Press on toward the Goal!
Rev Dr Jintae Kim
Jan 5, 2025
At Charleston Truth Alliance Church
Today is the first Sunday of 2025. As we wrapped up 2024 last Sunday, we discussed “Forgetting What’s Behind.” Today, we will discuss “Press on toward the goal.”
Phil 3:13-14 NIV
Phil 3:13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
Paul’s Legacy
We all know that Paul was not even one of the 12 apostles. Next to Jesus, Paul was the most influential person in the history of Christianity. Paul wrote almost half of the NT books (13 epistles). He was called to have “turned the world upside down” (Acts 17:6, NKJV) by spreading the gospel through his three missionary journeys.
Remember what Paul said at the end: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” (2 Tim 4:7)
What was the driving force of Paul’s life?
Answer
The God-given mission was the driving force that provided Paul with power and purpose in his life.
“For Christ’s love compels us” (2 Corinthians 5:14)
Dreams/Goals can give you: Power and Purpose
Do you want to live a powerful and purposeful life?
What goal do you have for 2025?
Set up a goal for a positive and good future and run toward it.
A life without goals is both powerless and meaningless.
While preparing this sermon, I recalled my old days at Samsung. While at Samsung, one of the things I hated was submitting my New Year’s goals and strategies to achieve them.
Every time we were forced to submit our New Year's goals and strategies, we used to grumble: “Oh, why do they ask us to do this dumb thing every year? How do they know what will happen next year?”
However, we were surprised at the year’s end, finding the goals overwhelmingly achieved. The goals were our driving force.
Let me repeat:
Dreams/Goals can give you: Power and Purpose
There are 4 steps to the goal setting.
1. Pray! “For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.” (Phil. 2:13, NIV)
2. Set the Goals
Set short-term and long-term goals that God has given you. Church, personal, business, family, health….
3. Strategize!
Set a strategy for achieving your goals. Check your resources….
What you have and have not.
4. Press on toward the Goals!
Today’s message is best summarized in one phrase, “Press on Toward the Goal”
The expression Paul uses here is like an Olympic 100-meter runner running with all his might, looking only at the finish line.
Even if you are out of breath and your heart feels like it is going to burst, you can run because you have a goal in front of you.
Now, 2025 is a new opportunity and gift from God to your life. Let us set our goal for 2025 and press on toward that goal with all our might!
Shall we pray together?
Lord God,
Give us the new vision for the New Year for this church and show us what each of us can do to contribute to the vision;
Give us the strength to run full speed toward the new vision of the new year!
We pray in the name of Jesus Christ.