Good morning, Drawing Near to God community! Recently, I had the honor of preaching at my home church, St. Andrew’s in Mt. Pleasant. The title of my sermon was Pressing On, with the focus Scripture being Philippians 3.1-16. Here are some of the key points from the sermon, which you can listen to on the St. Andrew’s website or on our mobile app.
The Apostle Paul exhorts Christians to press on in their journey with Christ (Philippians 3:1-16). Although the upward call of God in Christ Jesus most likely refers to that point when physical death comes and your spirit is called upward into full fellowship with Christ, until that
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time, we are called to continue pressing on in spiritual growth. Sometimes, though, we become stuck in our spiritual progress and seem unable to press on. Scripture reminds us that in these times we must:
- Wake up/stir up (Ephesians 5:14)
- Rise up in the power of the Holy Spirit (Ezra 10:4; Isaiah 60:1; Hebrews 12:1)
- Grow up in Christ (Ephesians 4:18)
Here are some life applications as you reflect on how this applies to you and your life:
- Are you stuck in your spiritual journey?
- Are you in a season of high stress, overwhelming circumstances or feeling flat-lined?
- Can you identify the obstacles that cause you to stay in the same place?
- Are you willing to ask the Holy Spirit to stir you up and empower you to rise up and change your course?
- Have you identified spiritual mentors to aid you in getting unstuck and pressing on in your call?
I’d love to hear from you in the comments section below!
Gosh, I needed to read all 5 of those comments today !! My answer was YES to the first 4. &. a. NO to the 5 th!!!
Since the death of my precious niece, the Rev Martha Horn, I feel as if I am wondering——I live in Saluda NC & I can’t say I know of anyone who can fill that spiritual spot for me here in Saluda——— that is going to be my prayer that the Lord will send that special person to walk the spiritual path with me ———- I moved here to be a part of The Snails Pace many years ago & Frances Dudley was such a Spiritual Director for me , but she is also with Jesus now. My daily prayer will be for that special person to be my help & guide as I continue my walk with Jesus ✝️
Sandy, I know how much you loved Martha as did I and yes you do need a spiritual sister in Saluda. We need our Christian friends and mentors. Consider doing one of our Drawing Near classes available on our website and starting a group there. I think there is a real need! Blessings and love- Joanne