======================================================================== (CLIP) NEVER BE SATISFIED WITH YOUR SPIRITUAL GROWTH by Zac Poonen ======================================================================== Summary: This sermon emphasizes the importance of continuous spiritual growth and progress in the Christian walk, drawing inspiration from Philippians 3 where Paul expresses his relentless pursuit of knowing Christ and pressing towards the mark. Paul's attitude of not being satisfied with his current spiritual state serves as a challenge for believers to constantly strive for deeper conformity to Christ, leaving behind past achievements and focusing on areas that still need transformation. Topics: "Spiritual Growth", "Pursuit of Christ" Scripture References: Philippians 3:8, Philippians 3:12, Philippians 3:13, Philippians 3:14, Matthew 6:33, Hebrews 12:1, Proverbs 4:25, 1 Corinthians 9:24, Philippians 1:6 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ DESCRIPTION ------------------------------------------------------------------------ This sermon emphasizes the importance of continuous spiritual growth and progress in the Christian walk, drawing inspiration from Philippians 3 where Paul expresses his relentless pursuit of knowing Christ and pressing towards the mark. Paul's attitude of not being satisfied with his current spiritual state serves as a challenge for believers to constantly strive for deeper conformity to Christ, leaving behind past achievements and focusing on areas that still need transformation. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ CONTENT ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Page to another, to another, to another, never stopping but continuing, Paul says in Philippians 3, he says first of all in verse 8, I count everything in this world as loss compared to the value of knowing Christ. That is how he comes to saying, I'm pressing towards the mark, verse 12. I haven't attained it yet, verse 13, but I press towards the goal, verse 14. I forget what lies behind, verse 13, and reach forward to what lies ahead. I see two things there. One, first of all, he's not satisfied with his spiritual growth. Now I want to urge all of you, my brothers and sisters, never be satisfied with your spiritual growth. I was born again 58 years ago, but I can say before God today, I'm not satisfied with my spiritual growth. Because I see areas in my life where I'm still not perfectly like Christ. So I want to be like Christ in those areas also. There are areas where God has helped me to overcome certain things. But if I keep looking back at those things, oh, I've overcome this, and I've overcome this, and I've overcome this. Those who look back in a 100 meters race will never win. Those who keep looking back even in a marathon race will not win. Paul says, I reach towards the goal. I don't keep looking back saying, how many miles have I covered? I don't keep looking back saying, what all have I overcome? The best way to hinder your spiritual progress is by looking back and congratulating yourself on what all you've accomplished. Paul says, no, I forget. Verse 13, I forget what lies behind. And I'm reaching forward. And if some of those things you heard today, maybe some of those areas you've already achieved something, good. Don't look back and congratulate yourself. Just press on. Look at the areas where you have not conquered and move on. I mean, it's just like in a school. If a child is in the sixth standard, he doesn't keep revising addition and subtraction and glories that in second standard he got 100%, or third standard he got 100%. He'll never make any progress that way. A good student is actually going ahead of his class and reaching forward and saying, I want to think of the things in mathematics and science I've not yet learned. In fact, I want to go ahead. So that's what Paul says, I press toward the goal. ======================================================================== Video: https://sermonindex2.b-cdn.net/NLdIzgzxEHQ.mp4 Source: https://sermonindex.net/speakers/zac-poonen/clip-never-be-satisfied-with-your-spiritual-growth/ ========================================================================