Philippians 3

Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe.Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision. For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. 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, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you. Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing. Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample. (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.) For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.

The Bible tells us to count it all joy when you enter into various temptations. During your walk in Christ, you will enter into situations that seem overwhelming. You will encounter individuals in your life, family friends, jobs or just with contact with individuals around you. People are very persuasive in what they believe. They will try to convince you to see this world the way they perceive it. When you don’t accept they will bring about statements of disillusionment. Isolate you, separate you and tag you with names and statements so derogatory to get others to think very negatively about you. They will say things like, “why are they serving a God no one has ever seen?” They will call you a conspiracy theorist. They will so called tag you on social media, give a hastag and say #unreal, #notbelievable. Because as it may be seen, this world knows that they are bound for Hell. To keep from facing that fact, they will surround themselves with individuals who will speak to their desires, not to their needs. When you’re surrounded by a lot of yes people, and no one to say no and challenge you or challenge your lifestyle, then you’re bound for disaster. The Bible says in the last days that people will heap to themselves teachers after their own flesh. In other words go to ministries that titillate your flesh and desires, groups or organizations that make you feel like you’re in control of your own life.

The Bible clearly states in Philippians 3:13

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,

Don’t allow your past to become your future, what people say about you to deter you from your purpose in God.

The Bible says in Ephesians 4:1-3; 21-32

I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;  And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another. Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil. Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.

No matter what people try to say in saying you don’t have a clue, let them understand that your mind is not confused and you do know who you serve and you do understand that you have to put off those things that you use to be a part of, put away the conversations of that old man. I don’t care what people say about you, as long as you serve our Lord Jesus Christ, you will be talked about, provoked and challenged because you’re going against the norms of this world. Don’t expect the world to love you because they won’t. Your love is hidden in Christ Jesus. Don’t allow them to catch you acting the way you use to because then they can say you are a hypocrite. In simple terms, if you aren’t a duck anymore, quite walking like it and quite quacking. Because some of us have been convinced that the changing of your heart doesn’t mean the changing of your lifestyle. One goes with the other synonymously. How many of you have mentally gone to sleep after having been in a fight, an angry confrontation and put it off saying that they’re the one that had the problem? I say to you, you need to get that clear at that time frame, do not let a day go by because that day gone by will turn out to be days and those days weeks, and those weeks months, and those months years. There are some people who have been angry and upset with individuals for more than 10 years over a stupid matter, thinking they are justified by saying they were right. How will Jesus forgive you for your sins, when you can’t forgive each other? I say to you, renew your mind.

The Bible tells us in Philippians 2:2-5

 Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

Pressing toward the mark of the high calling in Christ Jesus. We can’t allow these things to delay our calling in Christ Jesus.

Hebrews 12:1

2 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,