Pressing On Toward the Prize: A Gospel Race Worth Running

Most of us know what it’s like to chase something we thought would satisfy—only to find out it wasn’t worth the effort. A dream job that turned into a grind. A relationship that didn't deliver the happiness we hoped for. A prize that, once in hand, felt strangely empty. In Philippians 3:7–14, the apostle Paul speaks directly to this universal experience—and then flips it on its head.

Paul once chased success too. He had a spiritual résumé that would’ve turned heads in his day: a Hebrew of Hebrews, a Pharisee, zealous for God, faultless in the law (Phil. 3:5–6). If anyone could earn their way into God’s good graces, it was him.

But then he met Christ.

And suddenly, everything he once celebrated—his achievements, his reputation, even his own righteousness—he counted as loss.

“Whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.”(Philippians 3:7)

This wasn’t a polite re-categorization. It was a radical revaluation. Paul uses accounting language: what was in the "profit" column of his life got moved to the "loss" column. And then he ups the ante:

“I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him.”(Philippians 3:8–9)

The Greek word for “garbage” (skubalon) is vivid—refuse, street trash, even excrement. Paul is intentionally graphic. He’s not saying his former life was “less than.” He’s saying it was worse than nothing if it kept him from knowing Christ.

And that’s the shift that changes everything: trading self-righteousness for the righteousness that comes from God by faith. For Paul, this wasn’t just a new philosophy. It was a new identity. He no longer stood on his own record—he stood on Christ’s.

“Jesus gets my sin. I get His righteousness. He takes the blame. I get the blessing.”

That’s not religion. That’s grace.

Knowing Christ: More Than Head Knowledge

But Paul isn’t content with mere theological accuracy. His heart burns for something more personal:

“I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of His resurrection and participation in His sufferings.”(Philippians 3:10)

This isn’t academic knowledge. The word he uses (ginosko) implies intimacy, personal experience, deep familiarity. Paul wants to know Jesus—not just His facts, but His heart. Not just His resurrection, but also His suffering.

And that’s where things get uncomfortable.

We want the victory of the empty tomb—without the agony of the cross. We want Easter Sunday without Good Friday. But Paul says, “No. If knowing Jesus means walking through suffering with Him—then sign me up.”

Why? Because suffering strips us down. It removes the illusions. It brings us face to face with the question: Is Jesus really enough? And through suffering, Paul learned what many believers discover in the trenches of grief and loss: Jesus is most precious when everything else is gone.

“You don’t really know Christ until you’ve suffered with Him.”

Resurrection Power for Real Life

Still, Paul doesn’t wallow in suffering. He’s fixated on resurrection power—not just in the future, but right now.

“Just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.”(Romans 6:4)

Resurrection power isn’t only about escaping death—it’s about walking in new life today.

• Power to change when you feel stuck.

• Power to forgive when it’s hard.

• Power to endure when life disappoints.

• Power to break the chains that used to define you.

This is the energy source for the Christian life. Not guilt. Not trying harder. Christ in you. The same Spirit that raised Jesus from the grave is breathing life into your soul.

Don’t Settle—Press On

After all this, Paul makes a shocking admission:

“Not that I have already obtained all this... but I press on.”(Philippians 3:12)

This is Paul talking. Apostle. Church planter. Miracle worker. And he says: I haven’t arrived.

That’s good news. Because it means you don’t have to fake it. You don’t have to pretend you’re further along than you really are. Growth is a process. Maturity takes time. God is not in a rush, but He is calling you forward.

“The Christian life is not about pretending perfection—it’s about pursuing a Person.”

So Paul presses on—not to earn Christ, but because Christ has already taken hold of him. That’s the fuel behind his run. His salvation is secure; now he’s running for the reward.

Letting Go to Move Forward

Of course, running forward means you can’t keep looking back.

“One thing I do: forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead…”(Philippians 3:13)

What’s in your rearview mirror? A broken past? A proud one? Mistakes? Achievements? Sometimes the greatest obstacle to running hard today is yesterday’s success—or yesterday’s shame.

Either way, Paul says: Forget it. Let it go. Lay it down. If it’s weighing you down, call it what it is: garbage. And run.

The Prize Worth Everything

So what’s the prize?

“I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”(Philippians 3:14)

The prize isn’t fame. It’s not comfort. It’s not applause.

It’s Christ.

Knowing Him. Becoming like Him. Hearing His voice say, “Well done.”

And make no mistake—He is worth it.

“Only one prize lasts: knowing Jesus Christ.”

So… What Are You Chasing?

Every one of us is running after something.

Approval. Achievement. Security. Pleasure. Comfort. Recognition.

But there’s only one pursuit that ends in glory.

So ask yourself:

• What’s still in your “gain column” that needs to be moved to “loss”?

• What’s holding you back from running free?

• What are you clinging to that Christ is calling you to lay down?

Let it go. Not because you’re trying to be a good Christian. But because you’ve seen something better.

“Don’t quit. Don’t drift. Don’t coast. Press on—because Christ has taken hold of you.”

One day, the race will end.

And when it does, you won’t care how fast you ran compared to others.

You’ll care about one thing:

Was I running toward Jesus?

And on that day, if you are found in Him, He will be waiting—arms open, scars still visible, smile wide—saying:

“Well done. You pressed on. You didn’t quit. You ran for Me. Enter into the joy of your Lord.”

That’s the prize.

That’s the promise.

That’s why we press on.