Topic: PRESSING FORWARD [Church of God Mission International] CGMI ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL 5 December 2021
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CGMI ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL
5TH DECEMBER, 2021.
HYMN: S,S &S 601. All to Jesus I Surrender.
CENTRAL THOUGHT:
Believers must never dwell in their past but continually move forward in order to win Christ.
TOPIC:
PRESSING FORWARD
TEXT: Philippians 3:1-21*
INTRODUCTION:
The Christian life can be likened to a race. This requires commitment, sacrifice, and self-denial. In the process of running this race, we must be ready to count as loss what ever achievement or failure of the past so that we can look forward to greater strides in our Christian race . We must always be available for whatever God instructs us to do, not minding what it will cost us. It is only in complete obedience to God that we can truly press forward.
There is no room for complacency in this race. God expects us to move forward at all times, no going back . “And Jesus said unto him no man having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the Kingdom of God”(Luke 9:62 ).
LESSON OBJECTIVES:
- To state what pressing forward means;
- discuss how successes and failures of the past can become stumbling block;
- identify the areas we can improve in our walk with the Lord;
and - discuss in practical terms how to put behind our past failures and reach out to higher heights in Christ.
BIBLE TRUTH
Q1. WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO PRESS FORWARD?
The word “press’ as defined by the dictionary is “to push firmly” While the word “forward” means “moving towards a position in front”. Pressing forward therefore can be the process of pushing against all odds to achieve something that is ahead of an individual. This implies that the individual must strive to achieve his goals, targets or objectives despite all oppositions or challenges that he may encounter along the way.
Also Read: Open Heaven 5 December 2021 –Topic: DIVINE RESTORATION
Q2a. HOW WOULD YOU ASSESS THE SPIRITUAL HEIGHT ATTAINED BY APOSTLE PAUL ? (Philippians 3:17; 2Tim. 4:7-8)
apostle Paul was continuously pressing forward in his walk with God , despite the numerous obstacles /challenges he faced 2 Corinthians 11:23 228.
In Philippians 3:4-7, Paul also enumerated all his achievements and successes. He said that whatever was gain to him , he counted as loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ. He continued to press forward and gained new grounds in his pursuit which was to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and The fellowship of his sufferings and to be made confirmable until Christ death.
Despite all these challenges and victories , Paul did not consider himself to have arrived rather he was pressing forward the more. “Brethren , I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forth unto those things which are before” ( Phil. 3:13 ).
Q2b. WHAT CHALLENGE DOES HIS ATTITUDE AS STATED IN PHILIPPIANS 3:7-15 POSE TO YOU AS A BELIEVER?
Apostle Paul’s attitude as stated in the passage showed what his focus and priority were. Likewise, the priority of every believer must be to put God before self and other things. We must be ready to count everything as loss for the sake of winning Christ, and be willing to let go of our personal rights.
Whatever challenges we may encounter along life’s journey, we must make up our minds , not to fail Christ because there is nothing worth clinging to in this world than living in obedience to Christ. “For what shall it profit a man , if he shall gain the whole world , and lose his own soul? ( Mark 8:36).
It does not matter how much we think we know or whatever spiritual height we might have attained, there is always room to learn more about Christ . We must be thirsty for God and keep desiring Him always and at all times. “As the hart panteth after the water brooks so panteth my soul after thee, O God” (Psalm 42:1 ).
Q3a. DISCUSS HOW SUCCESSES AND FAILURES OF THE PAST CAN BECOME A STUMBLING BLOCK.
We should realise that God is the one who has called and created us in Christ Jesus unto every good work. successes or failures of the past should not become stumbling blocks or weights such as to hinder us from pressing forward.
In certain instances we are trapped in past successes and feel like we should continually dwell on the past glory. This may inevitably lead to pride thus making us feel that we are better than others and rest on our oars. “For who maketh thee to differ from another? And what hast thou that thou didst not receive? Now if thou didst receive it , why dost thou thou glory as if thou hast not received it? ( 1 Cor. 4:7 NIV ). We must remind ourselves at all times , that it is by the grace of God that we are able to achieve success and learn to be humble and move forward. We are reminded “wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall” ( 1 Cor 10:12 ).
On the other hand our past failures should not hold us down that we get stuck and are no longer attempting to move forward. When we realise we have failed God, let us quickly asked for the mercy of God, make peace with Him and then move forward in our race. The prodigal son was an example in this regard. ( Luke 15:16- 30.)
Q3b. HIGHLIGHT THE AREAS WE CAN IMPROVE IN OUR WALK WITH THE LORD.
As long as we are still living here on earth, we should never assume that we have arrived and have no need to press forward. In pressing forward the individual believer should continually the engaged with the following;
(i) Constant study and meditation on the Word of God-
A daily study and meditation on the Word of God is very imperative for the believer in his walk with the Lord. We are admonished in 2 Tim 2:15 thus, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth”. In addition, we are also enjoined to meditate n the word.” ( Josh. 1:8 ).
(ii ) Being Prayerful- in pressing forward we must engage in a constant prayer life. The Lord admonished”… men ought always to pray and not to faint ” (Luke 18:1b ) and see also 1 Thessalonians 5:17.
( iii ) Fellowship with fellow believers-
Pressing forward also involves constant fellowship with other believers “Iron sharpeneth iron, so a man sharpeneth the continents of his friend ” (Proverbs 27:17). We are admonished in Hebrews 10:25 “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is but exhorting one another and so much the more , as ye see the day approaching”.
( iv ) Evangelism – Active involvement in witnessing is one way of pressing forward.
(v ) Setting our affections on things above – As we press forward , we must set our affection on things above, not on things on the earth . Our value system must be redefined such that our hearts should be where our treasure is.
( vi ) Daily consecration – If we must press forward in our walk with God consecrating our lives to the Lord is not optional. We are admonished in the Word of God to consecrate ourselves unto God by living holy lives at all times and all places no matter the circumstance or the situation confronting us. Paul gave this admonition to the church in Roman 12 : 1-2 .
DAILY LIVING APPLICATION:
Pressing forward in our walk with God calls for a deliberate and conscious effort and be forward-looking as we focus on Christ.
We should therefore endeavour to put our past behind us both our past successes and failures and press forward toward the mark of our high calling in Christ. We cannot afford to miss this mark. The onus lies on us therefore to daily determine to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. We must realise that we have not yet arrived. There is still great room for improvement. We must not relent in our effort as we press toward the mark.
MEMORY VERSE: Philippians 3:14
” I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus”.
DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE:
MON: Challenge in Paul’s declaration: 2 Tim. 4:7-8.
TUE: Lessons from Paul’s submission. Phil.3:13.
WED:Meditate on Phil. 3:7-8.
THU: Focus on winning Christ and be found in Him… Phil. 3:8-9.
Fri: Press toward the mark. Phil. 3:14-15.
SAT: Meditate on Phil. 3:20-21.
