8. LOVING BEING THE APPREHENDED APPREHENDING (Philippians 3:12-16)

We have a purposeful interplay of thoughts in the further use of "count" (Philippians 3:13 KJV), used to convey an act of consecration in Philippians 3:7,8. The great aim of life was not complete with full surrender. The loss was not the goal, but the gateway. If anyone had reason to be content with progress, Paul had - he readily confessed he had not attained (Philippians 3:12 ). There was an exciting, unexplored region ahead of him that he was determined to tread and possess.

8.1. AN INWARD URGE (Philippians 3:12)

Philippians 3:12 "Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me."

An inner compelling desire to become what God purposes us to attain is possible, and is made a reality with the strong hand of the Lord upon us. It is not a new thought to be "apprehended" seized or laid hold of by God. Many prophets spoke of the hand of God upon them.

Confessed that he prospered - was protected - and performed by the good hand of God upon him.

Ezra 7:6 "... and the king granted him all his request, according to the hand of the LORD his God upon him."

Ezra 8:18 "And by the good hand of our God upon us they brought us a man of understanding, ... "

Ezra 8:22 "... The hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek him; but his power and his wrath is against all them that forsake him. "

Favoured in the eyes of the king and the people, to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem by the same good hand of the Lord upon him.

Nehemiah 2:8 "... And the king granted me, according to the good hand of my God upon me. "

Nehemiah 2:18 "Then I told them of the hand of my God which was good upon me;"

Seven times seized hold of by the Lord.

Ezekiel 1:3 "The word of the LORD came expressly unto Ezekiel the priest, ... and the hand of the LORD was there upon him. "

Ezekiel 3:14 "So the spirit lifted me up, and took me away, and I went in bitterness, in the heat of my spirit; but the hand of the LORD was strong upon me."

See also: Ezekiel 3:22; 33:22; 37:1 and 40:1.

The hand of the LORD was on Ezekiel to give him a vision of His glory in preparation to proclaim God's message.

So Paul was seized hold of to preach the unsearchable riches of grace. From the time of the noonday vision there was the inner consciousness of a divine purpose for his life. "Lay hold of" (Philippians 3:12 NKJV) - to lay hold of God's highest and best. He knows no rest until he apprehends every purpose for which he was redeemed. At the end of the day he wants no unfinished business left. A ministry free from the debt to all men. A life that leaves nothing unfulfilled, and God's purpose fully realised. He consistently pursued this inward urge.

2 Timothy 4:7 "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:"

"Finished" is the same word Christ used on the cross. Unless we know and strive to attain the purpose for our lives, living is aimless. A failure is not laying hold of that for which we have been laid hold of. This could be a cause of shame to us at His coming.

8.2. THE OUTWARD SURGE (Philippians 3:13)

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, 14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. "

"Follow after" (dioko) generally translated "persecute" is transtaled as "press" in Philippians 3:12 and Philippians 3:14 (NKJV), and "persecuting" in Philippians 3:6 (NKJV).

Acts 26:11 "And I punished them often in every synagogue and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly enraged against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities."

He "follows after" - "presses" - or "persecuted" his goal of Christlikeness. In the outward surge of purpose:

No false pride in his attainments to divert his attention, causing him to look back over covered ground. Its the distance ahead that matters. Looking back on what has been done, and what should have been done, retards progress. Dwelling on the past is a double loss. The past is unchanged and passing opportunities missed. Forget the past by burying it in the dust of present activities as we forge ahead.

Three expressions tell how he puts everything into reaching his goal.

	He has oneness of purpose - "One thing I do" - The first and only objective in his life is to know Christ - and make Him known.
	He has a keenness of purpose - "Reaching forth" - He gives his utmost for His highest.
	He has a doggedness of purpose - "I press" - He pushes on to victory - all out for the goal.

8.3. THE UPWARD CALL (Philippians 3:14)

His goal "the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:14 NKJV). Christlikeness. He conforms as much as possible to his Lord now while he looks forward to the glorious day when he will be eternally like Jesus.

At the grave of Lazarus, Jesus "lifted up His eyes" (John 11:41 ). Greek word 'ano' - "up", same as "high" Authorised Version, and "up" New King James Version. The up calling of God, from the grave to glory. Earth to eternity - a call from the highest to the highest.

John 8:23 "And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world."

"Above" same as "upward" - our calling is from above. From heaven to heavenly. Called of God. Its heavenly qualities must be jealously maintained.

John 2:7 "Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim. "

Filled them to the brim. "Brim," i.e. same Greek word 'ano' as above. There must be no half measures - to the brim at His command. Abundant life is limited only by our capacity. Our calling is brimful of glorious prospects. His purpose will be finally brimful when we shall be glorified together.

Colossians 3:1-2 "If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth."

Called to holiness. Character to conform to our upward call. It is folly to profess to have been called to start men on the heavenly way, and then live as though our hopes were bound to the world. Believe differently - behave differently - is Paul's consistent message:

1 Thessalonians 2:10 "You are witnesses, and God also, how devoutly and justly and blamelessly we behaved ourselves among you who believe;"

We must be a holy people if we are to follow the heavenly way.

8.4. A CALL FOR UNITED PURSUING (Philippians 3:15,16)

Philippians 3:15 "Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you."

Hebrews 3:14 "For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;"

Like-mindedness among leaders is essential. In any difference, God will reveal what is the mind of Christ that will make them of one mind.

Philippians 3:16 "Nevertheless, to the degree that we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us be of the same mind."

"Let us walk by the same rule" - The Word of God is the rule for our lives and conduct.

"Let us be of the same mind" (Philippians 3:16 NKJV). Everyone's goal is to be Christlike. Let us resist the creeping paralysis of a self-satisfied life, and make every co-operative effort to reach the goal of a fuller likeness to our Lord.

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QUESTIONS FOR GROUP INTERACTION

1. Are you driven by a passion to leave nothing unfulfilled that God has purposed for your life? (Philippians 3:12-13 ).

2. What does the expression "the upward call of God" mean to you? (Philippians 3:14 ).

3. Can you affirm what it means to walk by the same rule, and to be of the same mind? (Philippians 3:15-16 ).