Today's Topic: Strive!

In a person's life, character almost determines everything. Among all character traits, uncompromising is very important. This is the most important aspect of Paul's character! In fact, Paul had other traits – striving!

I have observed that whether it is spiritual matters or anything else, those who achieve great things are people who strive!

The Apostle Paul was one of them! Martin Luther King Jr. was one of them! Lincoln was one of them! The American steel magnate was also one of them! So am I! Most importantly, our Lord Jesus is such a Lord! Striving!

I often ask myself, was I born a striving person, or did I become one later? I really don't know! But I know that my belief in the Lord has had a great impact on me! I find it hard to believe that I have become the person I am today! I was born without interest in many things. In university, many people played mahjong all night, and although I knew how to play, I just wasn't interested! I wasn't interested in playing anything. Later, I even lost interest in living. Still later, after believing in the Lord, I realized that the meaning of life lies in God! I began to strive, to strive to know God! And that's how I became the person I am today. I know I have many fans, and they are not my fans because I am Samuel. It is because I serve the Lord wholeheartedly, strive to know God, and strive to enter into the Mingding Destiny that God has for us, that the fragrance of Jesus Christ is revealed in me, and they become my fans.

Not only have I become the person I am today, but many underachievers who were not born with a striving character have followed me in believing in the Lord and have inherited what I inherited from the Lord Jesus, and today they also radiate the fragrance of Jesus Christ!

Brothers and sisters, come out of a character that does not strive! Stop believing that you were born an underachiever, and start believing that you are a child of the living God, start believing that you can become a striving person! Start pursuing with passion! That will make you enjoy your life!

It is not easy to come into this world, not easy at all! You need to know that you are a champion! How am I a champion? At the moment your mother conceived you, there were hundreds of millions of sperm, and only one sperm triumphed, became the champion, ran the fastest, and entered that egg. You really are a champion! That moment was the result of striving!

We are born and come into the world, and we begin a life of striving! That is the destiny of being a child of God, the destiny of being a king!

Today I will share with you the character of striving!

Today's Scripture – Philippians 3:12-16

Phl 3:12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.
Phl 3:13 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,
Phl 3:14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
Phl 3:15 All of us, then, 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.
Phl 3:16 Nevertheless, whatever we have attained, let us walk accordingly.
Phl 3:17 Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do.

The Erroneous Gospel Misleads People

Believe in the Lord, be saved, die and go to heaven.

Living life as an underachiever.

What we believe in is the Gospel of striving.

Knowing God is endless.

Hosea 6:3

Let us acknowledge the Lord; let us press on to acknowledge him. As surely as the sun rises, he will appear; he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth.

What is striving like? It's like digging for gold. The more you strive, the more you dig up!

We are like Ali Baba, opening the door to the treasure, and all the treasures inside are yours! You can dig up as much as you want!

Striving for what? - To be completely like the Lord Jesus!

The erroneous gospel denies that we will be like the Lord Jesus. But I believe that God's intention is for us to be like the Lord Jesus, and He Himself will sculpt us to be like the Lord Jesus!

Mat 5:48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Mat 19:21 Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

Jhn 17:22 The glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: Jhn 17:23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.

1Co 2:4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: 1Co 2:5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. 1Co 2:6 Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought: 1Co 2:7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: 1Co 2:8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 1Co 2:9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. 1Co 2:10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. 1Co 2:11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. 1Co 2:12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. 1Co 2:13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 1Co 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 1Co 2:15 But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.

Are you perfect? If not, strive for it!

Start with believing!

Man cannot pursue what he does not believe in.

My pursuit begins with the practice of faith.

Resist thoughts of disbelief, activate thoughts of faith (example).

Rom 1:17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

Becoming more and more like the Lord Jesus

I think as Jesus thinks.

I see as Jesus sees.

I do as Jesus does.

What to do when you are not like Him? - Let your thoughts be like His! Be like Him in faith!

What to do when you are not like Him? - Speak like Him! Let your words have authority!

The word is near you – in your heart and in your mouth!

Rom 10:8 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; Rom 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. Rom 10:10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Rom 10:11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

Strive, never give up!

Phl 3:12 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.

Phl 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,

Phl 3:14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Phl 3:15 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.

Phl 3:16 Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing. Phl 3:17 Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample.