Putting Behind
and Pressing
Forward!
2 Timothy 4:14-18 (NIV)
“Alexander the metalworker did me a
great deal of harm. The Lord will repay
him for what he has done. You too
should be on your guard against him,
because he strongly opposed our
message. At my first defence, no one
came to my support, but everyone
deserted me. May it not be
held against them…
Putting Behind and Pressing Forward!
..But the Lord stood at my side and
gave me strength, so that through me
the message might be fully proclaimed
and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I
was delivered from the lion’s
mouth. The Lord will rescue me from
every evil attack and will bring me safely
to his heavenly kingdom. To him be
glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Putting Behind and Pressing Forward!
Philippians 3:13-15 (NIV)
“Brothers and sisters, I do not
consider myself yet to have taken
hold of it. But one thing I do:
Forgetting what is behind and
straining toward what is ahead, I
press on toward the goal to win the
prize for which God has called me
heavenward in Christ Jesus.”
Putting Behind and Pressing Forward!
• In 2 Tim 4:14-18 we have some of the
last recorded words of the Apostle
Paul which recall his disappointments.
• As we say goodbye to 2014 and hello
to 2015 let us follow Paul’s example
as he learnt to PUT BEHIND and
PRESS FORWARD in achieving
God’s best!
Putting Behind and Pressing Forward!
Paul’s six principles in Putting Behind
and Pressing Forward:
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•
•
•
•
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1. Give It To God
2. Don’t Bear Grudges
3. Look To The Lord
4. Don’t Give Up
5. Make A Good Confession
6. Give God Praise and Glory
Putting Behind and Pressing Forward!
1. Give It To God
• Vs 14. “Alexander the coppersmith did
me a great deal of harm, the Lord
repay him for what he has done.”
• Paul had trusted this man who let him
down badly.
• When disappointments come, make it a
God-thing not a personal thing; ”I will
repay says the Lord”.
Putting Behind and Pressing Forward!
2. Don’t Bear Grudges
• Vs 16 Paul writes: “no one came to my
support but everyone deserted me. May it not
be held against them…”
• What surprising words…"everyone deserted
me.”
• What was Paul’s response? “May it not be
held against them” As Paul writes elsewhere;
“Love keeps no record of wrongs.”
Putting Behind and Pressing Forward!
3. Look To The Lord
• Vs17 “BUT the Lord stood at my side
and gave me strength…” There is
ONE who NEVER fails!
• John Wesley’s experience.
Putting Behind and Pressing Forward!
4. Don’t Give Up
• Vs17 “that through me the message might
be fully proclaimed...” Paul did not allow
disappointments to rob him of his destiny.
He had a work to do for God that could not
be jeopardised.
• Even Jesus experienced the
disappointment of people letting Him down,
but thank God He kept His focus on the
Father even when His closest friends failed.
Putting Behind and Pressing Forward!
5. Make A Good Confession
• Vs18 “The Lord will deliver me from EVERY evil
attack…”When people fail us it’s so easy to speak
negatively but even though Paul was shortly to be
taken and executed he makes a positive
confession and speaks of his eternal victory.
• When we go through our darkest times and feel
deep hurt, it’s more important than ever that we
confess with our lips the truth of God’s Word.
Putting Behind and Pressing Forward!
6. Give God Praise and Glory
• Vs18 “to Him be glory for ever and ever,
Amen.” Never let disappointments stop
you from praising!
• Whatever we have experienced in 2014
should never stop us from praising God
for what HE has done! Let us anticipate
great things in 2015 as we Press
Forward for His glory!
Putting Behind and Pressing Forward!
•
•
•
•
•
•
1. Give It To God
2. Don’t Bear Grudges
3. Look To The Lord
4. Don’t Give Up
5. Make A Good Confession
6. Give God Praise and Glory
Putting Behind and Pressing Forward!