THE LORD REQUIRES EVERY CHRISTIAN TO CONTINUE OUR HEAVENLY QUEST: 

As the Apostle Paul stated in his letter to the church at Phillipi:

I PRESS ON TOWARD THE GOAL

PHI 3:12 Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect; but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.
13 Brethren, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but one thing I do, forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead,
14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
15 Let those of us who are mature be thus minded;

Paul requires the mature to have in mind what lies ahead while pressing forward!
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The writer of the letter to the Hebrews admonished: 

LET US RUN WITH PERSEVERENCE THE RACE THAT IS SET BEFORE US 

HEB 12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.
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Christ told the Apostle John while on the Isle of Patmos to encourage the church in Smyrna to: 

BE FAITHFUL UNTO DEATH 

REV 2:8 "And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: 'The words of the first and the last, who died and came to life.
9 "'I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich) and the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.
10 Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.
11 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who conquers shall not be hurt by the second death.'
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James, the brother of Jesus, reminded us in his letter: 

WE COUNT THEM HAPPY WHICH ENDURE 

JAM 5:10 Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience.
11 Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.
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The Apostle Paul in his letter told the Romans to: 

CONTINUE IN HIS KINDNESS 

ROM 11:22 Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God's kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness; otherwise you too will be cut off.

God's kindness to us is PROVISIONAL! Take heed not to fall!
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The Hebrew writer further instructed them to: 

HOLD OUR FIRST CONFIDENCE FIRM TO THE END 

HEB 3:13 But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called "today," that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.
14 For we share in Christ, if only we hold our first confidence firm to the end,
15 while it is said, "Today, when you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion."
16 Who were they that heard and yet were rebellious? Was it not all those who left Egypt under the leadership of Moses?
17 And with whom was he provoked forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness?
18 And to whom did he swear that they should never enter his rest, but to those who were disobedient?
19 So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief.
4:1 Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest remains, let us fear lest any of you be judged to have failed to reach it.
2 For good news came to us just as to them; but the message which they heard did not benefit them, because it did not meet with faith in the hearers.

Our response must be to HOLD, FIRM to the END, meeting the good news with FAITH.
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The Apostle Peter advised how Christians should: 

GIVE DILIGENCE TO MAKE YOUR CALLING AND ELECTION SURE 

2PE 1:1 Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ:
2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,
3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.
10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:
11 For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

This is a fine way to ensure our entrance into heaven!
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The Apostle Paul knew from his own many sufferings that for Christians: 

THE SUFFERINGS OF THIS PRESENT TIME ARE NOT WORTH COMPARING WITH THE GLORY THAT IS TO BE REVEALED IN US 

ROM 8:18 I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.
19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God;
20 for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of him who subjected it in hope;
21 because the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and obtain the glorious liberty of the children of God.
22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning in travail together until now;
23 and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.
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For Christians bodily redemption is already going on, as beholding the Lord in faith they: 

ARE BEING CHANGED INTO HIS LIKENESS 

2CO 3:18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being changed into his likeness from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.
4:1 Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart.

We must never take our spiritual eyes away from Jesus!
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Paul instructed the Phillipian church that Jesus: 

WILL CHANGE OUR LOWLY BODY TO BE LIKE HIS GLORIOUS BODY 

PHI 3:20 But our commonwealth is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,
21 who will change our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power which enables him even to subject all things to himself.
4:1 Therefore, my brethren, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved.
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John, the beloved Apostle comforted Christians with the knowledge that: 

WHEN HE APPEARS WE SHALL BE LIKE HIM 

1JO 3:1 See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him.
2 Beloved, we are God's children now; it does not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.
3 And every one who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.
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Finally, we read the words of Matthew the tax collector in his Gospel, that: 

AT THE CLOSE OF THE AGE THE RIGHTEOUS WILL SHINE LIKE THE SUN 

MAT 13:40 Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the close of the age.
41 The Son of man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all evildoers,
42 and throw them into the furnace of fire; there men will weep and gnash their teeth.
43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.
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All Christians must continue to redeem the time to attain our blessed hope. If you are not yet a Christian, then you do not yet have that blessed hope. And hope does not mean here "to wish for", but rather Christian hope is "THAT WHICH IS EXPECTED".