Aiming For The Prize
Bishop Henry Fernandez Preached on 9/4/2025Philippians 3:10-14
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Summary
Bishop Henry Fernandez encourages believers to pursue their earthly goals and dreams while ensuring that their primary focus remains on the upward, eternal call of Jesus Christ.
Key points
- •Ambition and the pursuit of success are not ungodly, as God gives us the desires of our heart and expects us to maximize our potential (John 10:10).
- •The 'thief' (Satan) attempts to derail believers from their pursuit of God's best, requiring constant vigilance and a refusal to 'play church.'
- •Earthly achievements must never overshadow eternal pursuits; believers should use their God-given strength to prosper while keeping God as the primary priority (Deuteronomy 8:18).
- •Pressing toward the prize requires a threefold commitment: pursuing God relentlessly, releasing the weight of the past and unforgiveness, and reaching forward to the future God has prepared.
Scripture
Purpose
Perseverance
Spiritual Growth
Stewardship
Discipleship
Life application
Identify one material goal or past hurt that has been distracting you from your relationship with God; this week, spend 15 minutes each morning in prayer specifically surrendering that area to Him and asking for the 'upward call' to be your main focus.
Reflection questions
- In what ways have you been using God like an 'ATM' rather than pursuing Him for who He is?
- What 'expired' memories or grudges from your past are currently hindering your ability to strain toward what is ahead?
- If you achieved every earthly goal you have right now, how would that affect your service to the Kingdom of God?
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Full transcript
0:00While you're doing that, let's go to uh
0:03Philippians chapter 3 and we're going to
0:07go from verse 10 to 14. They're going to
0:09put it on the screen and we're going to
0:12all read it together. All right. So, I
0:15want to start out um you know, we're
0:19calling this, you know, um it's it's
0:23more than a vibe. It's a movement. All
0:25right? And you know, if you know me, I
0:29am a lover of the word of God.
0:34>> Let me say it again. I am a lover of the
0:38word of God.
0:39>> The word of God is the only thing that's
0:41going to sustain you. All right? How
0:44many of you believe that?
0:46>> All right. So, um I want you as I'm
0:50teaching for you to make sure that you
0:53take time out to take notes and apply
0:57the study uh to your life. All right.
1:00So, do they have it on the screen? All
1:01right. So, we're going to read together
1:04as as loud as possible and then I will
1:07start the study. All right. Are we
1:09ready?
1:10>> Okay. It's on the screen. Let's read. Go
1:11ahead.
1:16the power of his resurrection and
1:19participation in his
1:23death
1:27resurrection of the dead
1:42brothers and sisters.
1:49forget about
1:52the things
1:55I pursue
1:57upward in Christ Jesus.
1:59>> Now notice that last um phrase of verse
2:0314. The goal I pursue
2:06is the prize of God's upward calling in
2:11Christ Jesus.
2:13So let's talk about aiming for the
2:15prize.
2:17Uh the reality is all of us, every
2:20person
2:22uh lives life aiming at goals.
2:27Whether you are streaming or you're in
2:29this room, every one of us, the whole
2:33quest in life is to pursue goals.
2:37Whether it's our career, education,
2:40financial stability, relationship
2:44with our uh family, our siblings, uh
2:49relationship with somebody, someone
2:51you're dating, relationship with your
2:54spouse, uh recognition. That's a fact.
2:58We're all aiming to be recognized,
3:02you know, to be valued.
3:06That's the the pursuit in life. We want
3:09to make sure that people value us. Not
3:13only that, but we also want material
3:17success.
3:19Now, hearing this, a lot of people may
3:21think, well, you know, God don't want
3:25you to pursue these things. Yes, he
3:28wants us to pursue these things. It's
3:30it's a God-given human nature
3:34>> to thrive for success,
3:37>> to want to obtain things. Why are some
3:40of you pursuing an education?
3:44>> It's in you.
3:46>> So don't don't don't um resist it or be
3:50embarrassed about it, right? When when
3:53you are pursuing a relationship with
3:56someone, there's nothing wrong with it.
3:58There's nothing wrong with you wanting
4:00to pursue marriage.
4:02There's nothing wrong with you wanting
4:04to pursue a house on the water on the
4:08hill. There's nothing wrong with you
4:11wanting to pursue a fancy car with just
4:15a few uh that's around the country or
4:18around the world. Absolutely. You see,
4:21for so long, Christians, some Christians
4:25believe it is ungodly to pursue the
4:29things of life,
4:31>> but it's in you. One scripture says,
4:34"God will give you the desires
4:37>> of your heart." So, keep dreaming.
4:40>> Look at your neighbor and say, "Keep
4:41dreaming."
4:42>> Keep dreaming.
4:43>> Don't let anybody kill your drive to
4:46pursue things in life.
4:48>> Are you hearing me? So scripture does
4:51not condemn ambition. The ambition to
4:54want to succeed.
4:58Don't ever think that the the word of
5:00God is denying you the passion to pursue
5:06whatever you want to pursue. Your
5:08pursuit is different from mine.
5:11>> That's why I'm not supposed to get
5:13jealous over what you're pursuing.
5:15>> That's right. That's right. If your aim
5:17is to go for whatever things in life, my
5:21job is to encourage you. Your job is to
5:24encourage me.
5:26>> Right? But we're all in pursuit in life
5:29for some things. Now, God wants us to
5:33maximize our potential and use every
5:37opportunity given to us. How do I know
5:39that? Let's first look at John 10:10. I
5:42know most of us, we're students of the
5:44word of God. are familiar with this
5:46scripture. I want to read it from the
5:48CEB translation. It says the thief. Do
5:51do we know who the thief is?
5:54>> Right? And and and you and I must
5:56recognize this. I I really need to I
5:59don't have time to explain to to really
6:01dive into it a lot. We have to recognize
6:05as a people that when we're in pursuit
6:08of what God has for us on the earth,
6:11there is an adversary.
6:14the devil,
6:16>> he will stoop low.
6:19>> He will do the unthinkable thing to
6:22derail you from your pursuit.
6:26>> So you you have to be in guard every
6:30time, every day, seven days a week. Cuz
6:34when you think not,
6:37>> Satan is right there. What does the
6:39Bible say? He's a prowler.
6:42He lurks around and he sneaks up on you
6:45when you think not. That's why you can't
6:47play church.
6:51>> That's why you can't let your guard
6:53down. Because the thief comes to steal,
6:56kill, and destroy. But Jesus says, "I
6:59come that you might have life." Now
7:00watch this. I love this translation. I
7:03come that you might have life indeed. so
7:05that they could live life how to God
7:11wants us to maximize our potential in
7:15life. He wants the best for us. He
7:18doesn't want us to live an average life.
7:20>> Yeah. Yeah.
7:21>> Amen.
7:22>> So when you're thinking that well, you
7:24know, it's presumptuous to believe God
7:27for certain things. It's presumptuous to
7:30want to gain certain things in life. He
7:32said it right here. Jesus says, "I came
7:35that you might have life to the
7:38fullest."
7:40>> So, keep on dreaming.
7:42>> You may not have reached it yet. We're
7:44going to talk about that. Paul says, "I
7:46haven't attain it yet. I haven't gotten
7:48there yet, but keep on dreaming. Keep on
7:51believing, right? That you're going to
7:53get there." Look at Deuteronomy 8:18.
7:57Now, here is where things turn.
8:03Go after everything you want. God, go
8:07get it. Look at your neighbor and say,
8:08"Go get it."
8:09>> Go get it.
8:10>> Just go after it.
8:14>> Just be relentless to get whatever you
8:17want from God.
8:19>> Yes, sir. Yes, sir.
8:21>> However,
8:22this is what you have to be careful of.
8:24Now,
8:26>> look at Deuteronomy 8:18. Remember,
8:29>> Yes, sir. the Lord your God. Because
8:32it's so easy while we're pursuing
8:35life and the finest things in life, we
8:40have a tendency to do what?
8:43>> Forget God.
8:45>> And how many of you in this room can be
8:47honest
8:48>> to say there were times
8:50>> you forgot about God?
8:54>> So it's saying here, remember the Lord
8:56your God. He is the one who gives you
9:00the strength. So let's be careful. The
9:03only way we can achieve these things in
9:06life is because God has given us what?
9:09Strength
9:10>> to be prosperous in order to establish
9:14the covenant he made with your
9:16ancestors.
9:19>> So when you think the blessings that
9:22you're going after
9:24just started with you,
9:29You made a big mistake.
9:32>> Some of the stuff you're going after
9:34right now based on this scripture, God
9:36is trying to tell you some of your
9:38ancestors didn't even tap into all of
9:41what they should have had.
9:45And God has now given you an opportunity
9:48to go get what your great great grandma,
9:51grandpa didn't get
9:54>> because he established a covenant with
9:57your ancestors that I will bless you
10:00going in, bless you going out. And God
10:03says that covenant is still true to you
10:07and me today. Oh, somebody ought to give
10:09God a praise for that.
10:13So, here's the warning. Earthly pursuits
10:17must never overshadow
10:20eternal pursuits.
10:25>> Don't get so caught up to go after
10:29the fullness of life
10:32that it overshadows
10:35your eternal pursuit. Wow.
10:37>> Because at the end of the day, no matter
10:40what you've have obtained in life,
10:45you're going to leave it here.
10:49>> Now, now here's the balance. Go get it.
10:53>> Go get the car. Go get the house. Go get
10:57the relationship. Go start the business.
11:01Whatever your passion is, go after it.
11:06But when your eyes are closed
11:09and the breath leaves your body,
11:13>> can you take it?
11:17>> That's why you got to be careful when
11:19you get an attitude when you reach the
11:21top
11:24>> to think you will always be at the top
11:30>> cuz there's going to come a time when
11:32you're going to lose everything. And you
11:35know what? I have yet to see anybody
11:39get buried with all their possessions.
11:41>> Come on, sir. Come on.
11:43>> And even if they did,
11:45you know, I guarantee if you go back to
11:48the grave site right now and dig it up,
11:49it's right there.
11:53>> You cannot take it to the life after.
11:57>> So, the warning here for all of us
12:00according to Matthew 6:33, we know it.
12:03But let's look at the CEB translation
12:06instead.
12:08Instead of going after all of these
12:11things, it says, "Desire first and
12:14foremost
12:16God's kingdom and his righteousness."
12:19It didn't say you're not to go after
12:22things,
12:24but just desire God and his kingdom
12:28first
12:30and his righteousness.
12:32And the truth of the matter is
12:34everything you need.
12:38>> That's good.
12:40>> Everything you need, you will get it.
12:43So, as long as God is first,
12:47>> then it's okay to have everything. But
12:50when you have everything
12:52>> and God takes second place,
12:55>> come on now.
12:58>> Then there's a problem.
13:00>> So when you look at Colossians 2:8,
13:04it says, "See to it that no one takes
13:07you captive by what?"
13:11by philosophy and empty what
13:15>> bec because you see this is what's
13:17happening in our world today instead of
13:19pursuing Christ we are pursuing the
13:24itchy ears and conversations
13:27of our world and we get deceived
13:32>> and there's a hefty price for that
13:35according to human tradition it says
13:37according to what the elemental spirit
13:40spirits. It's the elementary kind of
13:43things, you know, the baby stuff things
13:46of the world and not according to what
13:50>> to Christ. So, let's talk about godly
13:53ambitions versus worldly distractions
13:57because this is where the battle is.
13:59This is where the battle is. Paul
14:02emphasizes that knowing Christ is being
14:05what? Conformed to him,
14:08right? and it must be our greatest
14:11pursuit. Here's a question I want to ask
14:13everybody. Those of you streaming, those
14:15of you online, think about it for a
14:17moment. Um, have you kind of uh take
14:22inventory of your own faith journey
14:24lately?
14:26Just just assess your faith journey.
14:29See, we we are so quick to assess other
14:33people.
14:34>> Yes, sir. Yes, sir.
14:35>> That's good. let let me assess and we we
14:38come okay let me see is is he or she
14:41living up to the word of God are they a
14:43Christian and the things that they're
14:44doing is wrong or right and so forth but
14:47how many of us really just go in the
14:50closet for a moment and say God let me
14:54look at how is my walk
14:57>> with you
15:00>> out of 24 hours a day how much of that
15:03time is spent with you. Not only that,
15:07all of my pursuit in life. Well, we've
15:10got what, nine months now? We're in the
15:12ninth month of this year. Think about
15:14it. Since January, what were your
15:16pursuits?
15:19Think about that. You went for material
15:21things, right? How many of you got
15:23material things this year, right? You
15:25know, car, house, all this kind of
15:27stuff. Um, a new job, you know, got a
15:30little bit of money or whatever you did
15:32this year.
15:34How much of that
15:38was pointed to
15:40God?
15:43And I and I know it's quiet because um a
15:48lot of you may be thinking, well, you
15:50know, fine. Yeah, I pray to God every
15:51now and then and and and whatever. But
15:53can't you see how the pursuit of things
15:57have consumed you so much
16:01at the cost of your connection with God.
16:06>> And at the end of the day, if you lose
16:09it all, and we're we're good for this,
16:12when we start losing the stuff, stuff
16:15happened, recession or an accident or
16:18whatever it is, when we start losing
16:20material things, who do we first run to?
16:23That's good.
16:25>> Come on now. Aren't we all guilty of
16:27this?
16:28>> We ignore God and then when we are in
16:30trouble, guess what we start doing?
16:33>> You know, you sometimes you can tell
16:36when people haven't really been in
16:38pursuit of God because when when you see
16:41them praying really hard and reading
16:43their Bible really hard, sometimes it is
16:46trouble
16:47>> that pushes them to God. Can we all be
16:50bear witness to that? Yes, sir. I mean,
16:53when everything is going good, we don't
16:55pray as hard as we should. We don't read
16:58our Bible. But boy, when our back is
17:00against the wall, all of a sudden, we on
17:03a 21-day fast.
17:07>> And it's the truth,
17:09>> right? Because what we're doing is we're
17:12kind of using God, and I hate to use the
17:14term, we're kind of using God like an
17:16ATM.
17:19>> Yes. You only go to the ATM when you're
17:22out of cash.
17:26>> So when I need him,
17:29>> I just go ploop.
17:32That's your code.
17:35Withdrawal. Ploop.
17:37How much you want. You tell it how much
17:39you want, all of a sudden.
17:43The moment you get it, oh, thank you,
17:45Jesus. Praise the Lord. You're gone.
17:48you don't remember him.
17:52>> And and we have to make sure the
17:55ultimate goal for all of us as
17:57Christians, watch this, is not just to
18:01pursue things.
18:04>> That's good.
18:05>> It is to pursue the higher calling that
18:09is in Christ Jesus.
18:11So, here's the distractions from the
18:14prize.
18:16Information overload and misinformation.
18:21Living by the trends of our society,
18:24opinions and the assumptions instead of
18:28truth.
18:30Look at what Colossians 2:8. Let's put
18:33it on the screen. Colossians 2:8.
18:36And then we're all going to read it
18:37together. Come on, everybody read,
18:39please.
18:52So Paul is saying the world has a way of
18:55thinking.
18:58>> And we're kingdom citizens. So we don't
19:01think like the world because the Bible
19:03says let this mind be in
19:06>> you which is in Christ Jesus. Our mind
19:09should be wired and programmed a
19:11different way. We cannot think like the
19:13world. So do not let yourself become a
19:17slave to the philosophy of the world.
19:20the foolish deception.
19:24And it's unfortunate that in the body of
19:27Christ, we find ourselves deceived.
19:32Where instead of us aiming for the
19:34prize, which is okay, God, I want to be
19:38in right standing with you. I want to be
19:40in your perfect will
19:42>> that we adopt to the foolish deceptions
19:45of the world and we are conformed to
19:48human traditions. Are you with me here?
19:51And so when you look at uh James um 1:22
19:57talks about uh disobedience
19:59because what leads to us
20:03getting overloaded
20:06with
20:08the trends of society and have an
20:11appetite for misinformation.
20:15It derives from the spirit of
20:16disobedience.
20:19Well, let's look at what it says in
20:20James 1:22. You must be what? Doers of
20:24the word and not only hearers who what?
20:30>> So, what what what what James is saying
20:33here, what we must do, just don't speak
20:37the word and don't act it out.
20:40>> That's good.
20:42Cuz you the only way you can prove that
20:46you are truly in pursuit of God and that
20:50you can bear the fruit of the spirit, it
20:53is when according to James, you got to
20:56act out the word of God.
20:58>> That means everything you're doing, you
21:01process it through the word of God
21:02first.
21:03>> You ask God, "Okay, God, I'm about to
21:06make this move. I'm about to say this.
21:08I'm about to do this. What is the word
21:11saying?
21:13>> Think about that. What is the word
21:16saying? You know, we we we've all gotten
21:19updated with technology today, but I
21:22remember years ago before they came out
21:25with the uh GPS and all these the
21:27navigation system and so forth. Remember
21:29you had to go to the gas station or
21:31somewhere and you buy these big maps?
21:33Y'all remember that? and and and you
21:35know either you you have the passenger
21:37in the front seat open the map and
21:39they're looking tell you no no I think
21:41you go right that's the street and so
21:43forth I mean we've come a long long way
21:49>> some of you too young to understand that
21:52right I mean you should have your car
21:54now you just speak to it and it just
21:56takes you in fact some of your cars now
21:58are driving you right but back in our
22:01days right we had these big paper that
22:04We had to I mean and it took us a long
22:06time to find somewhere right but today
22:10we have navigation system right here's
22:12the point I'm making when you have a
22:14destination
22:17thank you Holy Spirit and you don't know
22:19where you're going
22:22>> you ask for guidance
22:26>> you go in your car and you're going from
22:28point A to point B. You don't know where
22:30you're going. So what do you do? You put
22:32in the address in the navigation system
22:35and you trust that woman's voice
22:39or that male voice
22:41that says turn right, turn left at the
22:44stop sign, make a left or make a Uturn.
22:48We we listen. Here's the point. If you
22:52just yield to the Holy Spirit, he's your
22:55navigation.
22:57When you're in pursuit of things, he'll
23:01tell you, "Oh, no. Make a U-turn because
23:03the way you're doing it, it is wrong."
23:05And he will guide you into the path of
23:08righteousness if you surrender to him.
23:11Is anybody hearing me tonight?
23:16>> But you you you can't go after God and
23:20to pursue the higher calling when you're
23:23walking in disobedience.
23:25>> Are you hearing me? And so we also have
23:28materialism and self-promotion.
23:32This is a big one. Look at Mark uh
23:35chapter 8 verse 36.
23:38It says, "Why would people gain the
23:41whole
23:42world?" See, we don't read this in
23:45church no more.
23:47We don't do that. What what we have now
23:49in church is entertainment.
23:51>> That's true.
23:53>> I'm sorry. may hurt a couple of people.
23:56It's just entertainment.
23:58It is just self-promotion. It's it's
24:00it's it's all about self- glory. It's
24:02about what I can get out of the the
24:05service or and and we are missing the
24:08mark because at the end of the day, we
24:11can come here week after week and we can
24:14do whatever we want to do, but if you
24:16lose your soul,
24:21>> we don't preach that no more.
24:23Come on. We don't preach about the
24:25eternal destiny. It's more of what can I
24:29get from God? Lord, I need an iPhone,
24:31God. And we go on five days of fast for
24:34an iPhone.
24:36Come on, sir.
24:38It's Did I hurt it? Did I? I'm sorry.
24:41I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I mean, it's it's
24:44it's crazy what we do. We fast for all
24:47kinds of stuff.
24:49We pray for all kinds of things.
24:53But how many times we actually say,
24:55"God, I want my soul to be right."
25:00Yes sir.
25:01>> Only five people clapping. Praise the
25:03Lord. That's okay. Maybe five people
25:06going to heaven.
25:08>> Come on, sir.
25:10>> What will it profit?
25:12>> Come on now. Amen. To gain the house,
25:17the car, the material things, there's
25:19nothing wrong with it. But but if that's
25:21your ultimate aim,
25:26>> and lose your soul.
25:29>> Cuz at the end of the day, you're going
25:32to have to answer to God.
25:37At the at the end of the day, you're
25:39going to stand before a God who created
25:41the world who the world ignored and
25:44didn't think he existed that you're
25:46going to stand before him. And I promise
25:49you, you can't tell him, well, you know,
25:51you had you went to Birdines or and you
25:54wore all the fancy clothes. Oh, that's
25:58See, um, okay. Macy's. Macy's. Okay.
26:05Yes sir.
26:06>> It Bines doesn't exist anymore.
26:09>> Okay.
26:12>> Okay. Well, you do you know what
26:13Verdines is? No, you don't.
26:17Okay.
26:19Macy's.
26:23>> Well, I had no idea that Bird Eyes is
26:25out of business.
26:29>> Oh, really? Okay. Let me get back to the
26:31word of God. You are a distraction.
26:39What will it profit you to get Berdines,
26:41Macy's Dillards and
26:45>> but lose your soul?
26:48>> Think about that.
26:51>> Think about that.
26:54>> So, the greatest attainment, let's talk
26:56about that for a moment. The ultimate
26:58prize is the upward call of God in
27:02Christ Jesus. Upward, the upward. The
27:06upward call,
27:08>> not the call that is among us,
27:13>> the natural pursuit.
27:16>> Life cannot just consist of what you
27:21want.
27:23>> That's right.
27:28Life cannot
27:30consist of only the job, the career,
27:36>> the relationship or I just want to be
27:39happy
27:40>> or I just want things my way
27:43>> or you know it's who I like.
27:47>> Can't be.
27:49>> There has to be a higher calling.
27:52>> There has to be a higher calling over
27:54your career. Amen.
27:55>> There has to be a higher calling over
27:57your relationship. There has to be a
28:00higher calling over your business. There
28:02has to be a higher calling over money.
28:05>> Yes, sir.
28:07>> Has to be. So you need to understand
28:10that the ultimate prize is the upward
28:13call of God in Christ Jesus. And that is
28:17eternal life and the fulfillment of his
28:21purpose for us.
28:23What is God's purpose for your life?
28:27Because I can assure you, it is not just
28:30a car.
28:37It is not just a travel, but travel. I'm
28:40not telling you don't travel.
28:43Go. Cuz here's the thing. This is what I
28:47tell people. You have one shot at doing
28:50life. Once
28:54>> once you lose the breath
28:58>> that you breathe,
29:00>> you're out of here.
29:01>> And I hate to tell you, you're not
29:03coming back.
29:06>> You're not coming back. So the point is
29:09once you're here, live the best life you
29:12can.
29:12>> Obtain as much as you can. But here's
29:15here's the reality.
29:19once you die.
29:21And you may not believe me. You may not
29:24believe me. You see teachings like this
29:27sadly in the church I find unbelievers
29:30are believing and really searching for
29:33God.
29:37>> Remember when Jesus would teach,
29:40>> they would come and sit at the feet of
29:42Jesus.
29:43>> It was not the religious.
29:46The religious criticized everything he
29:49was doing.
29:51>> But the unbeliever would come and by the
29:54multitude and they will sit and hear him
29:58teach the good news. Why? Because
30:01unchurch unbelievers, you see, it's good
30:04news. Good news. They're not familiar
30:07with it. It's given them hope. But when
30:09it comes to us who've been in church a
30:12long time,
30:14We get so familiar with the gospel
30:18>> that it's no longer our primary pursuit.
30:22What is our primary pursuit is position,
30:26>> status,
30:28>> recognition, clicks,
30:33>> oh, getting quiet up in this church now.
30:37>> That's the pursuit.
30:39The pursuit is to be seen,
30:41>> to be recognized,
30:43>> to be acknowledged,
30:45>> when when the ultimate goal is to
30:51reach the upward calling of Christ
30:54>> in Christ Jesus, I should say,
30:56>> because earthly achievements will pass
30:59away,
31:00>> but a life aligned with God's purpose
31:04will always endure.
31:05>> Amen.
31:07I'm not telling you don't get
31:10the fullness of life, but at the end of
31:13the day, you have to recognize
31:17when you die,
31:21then what's next?
31:25>> Sometimes I think we're living as if
31:27we're going to live forever.
31:32Honestly, we get up every day, go to the
31:35bathroom, and we go through the routine
31:37as if, watch this. As if. Woo! Thank
31:40you, Holy Spirit. There is no ending.
31:47>> Your movie is going to end one day.
31:50>> Come on, sir.
31:54So you have to make sure that at the end
31:56of the day no matter what you have
32:00obtained in life
32:03that you can stand before God.
32:07>> And he can say
32:09I know you have been tested.
32:13>> I remember in 2025
32:17you were going through a struggle.
32:20You were going through some issues, but
32:24you stood the test. You didn't let the
32:27job that I gave you
32:30separated me from you.
32:33I remember when you lost that
32:34relationship, you were heartbroken.
32:37But you didn't walk out on me. I was
32:39still number one.
32:42>> I remember when I blessed you with that
32:44car.
32:46>> Praise the Lord. Yes,
32:49>> that the card didn't have you.
32:51>> All right, sir.
32:54[Applause]
32:55>> I remember when you came into all of
32:58that money
32:59that that $1.4 billion.
33:03>> Come on.
33:05>> That you didn't take the money
33:07>> and you disappear. You didn't know me
33:09anymore.
33:11>> Cuz we all know this. As we elevate in
33:14life,
33:16>> we can start acting a little funny.
33:18>> That's good.
33:19>> Come on now.
33:22>> Some people
33:24cannot handle success.
33:27>> Some people cannot handle promotion.
33:32>> And listen, and and I know this you're
33:34not going to like this. You're not going
33:35to like this. I know you're not going to
33:36like you're going to say, "I don't like
33:38this." I'm telling you, listen to me. If
33:43if you were to come into a billion
33:45dollars today
33:47and it's going to cost you your eternal
33:51soul,
33:52>> it's better you not take it.
34:00>> And I know some of you looking at it
34:01like
34:04I don't know about that.
34:06I'm not quite sure about that, pastor.
34:08and I'll take it and then repent because
34:11we get slick. Come on now.
34:16But how many of us, watch this, we run
34:18the risk.
34:20>> We do it whether intentionally or
34:23unintentionally,
34:25we go after things
34:28ignoring God and sometimes blatantly
34:34>> ignoring God. Are you with me here?
34:36>> Yes, sir.
34:36>> All right, let's move on here. Let me
34:38just go because you know get study God.
34:39I won't even go over a lot of those uh
34:42scripture verses there. But let's go to
34:44um the next which is lessons we can
34:47learn from Philippians and then we're
34:49going to do a little bit exercise here.
34:51Lessons we can learn from Philippians
34:533:12-14.
34:56The three things that Paul outlined and
34:59they are number one pursue relentlessly.
35:03He said, "I press on to to hold."
35:09He wasn't talking about the material
35:11things.
35:12He's saying the higher callin, my
35:16assignment in God and my eternal
35:19destiny, I press
35:23to take hold of it. In other words, I'm
35:26not just pressing or doing not to gain
35:30it.
35:33I press to hold on to. Is anybody in
35:36this room or streaming has ever made up
35:39in your mind you want something?
35:42>> Talk to me now.
35:43>> And you know you will do anything.
35:48Anything
35:50to get it.
35:51>> You know that.
35:53>> Anything to get it. Let me let me put
35:56this in perspective. All right. It's
35:57been For those of you who don't know,
35:59it's been raining down here like crazy
36:00today.
36:02Um, but even if there is a 100 mileph
36:06wind in South Florida and it's storming
36:10rain, watch this now. Storming rain
36:14and uh, Sagrass Mall.
36:19Send out a text.
36:24All the stores
36:26are given 90% discount.
36:32Come on now. Look at me. Don't don't
36:34don't don't don't don't don't don't
36:34don't look down now in your notes like
36:37you're writing notes.
36:40If the mall was to say 90% all the
36:44stores, you know, all them outlet
36:46stores, everything 90%. It's a 100m hour
36:50wind on the outside,
36:53storming rain, flood.
36:57How many of you would press
37:01>> through your house,
37:04>> get in your car,
37:06>> holding on to the steering wheel for
37:08dear life,
37:10I ain't missing the sale. Come hell or I
37:14water, I'm going to S rushville.
37:18>> Cuz when you want something bad enough,
37:22>> you go get it. Well, if you want God bad
37:26enough,
37:27>> go after him relentlessly,
37:32>> don't let nothing stop you. Cuz storms
37:35will come,
37:37>> winds will blow,
37:40>> the devil will throw stones at you,
37:43swords will be pulling drawn at you. But
37:46when you are determined that I am going
37:48to the upward call of God, you will go
37:52after God relentlessly.
37:56And I just want a few of you to make up
37:59in your mind that you're going to pursue
38:02God no matter what.
38:05>> He said, "Pursue relentlessly." And
38:07number two, he said, "Release the past."
38:11>> Release the past.
38:14>> Now, that's hard.
38:16It's hard for us
38:19>> cuz some of you watching in here,
38:23it's hard to let go of the past.
38:26>> Yes, sir.
38:26>> It's good.
38:27>> It's hard.
38:28>> Yes.
38:29>> Especially when it hurts.
38:31>> Jesus.
38:32>> Especially when you know you've been
38:34done wrong.
38:35>> Yes, sir.
38:38>> It's hard to let it go. Some of you are
38:40dealing with unforgiveness right now.
38:42Yeah.
38:42>> Because the truth of the matter is what
38:45they did to you freely freely hurt
38:53>> the memories of it.
38:55>> Some of you already made statements.
38:57I'll take this to my grave.
39:00>> Oh, you will take it to your grave.
39:05>> You will.
39:08>> Paul says, cuz you know what he's
39:09saying? You cannot be pressing forward
39:15to get hold of the greater purpose of
39:19your life
39:20>> while you're still holding on
39:23>> to the past.
39:25>> You cannot sir.
39:27>> So, you got to let it go.
39:31>> Thank you, Lord. You got to learn to let
39:33it go. You got to learn to get up every
39:36day and say to yourself, "God, I won't
39:39let what happened yesterday prevent me
39:42from going into tomorrow."
39:46>> You got to let it go. Forgetting what is
39:49behind you.
39:52>> And it's a daily walk. Every day you've
39:55got to get up and say, "God, yesterday
39:57was a lesson.
40:01>> Thank you for the lesson."
40:03>> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yes,
40:04>> I learned some things. I got hurt. But
40:06today is a brand new day.
40:08>> It's going to be a good day today.
40:11>> And I'm going to live my purpose today
40:13so that tomorrow I can be a greater
40:15person. I can walk in the calling that
40:18you have on my life.
40:20>> And I'm telling you, if you're going to
40:22aim for the prize, that real prize, you
40:27got to let some stuff go.
40:29Stop carrying grudges and
40:32>> the pain of what people did you.
40:36>> I I am so busy with what's in front of
40:40me.
40:42>> I don't care the stick that just hit me
40:44in my back.
40:45>> Come on, sir.
40:47>> Come on. That's good. That's good.
40:48That's good. That's good. It's good.
40:51>> I don't care cuz all of us gonna get
40:53slapped.
40:55Yes true.
40:57>> It's just my slap this turn. This turn.
40:59Oh, you keep on living. You going to get
41:02slapped.
41:03>> Life is going to whack you one day.
41:06>> Several times.
41:08>> So you can laugh at my slap now. That's
41:10okay. Praise the Lord. I'm taking it.
41:13Glory to God. And I'm keep on taking.
41:15I'm keep on walking cuz I know every
41:17problem,
41:18>> right,
41:19>> has an expiration date.
41:21>> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
41:24Glory to God.
41:25>> But life is going to hit you.
41:27>> Yes, sir.
41:28>> Stuff is going to happen.
41:31>> And this society loves drama.
41:36>> And and sadly, it's in the church.
41:39>> And we camp out of stuff that God says
41:43that's expired.
41:48Too many of us are walking into the
41:50kingdom and God opens up his treasure
41:53chest.
41:55But we walk outside the kingdom and go
41:56into the kingdom of darkness and open up
42:00his treasure chest drinking all kinds of
42:03stuff that's been expired.
42:08>> Think about that.
42:09>> Why would you go into your refrigerator
42:11knowing that the milk has expired a
42:13month ago?
42:16Are you going to drink it?
42:18>> That's going to be there's going to be a
42:19problem.
42:22>> A huge problem.
42:26>> The third thing he said, reach forward.
42:32Pursue relentlessly.
42:35Release the past.
42:37>> Yes.
42:38>> And reach forward, straining toward
42:42what is ahead.
42:46Please, I want to talk to everybody
42:48before we go into that last discussion
42:51question part where you're all going to
42:53talk among yourself.
42:55If you ever know
42:59what is before you,
43:02>> if the Holy Spirit could ever reveal to
43:06you
43:07>> what is ahead of you, you wouldn't let
43:10the present situation
43:13>> distract you. Yes, sir.
43:18>> Some of you are getting so caught up in
43:20the moment
43:22>> of what the devil is doing to get you
43:24distracted because there's a greater
43:26prize.
43:28>> There's something greater ahead of your
43:31life. And Satan doesn't want you to to
43:34look to the heels from whence cometh
43:37your help. He wants you to look at the
43:39moment. Yes.
43:40>> So once you look at the moment, you
43:42won't be straining towards. In other
43:44words, you're making effort.
43:46>> Yes, sir.
43:47>> You're making effort to go after the
43:51bigger picture, the greater things that
43:53God has in store for you. Don't let him
43:56do that to you.
43:57>> Yes, sir.
43:58>> I would hate to know that God has some
44:01great things for you, man.
44:03because you just
44:05didn't aim or strain.
44:10You get caught up in the moment. Maybe
44:12in 2026, 27,
44:1520, 30, 35, I don't know.
44:19You come to find out you didn't get
44:23certain things
44:25all because when you trace it back to
44:2725,
44:30you wasn't reaching,
44:34you wasn't reaching.
44:37If you come out of your house and go
44:39into your garage and you go into your
44:42car and you start the engine and if
44:45you're heading from Fort Lauderdale to
44:46Orlando,
44:49I promise you if you go in your car and
44:50you sit
44:53and you just look at the map or the GPS
44:55is telling you and you just talk about
44:58Orlando,
45:01I think I should get to Orlando in about
45:03three and a half hours and then when I
45:05get there I'm going to see Mickey Mouse.
45:10>> Then I'm going to go to this hotel.
45:11Follow me. Follow me.
45:13>> I'm going to do this. I'm going to do
45:15that. and oh yes, I think I packed
45:17everything and think if you sit in your
45:20garage
45:23>> just talking about what it will be like
45:27>> and don't put that card.
45:35[Applause]
45:38>> Some of you you're just parked.
45:44>> Yes, sir.
45:46in a nice car, in a nice body, in a nice
45:49spirit. What a the outer man, but you're
45:52just parked. You're not going anywhere
45:55cuz you're not straining.
45:59>> You're not pressing.
46:01>> You talk a good talk,
46:04>> but you ain't doing nothing
46:08cuz you're not activating the word of
46:10God in your life. Let's do this quickly.
46:13Now I want you to write down. Come on.
46:15Those of you who are watching online
46:17there spaces provided there quickly what
46:20pursuits in your life could be
46:23distracting you from the ultimate prize.
46:26Write it down and then talk to your
46:28neighbor and tell your neighbor what it
46:30is. Come on, tell your neighbor what it
46:32is and be honest. And then I want you to
46:35find a way to tell that person how they
46:38can stop that distraction. Go ahead.
46:40What do you be honest? What do you think
46:42is distracting you?
46:45>> Okay, be honest.
46:47Okay, be honest. Those of you who are
46:50streaming, just put it in the chat.
46:52Okay, what's distracting you? And ask
46:54them, okay, you know, you know, how can
46:58I prevent this distraction?
47:03And then number two, go into the next
47:04question. Okay, don't hang out there too
47:06long. How can you practically put God
47:09first in your career, family, and
47:11personal goals?
47:13Write that down. Right? Uh how can you
47:17practically put God first in your
47:20career? Write it down quickly. Write it
47:23down. Put it in the chat. Right? This is
47:26good.
47:28And then number three, what steps do you
47:31need to take today to press forward
47:35towards God's upper call? And remember,
47:39the upper call is not material things.
47:42>> All right? So, don't say, "Well, maybe
47:44if I get a savings account and start
47:47putting some money in there." We're not
47:49not talking about material things here.
47:51All right? Write it down.
47:54And and hopefully those of you writing
47:56whether it's electronically on your uh
47:59phones or printed uh um you know copy
48:03that we gave you that you go back and
48:04really examine yourself and let what we
48:08study tonight you know kind of just
48:11minister to you so that you know that
48:13you are on on track in pursuing uh Jesus
48:17Christ. All right. So, I hope tonight
48:23you understand that the whole purpose of
48:25the lesson was to get you to aim for the
48:29prize.
48:30>> For the prize. What is the prize?
48:32Anybody know what the prize is? What is
48:34the prize?
48:36>> Okay.
48:38What?
48:40Your eternal destiny in God. That's the
48:43ultimate goal, right? You you may leave
48:46you may live another 50 years, 40 years,
48:5060, 70 years, but at the end of the day,
48:54everything you've possessed on this
48:57earth, every relationship you have built
49:00doesn't count on the other side.
49:04Do you not know the person you marry and
49:07might have spent all of your life with,
49:11when you get to the other life, you're
49:13not married.
49:16You didn't know that.
49:18>> See, some of you want to take your
49:19marriage into
49:21>> on the other side.
49:24>> You could be dating a person for 30
49:26years
49:28>> when you get over there.
49:31>> You you you you know, both of you won't
49:34be related anymore.
49:36>> Talked about it today.
49:39your cousin.
49:40>> There's no cousins
49:43>> and sisters and
49:47>> weird, right?
49:49>> That's why you even your children.
49:54There is no such thing as family
49:56relationship on the other side. That's
49:59why love your kids on the earth. Love
50:03people on the earth. Build relationship
50:06on the earth. respect and honor people
50:08on the earth. Cuz once you check out of
50:10here,
50:13>> when people say, "Well, you know, when I
50:15die, I'm going to be looking for my
50:16grandma.
50:24Did you get anything out of this study
50:26tonight? Come on, give the Lord a hand
50:28of praise.
50:31Father, we thank you for the word
50:33tonight. We are grateful
50:37that as a church we can come together
50:40to develop a hunger
50:44to pursue you.
50:48Because at the end of the day,
50:52our faith journey should always
50:56be about you.
50:58Our
51:00eternal destiny
51:02should be the prize.
51:05All the other stuff is just
51:09a bonus.
51:12Cuz while we're on the earth, you want
51:14us to enjoy the fullness of what life
51:18has to offer.
51:21And for all of us, we're committed to
51:24making sure that we become the best
51:26version of ourselves here.
51:30And whatever our heart's desires are
51:32that is in your will, we're willing to
51:34go after it.
51:37We're willing to go after it.
51:42But we're committed after hearing this
51:45teaching tonight. We are committed
51:48to making sure
51:53that we make you our top priority
52:00that we coming to church. It's about you
52:05being a Christian. It's about you.
52:11It's only about you that we'll fix our
52:15eyes on you.
52:19[Music]
52:21This is the passion of the faith center.
52:26The church we want to become is the
52:30church that is a true reflection
52:33of the church you said the gates of hell
52:39>> will not prevail against it.
52:42>> The church we want is the church that
52:46God is in it.
52:50Not just a place where
52:54we get what we want,
52:57but it's a place where scripture
53:00minister to us and give us practical
53:05uh examples and instructions
53:10on how to walk out our faith journey.
53:14It's not about
53:17being excited
53:20and having a good time. And that's all
53:22good
53:25because at the end of the day,
53:27every day,
53:31funeral homes are picking up people from
53:33all
53:34walks of life,
53:37every corner of the earth.
53:41And one day
53:47it'll be our turn.
53:51and whatever we've done wrong and
53:55whatever
53:57we had put before you
54:01will come upon that day
54:04and
54:07according to your word we won't have a
54:09chance to make it right then it'll be
54:12too late.
54:16So
54:18we ask you to help us as a people
54:23to pursue you
54:27only you.
54:30And sometimes it's hard in a world
54:35that have so many distractions.
54:41But help us to fix our eyes on you and
54:44press
54:46push forward. It's hard sometimes. It's
54:49difficult sometimes. Things are pulling
54:52us back, but let us push forward.
54:56I pray for those who don't know you as
54:59Lord and Savior tonight as they're
55:01streaming in this house
55:05that they will come to
55:08the understanding that
55:12they're on barred time.
55:15And this is not to scare them. It it's
55:17it's simple to bring the reality.
55:20It is appointed unto man once to die,
55:25then we're going to be judged.
55:28So, I pray they will never put it off.
55:32They may not understand any everything
55:34about God and church,
55:37but I pray tonight that they will just
55:39at least push,
55:42press,
55:44and say, "God, I give you me. I give you
55:46my life. I surrender it all to you.
55:51and then you'll take care of the rest.
55:53The Holy Spirit will lead and guide them
55:57and and
55:59show them the way. We cannot do this
56:02faith journey without him.
56:05So we thank you for their salvation.
56:09And if that's you and you feel that
56:12there's God is talking to you and you
56:15feel that
56:17you know Yeah.
56:20You're going to make him your top
56:22priority now.
56:24Maybe you didn't plan on doing it this
56:26evening, but you're being convicted now
56:28by the Holy Spirit.
56:31Can you just whisper a prayer? Because
56:35that's how you communicate with God.
56:36Just talk to him and ask him to come
56:40into your heart, to your life,
56:43to change you. But you're willing to
56:46surrender to his will. You're willing to
56:48push. You're willing to press.
56:52You're willing to embrace the teachings
56:55of scripture.
56:58Just surrender.
57:00Just repeat after me. Lord Jesus.
57:03>> Lord Jesus,
57:03>> I'm a sinner.
57:04>> I'm a s
57:05>> I repent of my sins.
57:08>> I embrace the free gift of salvation.
57:10>> I embrace the free gift of salvation. I
57:12declare with my mouthclare that I'm born
57:15again
57:17in Jesus name. Now Father, I thank you
57:20for their salvation.
57:22I thank you that all of us in this room
57:24tonight, the Holy Spirit was speaking to
57:27us and you're not you're not saying we
57:30shouldn't go after things,
57:33but we should not let the things
57:36separate us from you.
57:39Help us to leave this place empowered.
57:41Thank you for the seed that your people
57:42are going to give, the tithe, the
57:45offerings
57:47that they're going to sew into this good
57:49soil,
57:51this good ground to help this ministry
57:54to continue the work that you've called
57:57us to do. It's never equal given, it's
58:01equal sacrifice.
58:04So I ask you to bless them as they sew
58:07their seed tonight. Wherever they are
58:10watching from, let them give. Let them
58:14give out of a cheerful heart. And we
58:17thank you that this house is blessed.
58:19The storehouse is blessed.
58:22Your people are blessed in Jesus name.
58:25Amen. Come on, put your hands together
58:26and give him praise, would you?