Eyes On The Prize

"I'm not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don't get me wrong: by no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I've got my eye on the prize, where God is beckoning us onward- to Jesus. I'm off and running, and I'm not turning back."
                                                              Philippians 3:12-14




The apostle, Paul, was not one to back away from competition. Before his conversion to Christ, he lived a righteous life, obeyed the law, and defended the faith of his fathers. He became a religious zealot, well-versed in Jewish history, the Psalms, and the works of the prophets. He knew how to dissect scripture and then use that to defend or prosecute those who broke the law. He became a lawyer and probably was a member of the Sanhedrin ( the Jewish Supreme court), which ruled over Jewish life and religion. It was his zeal and competitive nature that led him down the path of violence and extremism.

He was probably present at the trial of Stephen and then attended his stoning and death. He held the garments for those who did the stoning (Acts 7:58) and then heard Peter share the Gospel afterward. This agitated Saul and he became even more determined  to eliminate all the Christians in that time. He was now really on a mission and "He began ravaging the church, entering house after house, and dragging off men and women, he would put them in prison" (Acts 8:3).

That is, until the day that he met Jesus face to face on the road from Jerusalem to Damascus. Right before he had started on this 150 mile journey, he had asked the high priest for permission to bring any followers of "The Way" back to Jerusalem so that they could be thrust into jail. He was brimming with murderous rage for these people he could not understand. People, he thought, that impeded his cause.

Enter the King of kings. Jesus said to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?"  To which he responded, "Who are You, Lord?" Immediately, Jesus says, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting" (Acts 9:4-5).

From this moment until forever, Paul's life was radically changed and transformed. In the short-term, he lost his sight and became dependent on his friends to meet his needs. In Damascus he met a man named Ananias who prayed for him and explained to him his vision of Jesus. Saul received the Holy Spirit, regained his sight, was baptized, and immediately began proclaiming that Jesus is the Son of God. He became known as Paul.  His transformation would allow others to later refer to him as "the Apostle of Grace".

He now had a new mission, vision, and purpose. His eyes were fixed on Jesus and he could now run the race like never before. He transitioned from religiosity to relationship with the One who had died just for him. Suddenly, he could hear the upward call resounding in his ears and he was determined to run and fight with the utmost of love and determination. No one or nothing would deter him from accomplishing all that God had set before him.

Paul went on to spend time in Arabia, Damascus, Jerusalem, Syria, and Antioch. He took three missionary journeys and wrote 13 letters that became books of the New Testament. He spent the remainder of his years proclaiming the Risen Christ to the Roman world, often at great peril to himself. Ultimately, he died a martyr's death in the mid to late 60's in Rome.

Through devotion, Paul learned how to keep his eyes on the prize and how to win the race set before him. He concentrated on Jesus and what was important so that he could become even more proficient in his calling. He didn't try to do a thousand things. Just like an athlete who excels in his game, he focused on his specialty, which was proclaiming the Risen Christ to a skeptical audience. That is why his labor still bears fruit to this day.

Paul also looked to the future. He did not dwell on his past failures or even get side-tracked by the opposition of the day. Instead, he "forgot those things that were behind" and did not allow them to influence or affect what was important and had eternal impact. He broke the power of his past and used his power for the future.

Determinedly, Paul says, "I press", which means to "follow after".  He allowed God to work within him and to work through him. He understood that it is God who matures us and strengthens us. Paul was pressing towards the goal, realizing that when he attained it that he would also receive a reward for it. That is not to say that we work to attain heaven by our own efforts. It  is to say that Jesus will crown our efforts when He returns. Paul understood this distinction and the determination required to press forward.

Paul also had spiritual disciplines that helped him to stay focused. This means that he obeyed the "spiritual rules" that God outlines for us in His Word. He said, "Any man who enters an athletic contest practices rigid self-control in training" (Philippians 3:25). Later, he says, "No contestant in the games is crowned, unless he competes according to the rules" (2 Timothy 2:5). It is possible to lose our rewards if we disregard the rules that God outlines for us for our safety.

Like Paul, God has set a race before each one of us. We each have a sphere of influence that we can share the Gospel with and minister to. It is God that empowers us and gives us strategies to accomplish His purposes. If we are devoted, look to the future, determined, and disciplined, we will hit the mark and receive the rewards that God has apportioned for us. All the while, passion pulsates in our hearts and we are keeping our eyes on the prize, which is Jesus!


"Therefore then, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses [who have borne testimony to the Truth], let us strip off and throw aside every encumbrance (unnecessary weight) and that sin which so readily (deftly and cleverly) clings to and entangles us, and let us run with patient endurance and steady and active persistence the appointed course of the race that is set before us, looking away [from all that will distract] to Jesus, who is the leader and the source of our faith and is also its finisher [bringing it to maturity and perfection]. He, for the joy [of obtaining the prize] that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising and ignoring the shame, and is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God."
                                                         Hebrews 12:1-2, AMPC