“Successful Graduates” 2 Timothy 1:7 Philippians 3:13-14 Hebrews 12:1-2 June 7, 2009

“For God hath not given us a spirit of fear; but of power and of love, and of a sound mind.” 2 Timothy 1:7 (KJV)

I. Face your fears God did not give us a spirit of fear. – A timid spirit can rob us of our confidence. – Fear can prevent us from functioning. – Fear can paralyze us.

I. Face your fears God gave us what we need to be effective. – A spirit of power Acts 1:8, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be my witnesses….” – Love Love is the foundation of all relationships. Matthew 22:36-40

I. Face your fears God gave us what we need to be effective. – Sound mind Galatians 5:22-23, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”

“Brothers, 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 3:13-14 (NIV)

II. Forget your failures Forget what has happened in the past – Doesn’t mean that we ignore the lessons. – Don’t dwell on the past and live in guilt. We’ve all done things we are ashamed of. Realize God’s forgiveness. – Let go of the past. Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you…plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

II. Forget your failures Press on toward what is in the future. – The way we press on is to move towards the future. – The reason to press on is to receive the prize. – The ultimate destination is heaven.

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross,

Scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” -- Hebrews 12:1-2

III. Follow your faith Run the race with perseverance. – We do not run this race alone. Others have gone before us Others have experienced what we experience – We cannot run the race weighted down by sin. – We do not run this race quickly.

III. Follow your faith Fix our eyes on Jesus. – Requires focusing on the Lord. – He is the author and finisher of our faith. “Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” -- Philippians 1:6 – He set the example. He endured the cross. He sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.