module 8-running the race marked out

pressing towardthe high call of God

one thing I do - it is my one aspiration: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what

lies ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the supreme and heavenly prize to which God in

Christ Jesus is calling us upward

— Philippians 3:13-14

© john clements 2008-09 / academy.eternalpurpose.org.uk

pressing toward the call of God

Genesis 12.1—translated from original Hebrew

by David Newington

get yourself out of your country, … away from your kinsmen and away from

your father’s house … and go to the land that I will show

you



go away for yourself, for your own reasons, from your country and from your kinfolk

make up your mind separately from your clan

they are going to stay - you go! they are going to settle down,

their religious drive has evaporated



not so with you Abramyou emigrate. keep travelling.go away to establish your own lifestyle

in dependence upon Almighty God


curriculum

the high call of God

to his messianic community

destiny…

vocation…

design…

dynamic…

pressing towardthe high call of God

running race marked out for us

leading God’s people into their inheritance

overcoming in arena of spiritual conflict

running the racemarked out for us


running the race

let us strip off and throw aside every encumbrance - unnecessary weight - and that sin which so readily, deftly and cleverly, clings to and entangles us… and

let us run with patient endurance and steady and active persistence the appointed course of the race that is set before us


looking away from all that will distract to Jesus, who is the leader and the source of our faith and is also its finisher;

he, for the joy of obtaining the prize that was set before him, endured the cross, despising and ignoring the shame and is now seated at the right hand of God


just think of him who endured from sinners such grievous opposition and bitter hostility against himself - reckon up and consider it all in comparison with your trials –

so that you may not grow weary or exhausted, losing heart and relaxing and fainting in your minds

—Hebrews 12:1-3, Amplified Bible


overview

competing in the race according to the rules, for the prize

praying unceasingly devotional prayer—key to divine

relationship

pressing into our ministry-calling discovering and fulfilling God’s call

competing in the racerun to win!

don’t run aimlessly but straight for the finish line… don’t shadow box but try to make every punch count

—1 Corinthians 9.24-27


I do it all because of the rewards promised by the Good News, so that I may share in them along with the other who come to trust;

don’t you know that in a race all the runners compete, but only one wins the prize? so then, run to win!

now every athlete in training submits himself to strict discipline… we do it to win a crown that will last forever…

— 1 Corinthians 9.23-27


competing in the race

entering the contestrunning the appointed courserunning according to the rulesrunning toward the goalrunning with steady, active perseverance


entering the contest

availability, not merely willingness

— Matthew 21:28-30

starts with training, discipline every athlete in training submits

himself to strict disciplineone thing I do

forgetting what is behind strain towards what is ahead press on to win the prize


running the appointed course

single-minded, persistent focusupon Jesus, Author, Perfector of our faith

individual ministry callingbecoming holy and useful to the Master

discovering personal destinypersonal, not selfish ambition

serving God’s purposepart of bigger picture


running according to the rules

an athlete can’t win a contest unless he competes according to the rules

—2 Timothy 2.5

living a holy life…living in good relationship…living by faith…


living a holy life

a dedicated life offer yourselves as a sacrifice, living and set apart for God; this will please him – it is the logical temple worship for you

— Romans 12.1-3

a heart with room for the Lordkeep pursuing shalom with everyone and the holiness without which no one will see the Lord

— Hebrews 12.7-14


living in good relationship

wife, husband, submit to one another

— 1 Timothy 3.1-13; Ephesians 5.21-33

children, parents; employer, employee

— Ephesians 6.1-9

leaders, elders, congregational leaders

— Hebrews 13.17; 1 Peter 5.5

hospitable— 1 Peter 4.9, Romans 13.8, Heb. 13.2-3


living by faith : looking into invisible

consider and look not to the things which are seen but to the things which are unseen;

for the things that are visible are temporal, brief and fleeting but

the things that are invisible are deathless and everlasting

—2 Corinthians 4:18


living by faith: daring to do impossible

faith is the assurance, the confirmation, the title-deed, of the things we hope for,

being the proof of things we do not see and the conviction of their reality –

faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses

—Hebrews 11.1


living by faith

only way to please Godwithout trusting it is impossible to be

well pleasing to God—Hebrews 11.6

seeing into invisibletrusting is being confident of what we

hope for—Hebrews 11.1

with God all things are possibleAbraham was past hope, yet in hope he

trusted…—Romans 4.18


running toward the goal : love

greatest commandmentlove from a clean heart, a good

conscience, a sincere trust— Matthew 22.36-40; I Timothy 1.5-7

love covers a multitude of sinsalways be humble, bearing with one

another in love— Ephesians 4.1-6

everyone will know that you are my disciples by the fact that you have love for each other

— John 13.35


with steady, active perseverance

do not grow weary of doing good…for if we don’t give up, we will in due

time reap the harvest— Galatians 6.9

enduring discipline, testing as a son, a soldier

the testing of your trust produces perseverance; but let perseverance do its complete work; so that you may be complete and whole, lacking in nothing

— James 1.3-12— Hebrews 12.7; 2 Timothy 2.3


overview

competing in the raceaccording to the rules, for the prize

praying unceasinglydevotional prayer—key to divine relationship

pressing into our ministry-callingdiscovering and fulfilling God’s call

praying unceasinglykey to divine relationship

always be joyful, pray unceasingly, in everything give thanks, for this is what God wants from you who are united with the Messiah Jesus

—1 Thessalonians 5.16-18


prayer : key to divine relationship

intimacy with the Fatheruniting with Messiahobedience to Jesuswalking in step with Holy Spiritfoundational to all ministry


intimacy with the Father

prayer is…a natural response to new naturewhere our anxieties are released to Godwhere our fears are calmed by Godwhere our hearts hear God’s heartwhere consecration takes placewhere conviction is strengthenedour access to throne of God


uniting our soul with Messiah

uniting with Messiah means being transformed in our minds, yielding our will to his, sharing in his emotions… being changed into his image

— Romans 12.1-3 & 8.29; 2 Corinthians 3.18if you remain united with me and my words

with you, then ask whatever you want and it will happen for you; this is how my Father is glorified – in your bearing much fruit; this is how you will prove to be my disciples

— John 15.7


walking in step with the Spirit

discipleship relationship with Holy Spirit

brokenness, key to sensitivity Spirit leading, key to intercession

supernatural realm of relationships towards God towards people towards spiritual powers

foundation to successful ministry provides fuel for running race


overview

competing in the raceaccording to the rules, for the prize

praying unceasinglydevotional prayer—key to divine relationship



one thing I do - it is my one aspiration: forgetting what lies

behind and straining forward to what lies ahead,

I press on toward the goal to win the supreme and heavenly

prize to which God in Christ Jesus is calling us upward.”

—Philippians 3.7-14


discovering our vocation

our passionour dream, our deepest hope, motivation

our giftour talent, our capability, capacity

our styleour individuality, personality

our personal work, vocation, callingdiscovering it, pressing in to fulfil it


our passion

our dream our deepest desire clarity frequently emerges out of crisis,

brokennessmeanwhile can lead to years of frustration

often difficult to interpret requires patience and perseverance

no satisfaction without pursuing it we may be satisfied, but not the Lord presence of both probably indicates

calling


our gift

spiritual gifts, natural abilities both God’s gifts, according to grace discernment sometimes required between

them exercise according to faith combine together to give unique

capabilityunderstanding and appreciating brokenness

learning to rest from our own works


our personal style

organised by being structuredbeware of being over-controlling

organised by being unstructuredbeware of being irresponsible

individuality emerges out of freedom…… freedom emerges out of maturity

maturity doesn’t depend on age…“experience is not what happens to us… it’s what we learn from what happens to us!”


our vocation, work, calling

an ordained drawing into God’s purposes

called first of all to Godcalling becomes commissioning

specific, focused, defined boundaries why? where? who with? with what purpose, goal, method?

many things offer distraction main thing : to keep main thing as

main thing!


discovering ministry-calling

1. seek God’s face and heart break-through in prayer to passionate

determination to know and love God diligently search Scriptures

2. become holy make room in your heart for God’s

priorities3. become grace-filled

don’t be driven by insecurities don’t confuse concern with a desire to

control


discovering vocation

4. become big-hearted open-minded towards different streams

of God’s people and purposes avoid fads and fashion

5. remain leadable, teachable use wide cross section of resources to

improve understanding and knowledge of God’s purposes

6. finally : become unmovable! once discovered—don’t let go, don’t

give up


pressing in to complete the call

fan the flame the gift of God…— 2 Timothy 1:6-9

keep your sense of urgency; fight the good fight of faith: finish the race

— 2 Timothy 4:1-7

according to the prophecies made about you

this charge I put to you, in keeping with the prophecies already made about you, so that by these prophecies you may fight the good fight

— 1 Timothy 1:18-20

a prophecy for you…a prophecy for you…““what does it mean to be what does it mean to be

an ambassador of Christ?”an ambassador of Christ?”


I have a purpose, my life has a meaningI have been born for a reason and I have come to the kingdom of God for such a time as this;


…there is a work that I must perform; there is a destiny that I must fulfil; for I have been called and chosen…


I have been set apart to the Lord, to Adonai, to serve him and his purpose, among this generation - my generation –


…by picking up his heartbeat for the body of Christ, for Israel and for the peoples of the world,


…in the dynamic of the Spirit's presence, power, fire, freedom and anointing,

…until death or until Y'shua Messiah, the Lord's Anointed One, Jesus Christ, returns in great power and glory!!


I am chosen by him to serve as his ambassador - a divine representative,

…performing his own work as my own work; bearing his name as my own name…


…serving him in the eyes of the world, but never serving the world itself;

…forsaking all other loyalties in pursuance of my loyalty to him;


…representing him faithfully and excellently, truthfully and honestly, powerfully and courageously in every encounter;


…bravely and confidently enduring each and every arena of conflict,

…knowing that whether I live or die, in obeying him, I have overcome all things!


“ and henceforth, there will be laid up for me a crown of life”


… for each and every ambassador of Christ: our calling, our gifts, our abilities, our ministries are diverse

…but each one must hold fast to the divine mandate of “revival for mission”


… revival represents the divine touch that awakens the people of the light from the slumbers of complacency, that sets apart, separates, makes holy, pure and refined a people ready and equipped to serve God's purpose


… mission represents the eternal purpose of God: to bring many sons to glory “not willing that any should perish,”

for God's heartbeat is people and we are his ambassadors to those people…

leading God’s peopleinto their inheritance

next seminar

module 8-running the race marked out

Documents

almighty god john clements

amplified bible john

godrunning race

ukcurriculumthe high

heavenly prize

gods callcompeting

christ jesus

usleading gods people