And though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, obtaining as the outcome (télos, which means the consummation (the end-goal, purpose), such as closure with all its results) of your faith the salvation of your souls. 1 Peter 1:8-9.
I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:14.
Today your LORD (יהוה) God says:
To run a race you have to know where the finish line is located, otherwise the race would have no purpose and no winners. What kind of race would that be if everyone were just running in a direction they decided upon or were just aimlessly running with no definite goal, at least no long term final one? It would be chaos and confusion with people running in all different directions, getting in each other’s way, and never actually having any direction. It would be foolish to enter a race with no definite final goal.
And yet that is the way a vast majority of mankind is living life in this world. But you, who have faith, should not be living that way. Your goal, your finish line, should be very clear. You cannot enforce the victory unless you know the goal. And that is the title of Life Lesson No. 6 in My series of teachings on how to enforce the victory I have already given you in Christ Jesus over sin, death, the curse, the devil, and the world system. “Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:1-2. And the title of today’s Life Lesson is simply “Know the Goal.”
You have different gifts, but the same Spirit, you have different ministries but the same LORD who is in all and overall, but you all have ONE finish line you are running for with diligence, one goal you are pressing towards for yourself and to draw others into that course with you. “I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:14.
What is the goal? One word says it all. Salvation. “God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” 1 Timothy 2:3-4. When I told Joseph the Name of the child to be born I told the goal and the purpose in that Name: “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus (Yeshuah), for He Himself will save His people from their sins.” Matthew 1:20-21. The Name I gave My Son in Hebrew is Yeshuah which means “salvation.” He Himself is salvation in every situation. He is the answer to everything, and I have summed up all things in Him and I have reconciled all to Me in Him. His Name shall be called Wonderful and Salvation is the most wonderful gift given. Salvation is eternal life starting now.
“He is the stone which was rejected by the builders but which became the chief cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:11-12. His Name contains the goal of your life. “With length of days I will satisfy you and show you My Salvation (Yeshuah).” Psalm 91:16. I sent Him to seek out and save the lost. And that was everyone. “All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; but the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him.” Isaiah 53:6. And again, “and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed. For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls.” 1 Peter 2:24-25.
Once you take Jesus as your Lord, you have a Shepherd who will lead you to the finish line. “For I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.” John 14:2-3. And where is He? He is seated at My right hand with Me on My throne, for He overcame and sat down with Me on My throne. Revelation 3:21. And that is where He leads you with confidence and joyful singing, and just as He led the captives out of Egypt laden with silver and gold and not a feeble one among them, so he does with you! “This is the gate of the LORD (remember, Jesus is the gate, the door for the sheep); the righteous will enter through it (He took your sins and gave you His righteousness, in Him, I made you righteous with My own righteousness). I shall give thanks to You, for You have answered me, and You have become my salvation. The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief corner stone. This is the LORD’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes. This is the day which the LORD has made (now is the acceptable time, now is the day of salvation); let us rejoice and be glad in it. O LORD, grant salvation! O LORD, grant prosperity! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the LORD! We have blessed you from the house of the LORD. The LORD is God, and He has given us light.” Psalm 118:21-27.
Adam and Eve lost eternal life and even then I spoke My intention. Salvation. And the seed of the woman would crush the devil’s head and set you free. From the time you turned away from Me and went your own way, My work has been to get you back to Me. And the way I did it was Yeshuah (Jesus) Salvation. Do you see now why when the crowd asked Jesus, “What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God?” He answered, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.” John 6:28-29. For I so loved the world I gave My only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For I did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. John 3:16-17.
I am at work till now and My Son is at work as well. And what is our work? Salvation in every area of your life. Jesus came to undo the works of the devil.
Now consider My Words to each of you who did not see Jesus as the twelve disciples did but know of Him by their words and My Spirit in you and on you, as written for you by My apostle Peter inspired by My Spirit: “And though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, obtaining as the outcome (télos, which means the consummation (the end-goal, purpose), such as closure with all its results) of your faith the salvation of your souls.” 1 Peter 1:8-9. And here you see My goal for all mankind which is the consummation of your faith: your salvation. In the Old Testament, which was written in Hebrew, that word is Yeshuah which you will see translated as salvation, prosperity , deliverance, welfare, victory, and help. In the New Testament, which was written in Greek, the word is Soteria (the noun) and the verb is sozo, which you will see translated as welfare, prosperity, deliverance, preservation, salvation, safety, and healing. So the goal of your salvation is far reaching into every area of your life. It all has to do with being rescued from the realm of darkness and translated to the kingdom of My beloved Son. From darkness to light, from the curse to the Blessing, from slavery to sin and death to the freedom of the children of Light, from sickness to health, from lack to abundance, from sorrow to joy, from fear to confident faith, and from defeat to victory. You have been saved by Jesus; it is time you enforced your victory.
Run your life with your eye on the goal, the finish line is salvation of spirit, soul, and body made complete in Christ Jesus your Lord. I have justified you, made you righteous and glorified you in Jesus. Do not neglect so great a salvation. “And though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, obtaining as the outcome (télos, which means the consummation (the end-goal, purpose), such as closure with all its results) of your faith the salvation of your souls.” 1 Peter 1:8-9. Are you rejoicing and running with joy? Or are you still grumbling in the dark, groping around, falling daily, and cursing the things and people you should be blessing with so great a salvation. As I sent Jesus, so He sends you. And what did I anoint Him to do? To preach the good news of salvation. And when people heard, they were healed. Luke 5:15; Luke 6:18.
The night He was betrayed and delivered over to save you from sin and death, He prayed that I would sanctify you in the truth, saying, “Your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. For their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth. I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me. The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me. Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father, although the world has not known You, yet I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me; and I have made Your name known to them, and will make it known, so that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.” John 17:17-26. Salvation leads to unification with Me and My Son—a life filled with My glory. And that is your high calling in Christ, “so that you would walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.” 1 Thessalonians 2:12.
I desire all people to be saved and come to know the truth so they too can be drawn into My Kingdom and glory. Keep your eye on the goal so you can keep on track and finish your race, “Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:12-14. Those running a race, even a marathon, do not take detours along the way. They are focused on the finish line and take the path set out to get there. I have prepared a life of good deeds for you in advance in Christ Jesus so that you might walk (and run) in them. “Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth does not become weary or tired. His understanding is inscrutable. He gives strength to the weary, and to him who lacks might He increases power. Though youths grow weary and tired, and vigorous young men stumble badly, yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary.” Isaiah 40:28-31.
I love you. Know the goal and set your sights on it and you will enforce the victory. And when the time comes to depart from this life you will be able to say with Paul, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.” 2 Timothy 4:7-8.