Finish Your Course

Philippians 2:16 “Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither labored in vain.”

I wonder how many people are saved, sanctified, and filled with the Holy Spirit, yet are running their course in vain. Again, in vain means it is without purpose or meaning. If you built something in vain, it means it was worthless, it didn’t fulfill its purpose, and it will probably need to be torn down. It is like how it will be at the end, when the judgment fire comes, and the fire will lick up the wood, hay, and stubble of our lives, and all that will be left is the gold and silver, which are the things God prepared and told us to do (1 Corinthians 3:12-15).

I don’t want to do anything in vain or without purpose, so what is the cure for not doing things in vain? Holding forth the Word of Life (Philippians 2:16). When the Word of God is first and foremost in your life, it is a light that shines on your path. The Word of God coming out of your mouth is like a sword, and it divides between your soul (what you want to do) and your spirit (what God tells you to do). It divides between the thoughts (what is in your mind, your plans, and purposes for your life) and intents of the heart (God’s thoughts and plans for you).

The Word of God, believed and coming out of your mouth, is the answer for not running your race in vain and making sure that what you build your life on will stand in the time of judgment. Being a doer of God’s Word, both written and spoken to your heart, will ensure that you will be able to rejoice in the day of Christ when you stand before the Lord and hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of the Lord.”

In other words, because you found out what He wanted you to do and did it with all your heart, you were able to finish your course. That is the goal, my friend: to finish our course with joy and tell the Lord that we, just like Him, just like Paul, and just like so many others, have finished our course.