By Pastor Oluwole Peters

Let us see this according to the account of Philip who gave a thorough understanding to what our focus should be.
Philippians 3:12-14.

vs12: I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved those things or that I have already reached perfection, but I press on to posses that perfection for which Christ first possessed me.

vs13 No, I have not achieved it but I focus on this one thing forgetting the past and looking forward to what is ahead.

vs14 I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God through Jesus Christ is calling us.

We shall by the grace of God consider the term “past” according to the dictionary.
PAST is:

“The time before the moment of speaking or writing. Gone by or elapsed.”

Past – is the time before the present and the thing that have happened”

My contextual meaning of Past is the events,happening, experience that took place in the time before the report.

Former, prior, previous, antecedent, before, anterior, before are synonymous to past.

Future – According to the dictionary. The future is period of time to come. An expectation of advancement and progressive development.
A period following moment time regarded as still to come.
Happening or existing in the future.

My contextual definition of future is a time after the past and present which arrival is inevitable due to the law of time and season.

The book of Isaiah 43:18-19 says:
do not consider the former thing nor consider the thing of old,behold I will do a new thing

Our past is valuable but can limit us especially if we have failures.
Failure in this context should not be misunderstood to not successful but attempt made from trying over time.
If you failed in an attempt you are successful you just learn another way of not doing the task.

Every man or woman you meet on your way to destiny will bring you: either a lesson or a blessing
You learn if the relationship doesn’t work as plan but there is a good thing to note. What did I learn from knowing the person.
the past is where you learn the lesson and the future is where you apply the lesson

Blessing on the other side if your expectations are met. Please don’t close your eye to opportunities because it present itself unattractive

VALUE THE PAST BUT DON’T DWELL IN THE PAST.

Remembering the past can be a new awareness to the present. The memory of the past play a huge role in learning,knowledge and accomplishment.
Let go of unpleasant memories of the past and move on..
we are older than yesterday, we are mate with today but tomorrow is older
We should focus on what is ahead not the past according to Paul the apostle.
we cannot change the past but we can learn from it. The past is there to train,shape and mould us so that we become what God has in plan for us.

if you don’t learn from the past,you will become regretful,bitter and nostalgic about the glory days.

We have read and listen to testimony of great men and women both in the ministry and contemporary world who breaks records,Laurels and score greatly despite their past..

Pastor Adeboye of RCCG never put on shoe until 22 years old

Bill gate was a school drop out

Jim carry used to be homeless

Bethany Hamilton had her arm bitten off by a shark

Thomas Edison failed one thousand times

Oprah Winfrey gave birth at fourteen and still lost the girl

Stephen Kings first novel was thirty times

Don’t let your background put your back to the ground.

Making a mistake is better than faking perfection

When the past becomes the present, you lose the future

DON’T GIVE UP

You have a destiny that spans the galaxies and supersedes the laws of space and time.

Brethren, time is the currency on earth,yesterday is a bounce cheque, tomorrow is a promissory note,today is the only cash you have so spend it wisely.This is the only life you have. You are special spec from the manufacturer,you have not copy so arise,let the past be past and focus on the future.

Do you imagine why the front windscreen is larger the back windscreen, it’s for you to focus on the front not back

We should learn better ways of doing thing so as not become a pool. somebody says what happen to the pool?it stinks because it doesn’t flow.

Like the poem in my secondary school ” I shall not rest until my good is better and my better best. The preparation of yesterday will birth the success of today and the fulfilment of tomorrow’s dream
There was a soap opera in the 80’s tagged “Baba No Regret ” let that be your slogan too.

YOU HAVE À GREAT FUTURE
Jeremiah 29:11
for I know the plan I have for you declare the Lord,plan to prospers you and not to harm you,plan to give you hope and future.
Proverbs 24:16b says
for the righteous man may fall seven times but rise again.

You belong to God so he cannot see His children not fulfilling their dreams.
Read Psalm 27:3,
1 Corinthians 6:19-20.
Always have this in your mind that you are a winner irrespective of your past.
1st John 4:4 says “ye are Gods” and since your father is a winner,you are automatically a winner.

Winner never quits and quitters never win,put the past behind always.
An over comer doesn’t mean someone who wins every battle. In fact, an over comer is he who went from defeat to fight another and another and kept on fighting until he wins.

HOW TO POSITION YOURSELF FOR A GLORIOUS FUTURE

(1) See your future at a glance.
Envision your future at all time,have the picture of your future hang permanently in your mind so that,you will not derail. Joshua 1:8 this book of the Lord shall not depart from you,thou shall meditate in it day and night…..and you shall make way prosperous and have good prosperity.

(2) Acquire all materials that will expose the whole truth of your goal. Buy books and read Proverbs 23:23
buy the truth and sell it not also,wisdom, knowledge and instruction
Download as many materials as possible online,read until you become the person the writer of the book want you to be.

(3) Surround your self with good and time tested and proven instructors, mentors,counselors.
Always ask question from your coach,when you have an opportunity to sit with great men and women who have make impact tailored towards your goal,don’t ask for money, clothing or mobility. Ask for what made them.

I once have an opportunity to meet with the chairman of a conglomerate during one of the training I attended in Lagos. He encouraged everyone to ask questions that most time people tend not to understands what he teaches but, their concentration is on his suit,shoe,shirt etc.

He force people to ask questions and when it got my turn I asked him “what made him who he is today “….Mine was the last question because he started explaining, tutoring until the time given to him was up and he need to get my phone number and we kept talking.

(4) Be a cultivator. A cultivator is a seed bearer who cultivate seed to maturity. Develop a lifestyle that ensure you did not kill the opportunity that comes your way. Defer gratification and be patient

(5) Desist from wrong habit and attitude. Refuse to be fearful,live life happily, speak big,move in the company of achiever.

See you @ the top.

This lecture was first delivered by Pastor Oluwole Peters on the WhatsApp Group of the 3pG School for the Singles on the 28th October 2022.