This One Thing I Do

Philippians 3:13-14 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. I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Most every time I have read this verse or preached from this verse, I have concentrated on Paul forgetting those things which are behind.  Memories of our past can distract, discourage, depress, and derail us from the plan of God for our lives.  Just in case you would happen to forget your past failures you can be sure that someone will be used of the enemy to remind you of them.  However, today I found myself quoting this verse to myself all morning long.  I wasn’t being plagued by past failures or reliving past defeats as so often the enemy tempts me to do.  This time my thoughts were around what Paul said before that line.  He said, “THIS ONE THING I DO.” Sometimes it isn’t the multitude of things that sidetracks us from being effective for Christ.  Most of the time it is that one thing that we wrestle with that causes us to fall away.  There would be many things that Paul could be needing to forget in order to press forward.  Even though at salvation all our sin is cleansed away and forgotten by God, cast into the sea never to be remembered against us again, Satan still will use your sinful past to discourage you in any labor for God.  Satan would love to tell you that you are disqualified from service based on your sin.  Paul knew the gospel's power in terms of how God forgives and forgets our sin.  Would Paul have been talking about the many persecutions that followed him because of his service?  When we're persecuted for doing right there is a settled joy and peace in our spirit.  Peter was beaten and jailed for preaching, but left rejoicing that he was found worthy to suffer for the cause of Christ.  Paul must have had that same joy and settled peace with persecution of any kind.  

This statement gives us a point of time.  Paul is saying yesterday is gone.  With all that is in my yesterdays, the victories, the trials, the failures, and even my past sin, it all must be forgotten in order to press toward the mark today.  My past victories, as glorious as they were cannot sustain me today.  The miracles I’ve seen in my yesterdays can give me a record of the power of God then, but I need to press on to greater heights of God’s glory today.  I will not be satisfied with what God has done in my life.  This one thing I will do, I will press on to greater victories and walk into the conquering lifestyle of a child of God.  My past trials remind me of God’s provision.  Through every trial I’ve ever faced the Lord Jesus has provided exactly what I needed in that hour.  But I’m determined not to wear my trails as any kind of a badge of honor to keep me in my past.  This one thing I will do, I will face the trials of my today with brokenness to know that I need the Lord more today than ever before and I must stay in His presence in order to press on with the call of God in my life today.  My past failures and my past sin are no longer ever before me for I have come clean before my God and the blood has been applied and I stand justified wrapped up in the blood of Jesus Christ.  The shame and the reproach that comes from past failure can be unbearable, and Satan loves to drag believers into that trap to cause us to remind each other of our sinful past.  This one thing I do, I will declare to Satan that the blood has cleansed me and the righteousness of Jesus Christ is the clothes I now wear. 

This statement gives us a point of emphasis.  Of all the things we want to do.  Of all the things that come into our minds, let us concentrate on doing the one thing.  Today think of the one thing you will do.  Yesterday cannot control you if you take your future and apply it to your present.  Paul is saying if I do nothing else, this one thing I will do.  I know everyone seems to be weary.  I know everyone seems to be losing energy.  I know many feel like giving up.  Let’s covenant together that today this one thing we will do.  Let’s let go of yesterday so we can soar to greater heights today.  The prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus is waiting for us today if we do this one thing. 

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