2. “Focus on the Prize”
1 Corinthians 9:24-27 (NLT)
(24) Don’t you realize that in a race
everyone runs, but only one person
gets the prize? So run to win!
(25) All athletes are disciplined in their
training.They do it to win a prize that
will fade away, but we do it for an
eternal prize.
(26) So I run with purpose in every step. I
am not just shadowboxing.
3. 3
(27) I discipline my body like an athlete,
training it to do what it should.
Otherwise, I fear that after preaching
to others I myself might be disqualified.
-----------------------------------------
Obstacles are those frightful things you
see when you take your eyes off your goal.
-Hannah More
“Focus on the Prize”
1 Corinthians 9:24-27 (NLT)
4. 4
As we have spent the last several weeks
concentrating on how churches and leaders
can get IT and keep IT; one of the areas that
has caught my attention is center on
FOCUS. Many of us understand what it
means to be focused on a goal. Many of us
also understand that we have lost our focus,
and thus find ourselves looking for that goal
that we long ago sort, but never achieved
simply because we allowed other things to
block our focus.
“Focus on the Prize”
1 Corinthians 9:24-27 (NLT)
5. 5
In 1Corinthians, Paul finds himself dealing
with the problems of people who had so
much promise, potential, and prospect for
success but somehow failed to attain the
goals that they had set for themselves. We
witness this calamity on an almost daily
basis in the life of people who started out in
life with all of the intellectual competencies,
physical capabilities and personalities that
clearly
“Focus on the Prize”
1 Corinthians 9:24-27 (NLT)
6. 6
suggested that they would ultimately
achieve every goal. However,
somewhere along the way they lost their
focus. They could no longer see the goal
clearly. They even stopped looking for it
because their lives had changed in such
ways that they didn’t care about the
goals that would have given them
measures of success.
“Focus on the Prize”
1 Corinthians 9:24-27 (NLT)
7. 7
Some were captured by the appeal of drugs,
alcohol, and other deleterious and
debilitating habits that destroyed their
outlook for positive outcomes. So, they
settled for less - never achieving the goals
that they anticipated in the days of their
youth, or the early years of life when they
got degrees which would prove and show to
the world their greatness.
“Focus on the Prize”
1 Corinthians 9:24-27 (NLT)
8. 8
They are now loitering and feeling sorry for
themselves because others with less talent
and abilities who did not have the same
opportunities they had are surpassing them.
During the last few weeks as I watched
some of the playoff games that will
ultimately lead to one team fulfilling its goal
and earning a championship, I realized that
the difference between a losing team and a
winning team has much to do with their
determination to achieve their goal.
“Focus on the Prize”
1 Corinthians 9:24-27 (NLT)
9. 9
When you have goals and you focus on
those goals, Paul’s letter helps you to
understand that we cannot allow ourselves
to be stopped by whatever hindrances,
struggles, or impediments might get in our
way. I watched as two teams battle in the
very last seconds of the game, to put more
points on the board by crossing the goal
line, and scoring the necessary points for
victory.
“Focus on the Prize”
1 Corinthians 9:24-27 (NLT)
10. 10
They battled back and forth in those last
seconds with each team scoring a
touchdown. In the end, San Francisco
put the last points on the board because
New Orleans lost its focus and left a
player open who managed to get across
the goal line.
“Focus on the Prize”
1 Corinthians 9:24-27 (NLT)
11. 11
Paul in 1Corinthians tries to help the people
who are a part of an emerging church in
Corinth to understand that they would have
struggles and will face many problems; but,
if they stay focused on the goal they would
not only be able to overcome their
struggles, but also be able to share in the
joy of the victories that they could celebrate
by virtue of the souls that were saved.
“Focus on the Prize”
1 Corinthians 9:24-27 (NLT)
12. 12
I believe that victory is always possible
when we know what the goal is and
how best to get there. Paul gives us
three necessary requirements for
reaching our goals:
Discerning the purpose
We must know why we are running for
the goal. In the text, he says that we
run because we have a purpose.
“Focus on the Prize”
1 Corinthians 9:24-27 (NLT)
13. 13
The purpose is to win the prize, but we
are not always certain that just because
we enter the race we will automatically
win the prize.
Paul puts it this way:
“(24) Don’t you realize that in a race
everyone runs, but only one person gets
the prize? So run to win!”
“Focus on the Prize”
1 Corinthians 9:24-27 (NLT)
14. 14
Winning the race requires purpose, focus,
and discipline. Paul uses this illustration to
help us as Christians to understand that the
Christian life requires self-denial and
grueling preparation. Too many of us never
reach the goal because we refuse to give up
the things that are hindering our ability to
be focused on the ultimate prize. It takes as
much effort to lose as it does to win.
“Focus on the Prize”
1 Corinthians 9:24-27 (NLT)
15. 15
As Christians we sometimes find our focus
through our relationship with Jesus Christ.
We wanted a better life, and we changed
our focus from living a life of sin to one of
living for the saving power and grace of
God. But, somewhere along the way, the
devil stepped in and clouded our focus,
causing us to no longer be able to see the
goal. So, we backslid and lost our
opportunity to win the prize.
“Focus on the Prize”
1 Corinthians 9:24-27 (NLT)
16. 16
We must be as equipped and vigorous as
an athlete, when he or she makes a
decision to pursue a goal and win a prize.
In our faith community that prize is the
meaningful salvation that transforms
our lives. It moves us from allowing the
dark clouds to block us from the success
that God has made available to us.
“Focus on the Prize”
1 Corinthians 9:24-27 (NLT)
17. 17
What is your goal? Are you ready to
move from your state of brokenness,
fear, constantly losing, and watching
other people always bypass you and get
the very prize that you sought?
2. The Plan
To live a life that is focused on the goal
and the pursuit of excellence. You must
have a plan.
“Focus on the Prize”
1 Corinthians 9:24-27 (NLT)
18. 18
Just as you plan for a wedding, a party, or
any other event, you must also have a
focused plan for your life. Goals do not
come to you, you have to chase after them.
In your chase, you must not be merely
running as if there is nothing to accomplish,
you must run with the belief that you have
within you the ability to bring about a
conclusion and that is success.
“Focus on the Prize”
1 Corinthians 9:24-27 (NLT)
19. 19
It is interesting how we plan for things in our
lives. We will do everything possible to
make sure that we accomplish the goal that
we set out to do. No matter how much it
cost, the amount of money it takes, or how
many hours it requires; if our minds are
made up to do it, we just do it.
Paul says it this way: “(25) All athletes are
disciplined in their training.
“Focus on the Prize”
1 Corinthians 9:24-27 (NLT)
20. 20
They do it to win a prize that will fade
away, but we do it for an eternal prize.
(26) So I run with purpose in every step. I am
not just shadowboxing.”
Sometimes we have to give up something
good in order to do what God wants us to
do. If we know that this is our God-given
goal, then our focus must be on the
ultimate prize that only Jesus can give us.
“Focus on the Prize”
1 Corinthians 9:24-27 (NLT)
21. 21
In order to get it we must have a sharp
and clear vision for what God wants for
us as we prepare for our victories. We
must have a narrowly defined focus
where the images we see of the ultimate
goal becomes so much a part of our
mindset and our belief system that we
believe nothing can stop us from having
one victory after another.
“Focus on the Prize”
1 Corinthians 9:24-27 (NLT)
22. 22
If we stay focused we will come to the
realization that God has so much that is
beneficial to us that if we continue to allow
ourselves to walk in favor with Him we will
ultimately cross the goal line and win the
prize.
3. Winning the Prize
When we have remained focused,
understood our purpose, and kept our
visions on the prize we are ready to show
the world that we have IT.
“Focus on the Prize”
1 Corinthians 9:24-27 (NLT)
23. 23
And because we have IT we don’t give up in
the face of our struggles, we persevere in
spite of our challenges; and, we do not allow
ourselves to quit when Satan attacks.
We have the promise and we have the prize.
With the will of God we dare to proclaim
that we are the IT because we have IT. The
greatness of God has emboldened in us to
the degree that we are not fearful of Satan
or anybody else.
“Focus on the Prize”
1 Corinthians 9:24-27 (NLT)
24. 24
Our mind is on the victories that we have
won because we stay focused on the goal.
We don’t know who will win the Super Bowl,
but one thing we do know is that through
Christ who has given us the victory, we have
already crossed the goal line and we are
winners. We have the prize because there is
no prize that is greater than the joy of the
Lord that is embodied in us.
“Focus on the Prize”
1 Corinthians 9:24-27 (NLT)
25. 25
The prize may not be visible to others,
but we know through the power of God
we have fulfilled the promise. We have
declared to the world that:
A charge to keep I have,
A God to Glorify,
A never dying soul to save,
And fit it for the sky.
“Focus on the Prize”
1 Corinthians 9:24-27 (NLT)
