How can we "live up to what we have already attained" daily? Our Launch Point: What We’ve Already Attained “Nevertheless, let us live up to what we have already attained.” (Philippians 3:16) • Through faith in Christ we already possess: – Full forgiveness and righteousness (Romans 5:1). – The indwelling Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19). – Adoption as sons and daughters (Ephesians 1:5). – Power for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3). • Paul’s call is simple: don’t settle below the level God has already raised you to. Daily Choices That Keep Pace with Grace • Start each morning by remembering your identity: “I am in Christ, therefore I walk like Christ.” • Feed on Scripture before the day feeds on you (Psalm 119:9–11). • Talk with the Lord continually—quick, honest prayers all day long (1 Thessalonians 5:17). • Ask, “Does this decision fit someone clothed in Christ?” Colossians 3:12 lines up your attitude. • End each evening with brief self-examination and gratitude (Lamentations 3:40). Essential Habits That Translate Position into Practice 1. Word Saturation • Read, memorize, and meditate; the Spirit uses the Word to shape your walk (John 17:17). 2. Spirit Dependence • “Since we live by the Spirit, let us walk in step with the Spirit” (Galatians 5:25). • Consciously yield your reactions, plans, and impulses. 3. Quick Repentance • Confess the moment sin surfaces; keep short accounts (1 John 1:9). 4. Purposeful Obedience • Act on what you already know; light received becomes light multiplied (James 1:22-25). 5. Gospel Conversation • Share Christ naturally; speaking the gospel strengthens you to live it (Philemon 6). Guardrails Against Drift • Accountability friendships—“iron sharpens iron” (Proverbs 27:17). • Regular fellowship and communion; isolation weakens conviction (Hebrews 10:24-25). • Clear boundaries for media, money, and relationships (Ephesians 5:15-16). • Weekly rest to recalibrate heart and pace (Mark 2:27). Encouragement from Parallel Passages • Colossians 2:6—“Just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to walk in Him.” • Ephesians 4:1—“Walk worthy of the calling you have received.” • Hebrews 12:1—“Let us run with endurance the race set before us.” Each verse echoes Philippians 3:16: move forward in the same grace that saved you. Putting It All Together Living up to what we’ve attained isn’t about earning more; it’s about aligning daily life with the wealth already deposited in Christ. Keep looking back to the cross for assurance, up to the throne for power, and forward to the prize for motivation. One step at a time, the position you’ve received becomes the practice you display, and the watching world sees a life that fits the salvation you’ve been freely given. |
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