I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race. I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the Righteous Judge, will award to me on that day.
2 Timothy 4:7-8

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.
1 Corinthians 9:24-27

12- Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.
13- 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,
14- I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
15- All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you.
16- Only let us live up to what we have already attained.
17- Join with others in following my example and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you.
18- For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ.
19- Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things.
20- But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.
21- Who, by the power that enables Him to bring everything under His control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like His glorious body.
Philippians 3:12-21

Never quit training.

Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on. I do not consider myself to have yet taken hold of it but one thing I do, forgetting what is behind and straining to what is ahead I press on
Philippians 3:12-13

We must commit to never look back.

But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead.
Philippians 3:13

Some of us cannot release from our minds the ACCOMPLISHMENTS of the past.

Some of us don’t make any progress because we can’t release our minds from the HURTS of the past.

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.
Philippians 3:12-13

Then, some are so conscious of past sins and burdened by guilt that they are totally useless in the present.

We should only train with winners and champions.

Join with others in following my example…and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you.
Philippians 3:17

Remember whose team we are on!

“Our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord, Jesus Christ.”
Philippians 3:20

Bottom Line

You know you have the right focus when you are becoming more and more like Jesus.

Action Steps

• ‍Are you training as hard as you should? Are you having your non-negotiable, face-to-face time with Jesus everyday? He’s waiting for you.
  Action Step: Start
• Do you need to stop looking back so you can move forward knowing that your contentment has nothing to do with your feelings…of past hurts, past sin and past accomplishments?
  ‍Action Step: Stop
• Do you have good mentors? Other growing believers into God’s stride, that you are watching and learning how to keep the right focus.
  ‍Action Step: Get
• Don’t forget whose team you’re on. The Jesus team has already won the victory. He’s already crossed the goal line. He has defeated and disarmed all the principalities and powers at the cross.
  ‍Action Step: Remember