Are You Pressing On or Coasting? | Pastor Steve DeWitt | Bethel Church

Paul’s passion in Philippians 3 is not a polished résumé but the greatness of knowing Christ Jesus by faith. All his accomplishments fall into the category of rubbish beside that treasure. Yet even near the end of his ministry, after missionary journeys, miracles, church planting, and suffering, Paul does not consider himself finished. Christ Jesus has made him his own, and Paul presses on.

A great milestone brings a real temptation: exhale, relax, downshift, perhaps slip into neutral. Israel’s history shows how dangerous abundance can become. Deliverance brought plenty, plenty brought forgetfulness, and relaxation became the first step toward decline. A church can celebrate God’s kindness without treating success as permission to coast.

Paul’s example brings three things into focus: singular focus, determined forgetting, and straining forward. His “one thing” does not mean an empty schedule. It means that Jesus Christ rules everything else. A fragmented life chases competing priorities; a focused Christian keeps the main thing the main thing. Seeking Christ’s kingdom first puts the other things in their proper place.

Forgetting what lies behind includes failures, but not without repentance and confession. God’s mercies bring a fresh beginning rather than a lifetime chained to yesterday’s sin. Forgetting also includes successes. Past faithfulness must not become a trophy case that substitutes for present obedience. This forgetting is not lost memory but an active decision not to let the past govern the race ahead.

The race demands a forward lean, like a runner stretching through the finish line. Scripture supplies encouragement through those who have already finished faithfully. But the greatest encouragement is not the crowd in the stands. It is Jesus at the finish line. When Christ is the purpose of life, Christ is the prize in death. The church’s calling is to celebrate humbly, get back to work, and run through the tape.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. Success Can Become Spiritually Dangerous. Israel repeatedly sought God in trouble and forgot him when abundance returned. A church’s great victory can become the beginning of decline if gratitude gives way to coasting. Celebration remains fitting, but God’s kindness calls for humble responsibility rather than permission to slip into neutral. [06:29]
• 2. One Right Thing Orders Everything. Paul’s many responsibilities did not require many competing centers of devotion. His singular focus on Jesus gave direction to the churches, relationships, and work entrusted to him. Keeping the main thing the main thing means refusing to let lesser priorities crowd Christ out of the center. [16:40]
• 3. Yesterday Must Not Govern Today. Past failures require repentance and confession, but they need not become a weight that prevents further faithfulness. Past successes can also hold a Christian back when old trophies replace present service. Determined forgetting means remembering honestly while refusing to let either shame or achievement dictate the next step. [21:12]
• 4. Christ Is The Final Prize. The strength to press on flows from the value of the prize at the finish line. For the Christian, that prize is Jesus himself, not merely the satisfaction of having completed a difficult race. When Christ is the purpose of life, death brings the gain of his presence, giving present endurance a clear and precious goal. [30:11]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [02:24] - Paul’s Passion for Knowing Christ
• [03:57] - Pressing On in Philippians 3
• [05:33] - The Danger After a Milestone
• [08:19] - Still on Mission in Prison
• [12:26] - Singular Focus on the Right Thing
• [19:06] - Forgetting Past Failures
• [21:12] - Forgetting Past Successes
• [25:22] - Celebration, Humility, and Work Ahead
• [26:36] - Straining Forward Toward Jesus
• [31:17] - Encouragement From Those Who Finished
• [37:51] - Jesus at the Finish Line

Bible Reading

Philippians 3:12-14
“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.” [04:10]

Matthew 6:33
“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” [17:38]

Hebrews 12:1-2
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” [31:34]

Observation questions

1. In Philippians 3:12–14, what does Paul acknowledge about his spiritual progress, and how does Christ’s claim on his life explain his determination to continue? [04:10]
2. What responsibilities filled Paul’s life, and what single focus gave direction to all of them? [13:03]
3. What two kinds of past experiences can hold a Christian back? How can each become an obstacle to continuing faithfully? [21:12]
4. In Hebrews 12:1–2, what are believers called to lay aside, how are they to run, and where are they to direct their attention?

Interpretation questions

1. Paul’s effort follows Christ’s having made him his own in Philippians 3:12. How does that order distinguish pressing on in faith from trying to earn Christ’s acceptance? [04:10]
2. How does Matthew 6:33 help explain the difference between making Jesus the center of a busy life and simply adding more religious activities to an already crowded schedule? [17:34]
3. How can a believer stop being governed by past failures without avoiding repentance or ignoring the consequences of sin? What makes this different from pretending the past never happened? [19:32]
4. Why can past ministry success become a barrier to present obedience? What distinguishes grateful remembrance from relying on a spiritual trophy case? [23:17]

Application questions

1. Think of a recent success or season when life became easier. What happened to your dependence on God during that time? What might help you enjoy his kindness without becoming spiritually complacent? [06:29]
2. Looking at your calendar, decisions, and worries this past week, what seems to be competing with Jesus for the center of your life? What might putting his kingdom first look like in one specific responsibility this coming week? [18:35]
3. Is there a past failure that still makes you hesitate to serve or draw near to God? Share only what you are comfortable sharing. What might a faithful next step look like—whether repentance, confession, making something right, or trusting God’s mercy after you have done those things? [20:28]
4. Is there a past season of faithfulness that you find yourself looking back on more than you are seeking present opportunities to obey? Given your current strength and responsibilities, what is one way you could serve Christ now? [23:28]
5. Where are you finding it hardest to keep going in faith right now? How might the promise of being with Jesus encourage you in that particular struggle, and how could this group walk alongside you? [30:26]
6. As a group or church, what evidence of God’s kindness can you celebrate with gratitude? What present opportunity could you respond to together so that celebration leads to humble service rather than coasting? [25:47]