In part one, we talked about a renewed spirit, rhythm, and alignment. We saw that renewal begins when the Holy Spirit restores God’s rhythm in us, so our identity and steps realign with his purpose.

That matters because if the inside is out of rhythm, the outside will never stay steady for long. In other words, you can look fine on the surface and still be out of sync in your spirit. So part one gave us the foundation. It showed us where renewal starts, but here is what happens next.

Once God starts restoring rhythm in you, you have to decide what you are going to do with it, because renewal is not just something you feel; it is something you follow.

So, the next question is not whether God touched me. The next question is where I am going now and how I move forward the right way.

In other words, once your spirit is realigned, how do you move forward without losing focus?

That question matters because many people are spiritually alive yet directionally scattered. They love God, pray, worship, and believe the word, but they are pulled in too many directions at once. Their energy is divided, their attention is fragmented, their calendar is full, and their purpose is stretched thin.

And so, they are busy but not fulfilled, active but not aligned, moving but not advancing. And when that happens, it is usually not because someone lacks faith. It is because their purpose has not been clarified. Their spirit is stirring, their consciousness is waking, but their direction is still unclear. The inside has rhythm again, but the steps are still scattered, and that is where renewed purpose comes in.

If we’re honest, every one of us needs renewal at different points in life. We renew our driver’s license. We renew a passport if we want to travel. Sometimes you find couples renewing their marriage vows.

You see, renewal means fresh life. It means something is restored to working order. It means what was drifting is brought back into alignment. And that’s important because life has a way of making us drift.

You can reach a place where it feels like life is happening to you rather than you living it. In other words, you are just going through the motions. You get up, go to work, come home, repeat the routine, and somewhere along the way, meaning starts to fade. It’s not always loud; sometimes it’s subtle. You are still functioning, still smiling, still showing up, but inside you know something is missing.

And for many people, what is missing is not activity; it is purpose.

And so, when we talk about renewed purpose, it is not about discovering something brand-new, as if God had no plan before. It is about clarifying what matters most right now. It is about narrowing your focus so your movement has meaning. It is God taking scattered energy and giving it direction. It is God helping you move forward without being pulled apart.

Because you can be doing a lot and still feel empty. You can stay busy and still run low. You can keep moving and still feel like you are stuck in the same place. That’s what happens when purpose gets blurred. The same routine starts draining you. The same grind feels heavier. The same cycle starts to feel like a treadmill, and you are running hard, but you are not arriving anywhere.

And there are seasons that expose that even more. Seasons that shake you, stretch you, and strip things down until you realize how tired you are of living without clarity. Seasons that reveal you don’t just need a break; you need direction, you need God to restore focus.

When you feel like you’re out of steam, low on energy, and low on meaning, there is only one source that can truly renew you. You have to go back to the God who gives life and assigns purpose. Because purpose is not something you manufacture; it is something you receive. And when God renews your purpose, he recalibrates your timing, direction, and urgency.

That’s exactly what we see in the text before us today. The apostle Paul says,

“But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13–14).

When Paul writes these words, the Holy Spirit gives us something powerful, and if we read too quickly, we will miss it. Paul does not give us a long list; he does not say, “Here are the 10 things I am struggling with.” He doesn’t describe a life pulled in multiple directions. He simply says, “One thing I do.” That is a man with clarity, a man with focus, a man who has allowed the Holy Spirit to renew his purpose.

You see, a renewed purpose simplifies, cuts through the noise, and narrows your focus, so your movement actually means something. It brings your life back into alignment with what God is asking of you right now.

Paul understood something many of us struggle with. Purpose is not found in doing everything; it is found in doing the right thing with your full attention. Purpose requires focus, not frenzy. It requires direction, not distraction. It requires clarity, not constant comparison.

And that matters because so many of us live pressured lives rather than purposeful ones. We feel pulled in too many directions because we say yes too quickly and carry expectations God never assigned to us. Over time, what God intended as a blessing starts to feel overwhelming.

However, a renewed purpose does not add more to your life. It removes what no longer belongs, so that what remains can move forward with strength.

Notice what Paul does not say. He does not say he erased his past. He does not say he pretends it never happened. He says,

“Forgetting what is behind” (Philippians 3:13).

in the sense that it no longer controls his direction. His past no longer sets his pace. His mistakes do not dictate his future. His successes do not anchor him in a season God has already moved beyond. Paul refuses to look backward while trying to move forward. In fact, Jesus said,

“No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:62).

That is critical because purpose requires forward clarity. You cannot move with confidence if you are always looking over your shoulder. You cannot press ahead if you are always measuring yourself against who you used to be. Renew purpose breaks the grip of the past, not by denial but by focus.

Then Paul says, he is “straining toward what is ahead” (Philippians 3:13).

That word straining doesn’t mean panic or desperation; it means intentional effort. In other words, he is talking about focused exertion, energy applied in the right direction, because a renewed purpose is not passive or chaotic; it is a disciplined movement toward a clear aim.

And then, Paul says, “I press on toward the goal” (Philippians 3:14).

That tells us something else about purpose. Purpose requires persistence. You do not drift into purpose, stumbling into it by accident, but you press on toward it. But pressing only works when you know what you are pressing toward. Otherwise, effort results in exhaustion.

And so, renewed purpose clarifies the goal, gives definition to your forward momentum, and answers the question every believer must face at some point: “What am I giving my life to in this season?” Not forever, not 10 years from now, not someday, but right now. In this moment. In this chapter. In this assignment God has placed in front of me.

And this is exactly where so many people get stuck. They know God has a purpose for their lives, but they have never allowed that purpose to be refined for the season they are in. They are still carrying old expectations from a previous season, still measuring progress by goals that belong to another time in their lives. They are still pressing toward something God has already completed, and because of that, they feel frustrated, confused, or worn out because they have not updated their purpose for the season they are walking through right now.

A renewed purpose gives you permission to let go of what is behind so you can give full attention to what is ahead. It allows you to stop running in circles and start moving with intention. It brings your focus back to the center, your heart back into alignment, and your steps back into rhythm with what God is doing today.

Once focus is restored, forward momentum becomes possible again. When purpose is renewed, clarity, strength, and direction return, and you begin to move, not out of pressure but out of purpose. Not out of confusion but out of conviction. Not out of exhaustion but out of alignment with the Holy Spirit.

Let’s keep moving, because that was just my introduction. Let’s connect this back to where we started the series.

In part one, we talked about a divine rhythm, being in step with or aligned with God. We talked about how renewal begins when the Holy Spirit restores God’s rhythm in us. That matters here because purpose does not replace rhythm. Purpose does not override rhythm; it depends on rhythm. When rhythm is restored, purpose becomes clear. When rhythm is restored, direction becomes firm and steadfast, and your steps begin to match the pace of the Holy Spirit.

This is where many people misunderstand God’s will for their lives, because God’s purpose is not discovered in a panic. It is discovered when your heart, your mind, and your steps fall back into alignment with the Spirit of God.

But many people confuse urgency with obedience because they feel pressure and move. They feel behind and rush. They look around and see others advancing, so they compare themselves to them. Without even realizing it, they begin moving out of anxiety rather than faith. They start reacting instead of responding. They start striving instead of trusting.

However, responding to pressure, or reacting to it, is not purpose. And so, movement does not always mean progress, because you can be gifted, called, sincere, and passionate and still be out of rhythm with God. In other words, you can be doing good things and still be misaligned. When that happens, purpose begins to feel burdensome. You’re moving, but you’re tired. You’re serving, but you’re strained. You’re doing everything you know to do, but you’re not fulfilled because something still feels off.

That is usually a sign that rhythm has been replaced by pressure, because purpose moves at God’s pace, not ours. Purpose flows from alignment, not anxiety. Purpose grows in stillness before it shows up in movement.

The Scripture reminds us of this truth:

“The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him” (Psalm 37:23).

In other words, it is God who sets the direction and makes your steps firm. He doesn’t push you with pressure, drive you with fear, or rush you with comparison. He makes your steps firm so you can walk with confidence in him.

And so, a renewed purpose is God stabilizing your walk and bringing clarity to your direction, so that every step carries weight, meaning, and intention. You stop chasing everything and start walking faithfully. You stop measuring progress by speed and start measuring it by obedience. You stop living under pressure and start living in His presence. And that is where renewed purpose begins to feel life-giving again.

Another reason the purpose needs renewal is that seasons change us. How many of you know that what felt right at 20 may not be appropriate at 40? What energized you in one season may exhaust you in another. What once stretched you in a healthy way may now weigh you down. And that doesn’t mean you missed God. It often means God has matured you, grown you, and shaped you into someone who needs a different pace, a different focus, or a different assignment than before.

Your growth changes your perspective, experience reshapes your priorities, and responsibility deepens your discernment. If we are not careful, we can start condemning ourselves for changing when God is actually the one doing the refining. And so, we can mistake maturity for failure and development for disappointment, when God often uses seasons to adjust us, changing the tempo or the direction.

Ecclesiastes gives us biblical guidance for this saying:

“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven” (Ecclesiastes 3:1).

That passage tells us that God builds timing into purpose, that purpose is not static or frozen, but moves with the seasons. In other words, knowing when to do something is just as important as knowing what to do.

“There is a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build” (Ecclesiastes 3:2-3).

And so, God ties purpose to timing, and timing shifts as seasons shift.

Some people carry unnecessary guilt because their season has shifted. They say things like, “I thought this was my calling. I thought this was where I would always be. I thought this is what my life would look like by now.” Instead of seeing growth, they see failure. Instead of seeing God’s hand, they see their own shortcomings, because growth often feels like redirection. The Scripture says,

“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven” (Ecclesiastes 3:1).

And so, growth often looks like God closing one chapter so he can open another. It often looks like God adjusting your assignment so you can carry more, not less.

A renewed purpose gives you permission to stop judging yourself for making changes. That’s important because adjustment is not disobedience; it’s often evidence that God is refining your focus so you can carry greater responsibility without burning out or drifting away from what matters most. You see, there is…

“A time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away” (Ecclesiastes 3:5-6).

And God is not confused by your season or disappointed by your growth, but he is shaping your purpose to fit who you are becoming. In other words, he is aligning your calling with your maturity, your assignment with your growth, and not with who you used to be.

And so, when you allow your purpose to be renewed, your focus becomes clearer, and you stop forcing what no longer fits. You stop clinging to what God used to do and what he’s already completed, and you begin to walk in the grace that belongs to the season you are in right now.

You see, not everything deserves the same level of attention. Not every opportunity is your assignment. Not every open door is yours to walk through. In fact, some doors are opened to distract you rather than advance you. Some doors are opened to keep you busy, drain you, and sap your strength, rather than develop you.

But a renewed purpose gives you discernment. It helps you recognize what is important and what is merely making you busy. It helps you see the difference between something that is calling you and something that is simply pulling at you.

Discernment is important because one of the greatest threats to purpose is not opposition; it is busyness, mental and physical overload. You see, most people are not defeated by the enemy; they are overwhelmed by too many yeses, worn down by too many directions, and stretched thin by too many demands. When everything feels urgent, nothing becomes meaningful.

Paul gives us insight into this when he says, “But one thing I do” (Philippians 3:13).

That simple statement tells us that something was intentionally set aside, even though Paul had many opportunities, responsibilities, and demands on his life. But renewed purpose forced a decision, and he chose focus over fragmentation. He chose direction over distraction. He chose clarity over chaos.

And a renewed purpose will always require you to let go of something, because you cannot carry old expectations into a new assignment. You cannot carry old comparisons into a new season. You cannot carry old measures of success into a future God is redefining. And so a renewed purpose sharpens urgency and helps us see what is truly important.

That makes all the difference in the world because when purpose is unclear, everything feels urgent. Every request feels heavy; every delay feels threatening; every need feels personal, as if it belongs to you. But when purpose is renewed, urgency becomes focused, and you recognize what deserves your energy and what does not. You stop reacting to every voice, noise, or notification and start responding to your calling. You stop being pulled by pressure and start being led by purpose.

Instead of asking, “What should I be doing?” renewed purpose poses a better question: “What should I be pressing toward?” In other words, what is the “one thing” God is putting in front of me right now?

That simple shift in perspective changes everything: focus replaces distraction, clarity replaces noise, and intentional movement replaces scattered efforts. When urgency is refined this way, purpose stops feeling frantic and starts feeling steady again. You begin to move with confidence, walk with direction, and live with a sense of holy urgency rooted in calling, not chaos.

Paul is very clear about this; purpose requires letting go of certain things. In verse 13, he said,

“Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on” (Philippians 3:13).

That is so important because you cannot move forward while constantly rehearsing what is behind you. Forward movement requires forward focus, but if your mind is anchored in yesterday, your feet will struggle to move today. Your purpose is hindered when the past keeps calling, distracting, and demanding your attention. And so, you cannot walk into what God has prepared for you if you are still holding on to what God has already brought you through.

I’m not just talking about failures, even though that’s where many people get stuck, because regret has a way of replaying old memories. It reminds you of what you should have done differently, what you wish you could undo, and what still feels unresolved. But purpose cannot grow in a heart trapped by remorse. You cannot build tomorrow while beating yourself up over yesterday.

Forgetting what is behind is not just about failures or regrets; it also includes former successes, because yesterday’s victories can quietly become today’s limitations if you cling to them too tightly. In other words, what God did then was real and powerful, but it may not be what he is doing right now in 2026. When we insist on reliving the old days and the old victories, we risk missing our present assignments. We risk staying in a season God has already moved us beyond.

And so, renewed purpose requires focus, and focus requires letting go. You release some things because they hurt you, remind you of past pain, disappointment, or betrayal, and holding onto them keeps reopening wounds that God wants to heal.

Some things you must release because they no longer fit. They served a purpose at one time, but they do not align with who you are becoming in Christ.

And then some things you release because God is calling you higher. Not because they are wrong, but because they are no longer sufficient for where he is taking you.

As important as all of that is, letting go is rarely easy because the past feels familiar even when it is heavy. But God never asks you to let go of something without already preparing what comes next. He never calls you to let go without having something greater ahead of you.

In other words, forgetting what is behind is not a loss when it is guided by the Holy Spirit. It is divine alignment, a renewed purpose. Not that you failed, not that you gave up, but that you trust God enough to move forward without dragging yesterday into tomorrow.

And when you finally let go of what is behind, something powerful happens. Suddenly, your hands are free, your vision clears, and you are able to strain toward what is ahead. You press on and discover that pressing forward is no longer exhausting, because you are no longer carrying what God never intended you to take into the next season.

Graphics, notes, and commentary from LifeChurch, Ministry Pass, PC Study Bible, Preaching Library, and Sermon Central. Scripture from the New International Version unless otherwise noted.