SUSTAINING LIFE’S IMPETUS

‘Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.’ (Philippians 3:13-14 NASB)

To ‘press’ is to move against something by exerting continuous physical force and energy. Life needs us to sustain the press in order to get the best out of it. When the pressures build up, and the disappointments come; when the tide is high and the pain increase, when we feel like giving up and the outcome fails to complement the labour, we must resolve to fight the wave, to rise with the tide and to keep pressing on, until we dock at the harbor of glory and fulfilment. To sustain life’s impetus and drive:

1. Increase your level of enthusiasm

Energy matters. You must have zeal, zest and fervency. You must be zealous about something! Something must burn in your spirit. That thing will push you out of your beds in the morning and make you face each day with high expectations. Find your ‘one thing’ and pursue with great enthusiasm. The opposite of enthusiasm is lukewarmness, apathy, impassivity; you do not do things with joy. Apostle Paul told the Romans, ‘Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord’ (Romans 12:11 KJV). New International Version says, ‘Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.’ Weymouth Bible says, ‘Have your spirit aglow…’ Life may be hard but we can overcome and truly be victorious when our Spirit is aglow, bubbling with great passion and fervor in Christ Jesus.

2. Move with people of like minds

It is quite interesting that the people we surround ourselves with may determine the outcome of our journey in life. When you have quitters around you, you increase your possibility of throwing in the towel. Move with men who will empower you, energize you, encourage you and empathize with you. Walk with people you will emulate and who are great examples. They are your ‘A’ persons. They are people who know where you are heading and are ready to support you. 1 Corinthians 15:33 says, ‘Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.’ (KJV) Proverbs 27:17 says,  ‘Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.’ (KJV)

Paul told Timothy, ‘But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience’ (2 Timothy 3:10 KJV). 1 Corinthians 11:1 says, ‘Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ’ (ESV). Philippians 4:9 says, ‘Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you’ (KJV). Tyron Edwards said, ‘People never improve unless they look to some standard or example higher and better than themselves.’ Charles A. Fowler said, ‘The best teachers of humanity are the lives of great men.’ Surround yourself with great minds but much more than that let Christ be your friend; your model, and your Master.

3. Keep it simple and righteous

Jesus said, ‘Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily, I say unto you, the servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them’ (John 13:13-17KJV). Jesus led a simple righteous life and he wants us to do the same. Paul said, ‘According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death’ (Philippians 1:20).  You must declare – I live to serve him and do his will. That is the goal of life, that should be our joy. Like the Psalmist, we should declare ‘I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.’ Psalm 40:8

4. Pray – Lead me not into temptation

This is one of the greatest prayers in the Bible. Temptation operates within the enemy’s network. ‘Temptations’ methods are renewed and repackaged every day. ‘Temptations’ main objective is to neutralize you. However, temptation can also be God’s test to show how far you are on the growth chart. Temptations begin with the seed of thoughts in your mind. This thought grows up to become actions and these can become habitual sins that destroys destinies. Watch out for those situations of your life that makes you prone to sin and avoid them. Ask for godly ways to recreate yourself.

There are two ways to ‘fall.’ You may fall the Peter’s way or fall the Judas way. Peter returned but Judas resigned. Peter repented but Judas was repressed. When you return and repent, you are renewed. If you fail or fall, don’t stay down; come back to God and receive new strength to forge ahead.