV)

Prayer: Thank God for three ordinary tasks you’ll redefine as acts of worship.

Challenge: Text one person you’ve served recently: “I was glad to do this for Jesus’ sake.”

Day 3: Moon Dust and New Things

The astronaut stared at lunar craters, earth a blue marble in blackness. No atheist slogans fit this awe. “It had to be God,” he muttered. Isaiah’s words echoed: “Forget the former things; I’m doing something new.” Centuries later, Paul would repeat it: stop rearview living. [01:04:35]

God specializes in perspective shifts. He parted seas for Israelites and now wants to part our despair. Past miracles remind us He can act—but fixation on them blinds us to His current work.

What “former thing” dominates your vision—a revival memory, a season of grief? Step outside tonight. Study the sky for two minutes. How might creation’s scale reframe your struggles?

“See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?”
(Isaiah 43:19, NIV)

Prayer: Confess one past season you’ve idealized or mourned excessively.

Challenge: Take a photo of something growing (plant, child, construction site) as a “new thing” reminder.

Day 4: Citizenship in the Clouds

Roman citizens in Philippi boasted about Caesar’s empire. Paul redirected their pride: “Our citizenship is in heaven.” The race wasn’t for earthly applause but eternal approval. Like an astronaut keeping orbit, believers fixate on their true home’s culture and priorities. [58:06]

Salvation secures our heavenly passport; obedience determines our reward luggage. Stumbling in the race doesn’t revoke citizenship—but it lightens our eternal “suitcase.”

What earthly “citizenship perks” compete for your loyalty—social status, political tribes, financial security? Silently hold out your hands. Imagine placing these in Jesus’ palms. What’s hardest to release?

“But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.”
(Philippians 3:20, NIV)

Prayer: Name one cultural value you’ll trade for heaven’s priorities today.

Challenge: Write “Ambassador” on a sticky note as a reminder of your true allegiance.

Day 5: David’s Unfinished Race

David collapsed in the dirt, Goliath’s blood staining his sling. Years later, Bathsheba’s rooftop would haunt him. Yet God called him “a man after My heart.” Why? David kept repenting, not wallowing. He let God rewrite his story’s meaning. [01:12:51]

Our race isn’t wrecked by stumbles but by refusing to get up. Like David, we’re called to run in grace, not guilt. Each confession realigns us with Christ’s pace.

When you fail, do you spiral in shame or sprint back to grace? Whisper “reset” after mistakes today. How might this word shift your response to failure?

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

Prayer: Ask forgiveness for one specific failure, then thank Jesus the race isn’t over.

Challenge: Do one small act of obedience you’ve delayed due to past mistakes.

Sermon Summary

Philippians 3 12 through 4 unfolds as a call to press forward with a heavenly aim. Paul frames the Christian life with athletic language: believers run a race, strain toward a finish, and pursue a prize that Christ has promised. The text insists that the race belongs to those who already know Christ, so the chapter speaks to growth and obedience rather than the mechanics of salvation. Believers must forget the past in a particular way. Forgetting means breaking the pasts hold, not erasing memory, so that failures, shame, and old identities no longer dictate future direction. The gospel can reassign meaning to painful histories, turning ruined moments into instruments for Gods purposes.

The passage stresses intentional effort. The call to make every effort communicates resilience, discipline, and a steady forward reach that mirrors athletic striving. That effort depends on being held by Christ, not on human achievement alone. Christians run using Christ's power and for Christs ends; the body and life belong to him and submit to his transforming work. That submission changes daily living into participation in Gods mission, whether in grand feats or ordinary tasks. Small, faithful labors count because they flow from a heart claimed by Christ.

Clear distinctions appear between reward and citizenship. Salvation remains a gift and cannot be earned by effort, but rewards at the finish reflect faithfulness in the race. Breaking rules in the race may forfeit the prize without annulling heavenly citizenship. Finally, the text issues a practical invitation to receive ministry and prayer to gain a heavenly perspective. The community acts as a means for renewal, helping those who carry past burdens to stand, press on, and reorient toward the prize. Scripture from Isaiah echoes the same promise: God is doing something new that widens paths in the wilderness, and believers are urged to let that future shape their present running.

Key Takeaways

1. Goal: Become like Christ Paul identifies the Christian aim as conformity to Christ, not abstract moral improvement. Pursuit of Christ reshapes motives, reorders ambitions, and grounds sanctification in union with him. This goal orients every choice so that discipleship becomes ongoing transformation rather than performance. [68:57]
2. Forget past, change its meaning Forgetting in this passage means severing the pasts authority over the present, not selective amnesia. Reframing how past failures function allows God to repurpose them for growth and testimony. That change happens when the gospel rewrites memory with grace, freeing energy for forward motion. [71:56]
3. Run with Christ enabled effort Making every effort signals disciplined, Spirit empowered striving rather than selfreliant hustle. Effort becomes worship when it springs from being held by Christ and aims at his calling. Persistent, humble exertion cooperates with divine power to produce steady spiritual progress. [66:02]
4. Rewards differ from salvation Citizenship in heaven rests on grace, but the prize reflects faithful running here below. Missteps can forfeit rewards without invalidating grace, so faithful obedience matters for how God honors service. This distinction preserves assurance while calling believers to serious commitment. [74:58]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[53:31] - Opening and small talk
[54:24] - Opening prayer
[56:47] - Scripture reading Philippians 3 12 to 4
[58:30] - Sports metaphors introduced
[60:44] - Middle school race story
[63:05] - NASA and heavenly perspective
[66:02] - Who this passage addresses
[68:57] - Goal: Become like Christ
[70:15] - Forgetting the past explained
[74:58] - Reward versus citizenship
[78:31] - Invitation for ministry and prayer
[84:08] - Closing prayer and benediction

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
Philippians 3:12–4:1 (ESV)
12 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. 13 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, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. 16 Only let us hold true to what we have attained. 17 Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. 18 For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. 20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself. 4:1 Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved.

Isaiah 43:16–21 (ESV)
16 Thus says the Lord, who makes a way in the sea, a path in the mighty waters, 17 who brings forth chariot and horse, army and warrior; they lie down, they cannot rise, they are extinguished, quenched like a wick: 18 Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. 19 Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. 20 The wild beasts will honor me, the jackals and the ostriches, for I give water in the wilderness, rivers in the desert, to give drink to my chosen people, 21 the people whom I formed for myself that they might declare my praise.

Observation Questions

What athletic imagery does Paul use in Philippians 3:12–14 to describe the Christian life? How does the sermon’s story about a middle school race ([01:00:44]) illustrate this imagery?
According to Philippians 3:20, where is a believer’s citizenship? How does the sermon connect this to the story of the astronauts gaining a “heavenly perspective” ([01:03:05])?
In Isaiah 43:18–19, what does God command His people to do, and what does He promise instead? How does the sermon explain the difference between “forgetting” as erasing memory versus breaking the past’s power ([01:11:10])?

Interpretation Questions

Why might Paul emphasize that salvation is not earned by effort (Philippians 3:12–14) while still urging believers to “press on” with discipline? How does the sermon’s distinction between “citizenship” and “rewards” clarify this tension ([01:14:58])?
How does Isaiah 43:18–19 redefine the purpose of remembering past struggles? What does it mean for God to “do a new thing” in the context of a believer’s life today?
The sermon states, “We can’t change the past, but we can change its meaning” ([01:11:56]). How does the gospel allow painful histories to be repurposed for God’s mission?

Application Questions

What “past burden” (e.g., failure, shame, identity) still influences your decisions? How could you actively surrender its authority over you this week, trusting God to redefine its purpose?
The sermon compares small, faithful acts (like the gas station attendants’ service, [01:16:42]) to running the race. What ordinary task or relationship in your life could you approach with intentional, Christ-centered effort this week?
How might focusing on “heavenly citizenship” (Philippians 3:20) change your perspective on a current challenge or fear? What practical step could you take to remind yourself of this truth daily?
The sermon warns that “breaking rules in the race may forfeit the prize” ([01:14:58]). Are there habits, attitudes, or compromises in your life that might hinder your spiritual growth or witness? How can you address them?
Isaiah 43:19 says God makes “rivers in the desert.” Where do you feel spiritually “dry” or stuck? How could you intentionally seek God’s “new thing” in that area through prayer or community support?

Sermon Clips

54s

#LetGoOfThePast

“We like holding on to the past. We like holding on to the past. I'm guilty of it. You're guilty of it. We're all guilty of it. And it's not a matter of sitting in shame, it's realizing that just with a perspective shift, by gaining that heavenly perspective that Christ has for us, everything can change. Imagine this with me, if you will, entering a race and trying to run a race or even let's use a more modern example. You're racing a car. Could you imagine trying to race a car with a whole bunch of other people around you, swerving everything, and could you imagine looking backwards the whole time?”

43s

#BecomeLikeChrist

“with all that being said, I ask, what is our goal as Christians? What is our goal? Well, our goal is to become like Christ. Our goal is to become like Christ. That's it. Alright. That's about it. That wraps it up for me. I'm gonna see you all next week. No. But seriously, if you if you think about it, our goal our goal is to become like Christ. And I know it's it's easy and simple and just kinda like rolls right off the tongue. It it it is that simple. It's not that easy, but it is that simple. Our goal is to become like Christ.”

41s

#RewardsNotSalvation

“But as soon as I stepped up onto that race, I was promised a reward if I ran it well. If I stuck stuck to the boundaries of what that race was, I received a reward. And it's another one of those distinctions to make when we're talking about this chapter is that when you're in a race when you're in a race, you don't lose your citizenship if you break the rules of the race. Right? And as the passage we talked about here, our citizenship is in heaven. That's what's talking about our salvation. If you're running the race and you break the rules of the race, you don't lose your citizenship. You lose your reward. Right?”

48s

#ForgettingIsFreedom

“Another thing that I wanna unpack for us a little bit today here is that forgetting when the bible talks about forgetting in this context, that forgetting is actually less how we would think about it today. It's not about just like not remembering something. It it's not. Forgetting is actually forgetting in this context is actually talking about, breaking the power that the past holds on us as Christians. It's knowing what our past is but it's saying I'm not going to let that affect my future. I'm not going to let whatever I did back here affect what's coming for me next. I'm not going to let what I did in my past get in the way of what God has for me in my future.”

39s

#EffortIsForBelievers

“And anytime, typically, anytime you're hearing the bible talk about making an effort, making a stride, exerting energy, putting effort into, it's not talking about salvation. And I think that Mike Moore actually did a really good job in explaining that last week in his excellent message, but it's not it's not up to our flesh. And thank God that it's not up to our flesh because we can't do it on our own. It's not up to our own effort. We can't earn our salvation. And so I want I want you to look at that verse and I want you to understand that this is primarily speaking to the person who's already a believer.”

47s

#JesusTransformsUs

“The challenge within all of this is that we actually have to let Jesus change us. That's the challenge. Our challenge is that Jesus actually has to dwell within us and change us. The challenge is that the challenge is that we make, as Paul said, every effort, every effort to reach for the calling that God has for us. We have to make every effort to reach out for that calling. The challenge is that some of us hold so deeply onto our past hurts, our past struggles, our past traumas that we can't even step up to the race.”

45s

#ReachForward

“When Paul is sharing us this little chunk of scripture, he's literally telling us, I'm not finished my race yet. I'm not finished my race yet. I haven't taken a hold of my prize yet. He's not finished yet. But he does something important to recognize for anything and it's part of the process of the life of a Christian is forgetting what's behind and reaching forward for what's ahead. And this is part of those those sports and action metaphors that I'm talking about. The the where Paul is talking about reaching forward for what is ahead, it actually carries with it the idea of like straining in a race that you're reaching forward to what God has for you.”

58s

#PastDoesntDefineYou

“Right? Lots of us would love to model our lives after David of of a man or a woman after God's own heart, which is what the bible tells us about David. But yet as you're reading scripture, it's sometimes page after page of David continually making wrong decision after wrong decision after wrong decision after terrible decision, but yet he doesn't let that hold him. He doesn't let that bind him. He doesn't let the mistakes he made in his past affect what God has for him in his future. We can't change the past, but we can change its meaning. The challenge within all of this is that we actually have to let Jesus change us.”

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Pressing On Toward Christ: Forgetting the Past

Devotional

Day 1: Bronze Medals and Unfinished Races

Day 2: Pumping Gas for Glory

Day 3: Moon Dust and New Things

Day 4: Citizenship in the Clouds

Day 5: David’s Unfinished Race

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Pressing On Toward Christ: Forgetting the Past

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