P.A.S.T.

Philippians 3:13-4:1

13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Pursue the knowledge of Jesus. Do not dwell on the past [P.A.S.T. We must overcome the People, Actions, Situations, and Traumas holding us to our past lives outside of Christ]. Instead, fix your eyes on Jesus and stretch towards what is ahead. Make your primary goal Jesus. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you press on toward your reward in Christ.

Staying stuck in the past doesn’t just freeze your growth—it locks you in cycles of addiction, small-thinking, shame, insecurity, and self-deprivation. When your heart clings to yesterday’s mindset, fear tightens its grip, your future options shrink, and you risk missing all that Christ has prepared for you.

When we pursue the knowledge of Jesus, our gaze shifts. We no longer define ourselves by what was but by who He is. Fixing our eyes on Him, we are strengthened by the Spirit to keep stretching toward what lies ahead—freedom, wholeness, and an eternal reward in Christ. Keep stretching forward in faith—step beyond your comfort zone and reach with confidence for the treasures of God revealed in Christ Jesus.

Faith is never meant to be rigid. If we do not expand and stretch in our life with God, we grow stiff—just like an inflexible Achilles tendon. When a sudden change comes and pressure demands a pivot, a stiff tendon tears. But a faith that daily stretches—by fixing its eyes on Jesus, by pressing forward, by leaning into His Spirit—has the flexibility to withstand pressure and keep moving into God’s purposes.

“Stretching your faith” can feel abstract until we break it down into real, lived practices. Think of it like spiritual flexibility training: you’re preparing your soul to bend, pivot, and endure without breaking when life applies pressure either from past, current, or perceived future challenges. Here are some ways it looks in practice:

1. Stretching Through Trust

• Choosing to rely on God in situations where you normally lean on control, fear, or old habits.

• Example: instead of numbing with addiction or distraction, you pause and pray, “Lord, I trust You to meet me here.”

2. Stretching Through Obedience

• Saying yes to God’s leading even when it feels uncomfortable or inconvenient.

• Like Abraham stepping into the unknown, obedience pulls your faith beyond the limits of comfort zones.

3. Stretching Through Renewal of the Mind

• Actively replacing yesterday’s thought patterns with God’s truth (Romans 12:2).

• Example: when shame whispers “you’ll never change,” you stretch by declaring Scripture—“If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

4. Stretching Through Community

• Letting trusted brothers and sisters in Christ speak into your life, correct you, and encourage you.

• Growth happens when you resist isolation and open yourself to accountability and love.

5. Stretching Through Perseverance

• Continuing to pray, worship, and walk faithfully when breakthrough hasn’t yet arrived.

• Like training a muscle, endurance stretches your faith capacity to bear more weight without snapping.

In short: Stretching your faith means letting God move you past what’s safe, stale, or stuck (all your old hurts, habits, and hang-ups) so that when life shifts suddenly, your faith has the strength and flexibility to endure.

Your past may explain you, but it no longer defines you. Jesus does. Your past is like the first few chapters of a book—it explains how the story began. But Jesus, as the Author and Finisher of your faith, has the final word—He defines how the story unfolds. He speaks a better word over your life!

“Fix your eyes on Jesus and the [Past] will grow strangely dim" - hymn -Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus

See the Additional Resource page (9/24/25) for the full song.

Discussion Questions:

1. Past & Identity

   • In what ways has your past explained who you are today, and how has Jesus redefined your identity beyond that?

   • Are there areas of your past—shame, pain, or old habits—that still try to hold you back or define you more than Christ does?

2. Freedom & Future

   • What does freedom in Christ look like for you personally right now?

   • Where do you notice yourself replaying the past, and how has that narrowed your view of the future?

   • Do you believe Christ has more for you than yesterday’s patterns? If so, what step of faith can you take today toward that future goal in Him?

3. Faith & Flexibility

   • Which area of your faith feels most challenging to stretch right now, and why?

   • How do you think “stiff faith” shows up in daily life, and what practices help you keep your faith flexible and focused on Jesus instead of replaying yesterday’s failures?