Paul and the Full Court Press

If you ever watch basketball, especially college basketball, you are probably familiar with the full court press. Its a strategy that starts with tough defense as soon as the opposing team brings the ball in bounds. Most teams don't employ this tactic, they start their defense at the half-court line. A team has to be in great physical condition to put on the full court press. Rick Pitino, the former coach of Providence, UK and current coach of Louisville utilizes it. His '96 UK team used that method for most every game and eventually won the NCAA Tourney that year. It takes a lot of discipline and stamina and effort, but its very effective.

I was thinking of this when I was reading Paul's letter to the Philippians. This letter is one of my favorites, God gives us some great instruction through this letter. In chapter 3 Paul explains that everything that he had gained outside of Christianity is nothing.....and Paul had reason to brag, he was a star in the Jewish religious order. He was very important and would have been looked upon with great respect. But what he really wants is this:

"I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ" - v 9

He wants to know Christ, and for someone that had been faultless in his old ways, he admits something that has always moved me.

"Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. " -v 12

Paul wasn't yet where he wanted to be, but Jesus had taken hold of him and hadn't let go. Jesus takes hold of all of us in one way or another. You can relate to this....I saw where you had been taken hold of after camp. I saw those changed attitudes, because I too have my experiences with that same thing. That feeling you get: urgent, excited, giddy, knowing that you opened yourself up to God just that much more and He did so much in you. He changed you, changed your attitude. He made you think differently and you were ready to give up so many things in your life that were holding you back from Him. There is nothing greater than having Christ grab you in that way. Pure joy.

But all too often, it fades. We get back to our old habits, our old environment where maybe being "on fire" for Christ isn't as popular as it was when we were at camp or on a mission trip. Paul must have experienced this too at times, feeling that desire starting to ebb....just think of his life during his ministry, making treacherous journeys through harsh lands, always facing persecution. Just read Philippians ch 1 and you will know that he was in jail at the time of this writing. I imagine that being in a prison in the 1st century would put out a fire pretty easily....but you will see that Paul doesn't lose the desire that is in him. Why?

Look back at that verse. I press on to take hold. Paul knew that to live in the glory of the fire of Christ, to have the God of all things surging through your spirit, he had to fight for it. He had to be active. He employed a full court press, working with great effort to TAKE HOLD of that which Christ had TAKEN HOLD of him. This requires stamina and discipline. This is the kind of effort that doesn't win championships, it wins lives. It keeps us burning within no matter what is happening on the outside. No one is saying that this is easy, it is a struggle, but we have a God who wants to fill us with His presence and His power so that we can overcome. We are more than conquerors through His strength. This can be done, Paul tells us how, we just need to get on the stick and PRESS ON.