Hey Champs!

Today, we are going to talk about laying hold and letting go.  

Last week we talked about how the Apostle Paul was such a champion because he was able to press on even though he did not achieve his goal. Philippians 3:12 states,

“Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid of me.”

In other words, Paul did not reach his goal, nor was he perfect in it, BUT he pressed on. Praise God! We all need to have the same mentality of Paul: press on!  This is a champion attitude!

Now, let’s talk about the rest of this verse: “That I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid of me.” Jesus has already laid hold of many things for you during the resurrection of Christ. He laid hold of salvation. He laid hold of healing. He laid hold of grace and mercy. He laid hold of forgiveness; and he laid hold of peace, joy, and prosperity. These are all completed works by Jesus. They are just part of His promise when you accept Him as your savior. But, Paul had a part to play. He had to lay hold of what Jesus had already laid hold of! Just as Paul had a part to play, so do we as we continue to reach for our goals in God in 2019. We have to lay hold of what Christ already laid hold of for us.

In Philippians 3:13 Paul continues, “Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead.” In other words, I let go of those things behind me and reach forward to those things ahead of me. For us to lay hold of the promises, sometimes that means we have to let go of the past. I love Philippians 3:12-13 because that is exactly what Paul is saying. I am not perfect, I did not reach my goal but hey, guess what, I am letting go of that and moving forward.  In moving forward, I am laying hold of everything Christ has laid hold of for me!

I am pressing towards peace, joy, health and prosperity in my life. I am pressing forward in reaching my goals that I have set in bringing me closer to God. Even though my thoughts say, “you had those same goals last year and didn’t achieve it, what makes you think you will this year?” My answer is, “I am forgetting the things of the past and reaching forward! I press forward in what God wants for my life.”

Weight loss goals, I press forward. Getting closer to God, I press forward! Starting a new job, I press forward! Having better relationships with friends, I press forward! Whatever it may be, press forward! Forget the past and lay hold of my future.

-Coach Brim

Hey Champion Partners and Friends!

Can you believe that 2019 has begun? I am so excited for what God has in store for the Body of Christ heading into this new year. By the world’s standards, a new year is always a good time to start over. This time of year, we see so many people making new year’s resolution and trying their best to keep those resolutions. But, for us to move forward with our “new year, new me” campaign, we have to let go of the past. We have to let go of all the things in 2018 that slowed us down from completing our goals. Champions do not focus on past losses, they focus on new game plans to overcome. We will meet all kinds of situations while navigating through 2019, just as we did in 2018, but our outlook must be one of pressing on.

Paul stated in Philippians 3:12 (NLT), “Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on [a]so that I may lay hold of that [b]for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.” 

This is such an encouraging scripture because even Paul, the man who wrote most of the New Testament, says “not that I have obtained it!” Paul stated here that whatever goal Paul had set, he has not obtained it yet. Then he goes on to say, “or have already become perfect.” In other words, he hasn’t obtained the goal nor is he perfect in that goal. This is the apostle Paul! He is saying, “I’m not there yet.”  Wow! How many of you have felt like Paul at the end of one year going into the next year? You may have had lots of things on your vision card, or you may have posted on social media all your new year’s resolution. Maybe you look back at the end of the year and say, just like Paul, “Not that I have obtained that!” We all go through that in one area of our life or another. But! Look what Paul continues with: BUT I PRESS ON!! This is what made Paul successful in God - he pressed on! I may not have completed that goal but I keep pressing forward in that goal. Don’t get discouraged. Press on! Paul did not get discouraged, he pressed on. If he can do it, so can you.

This attitude that Paul had is what made him a champion: pressing on. I encourage you, whatever may come your way in 2019, press on!  Focus on the goal God has set before you, and BELIEVE that 2019 will be a prosperous year as you press on in the things of God.

-Coach Brim

Hello Partners and Friends,

Today I want to begin sharing with you something that I have been studying in the word of God. I believe this will help you continue to go forth in being the Champion that God has called you to be!

In Colossians 2:6-7, the Word tells us, “as you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.”

You know, there are times on the practice field that ball teams have to break down plays and go over each part of that play, step by step, to make that play successful on the field. We are going to break this verse down, step by step, so that we can run a successful play in God.

Let’s start with the fact that the first thing this scripture mentions is that we have received Christ! The day you accepted Jesus as your savior, you received a gift! In receiving this gift, you were placed into a new family with a new name, a new bloodline, and a new life! You became a new creature in Christ Jesus! You now have the ability to live forever in Heaven with Him - the ability to walk on this earth, with His power and His authority, His voice and His leading through the Holy Spirit! These are all part of the gift you received when you “received Christ Jesus the Lord.” It’s like unwrapping a giant gift: the more you dig into the box, the more you find out what else is in that box.  

When our daughter, Taylor, was a little girl, one year she really liked princess stuff. That was all she wanted for Christmas, so we decided to wrap a present with lots of little things in one big box. We found a couple of dolls, a pillow of a princess, a princess tea set, coloring books, matching crayons and the list goes on of all the stuff we found and added to this box! So, when we were finished, the box was full of lots of little presents wrapped in one big box. When you “received Christ Jesus the Lord” you received a big box full of gifts! It’s full of blessings and promises from Him!

Paul continues you to say you received the Lord. Now, let’s take that a step further. Jesus is your Lord and Savior, and when you receive Him, He should become your Lord. What does it mean when Jesus is your Lord? It means that you give Him full access to your life. We want His will and purpose for our lives. We endeavor to hear His voice on anything we do. So, Partners, let’s make a concentrated effort this week to keep Jesus in the position of our Lord.

Join us next time on the practice field as we continue to break down the rest of this play. Let’s continue down the field of life to becoming the Champions God created us to be. We pray blessings over our partners and friends!

-Coach Brim