Take Hold (A New Years Charge)

At the start of 2026 the congregation is urged to pursue God with renewed urgency, refusing spiritual stagnation and embracing the daily discipline of growing closer to Christ. Drawing on Philippians 3:7–14, the preacher frames Christian maturity not as a completed status but as an ongoing, intentional press forward: counting past gains and failures as loss compared to knowing Christ, forgetting what lies behind, and straining toward what is ahead. The imagery of a trapeze—releasing the familiar bar to seize the next—captures the fear and faith required to let go of bygone accolades and past sins so momentum toward God’s calling can resume.

The talk insists that conversion is both a past decisive act and an ongoing claim: Christ has taken hold of believers, and they must press on to take hold of what Christ intended for them. This pressing is costly and countercultural; it requires daily surrender, resisting comfort and minimalism, and living under Christ’s lordship rather than merely enjoying His salvation. Maturity involves honest appraisal: no one has fully arrived, and there is “no retirement” from spiritual responsibility—there will always be another prayer, another surrender, another person to disciple.

Practical applications weave through Scripture—Isaiah’s promise of God doing a new thing, Paul’s testimony, and reminders from Romans and Galatians that the old self is dead and freedom demands standing firm. The challenge is vivid and existential: identify what is being clung to—successes that anchor in nostalgia or failures that chain with shame—and release it to pursue the mission God has for each life. The relentless strain toward God is worth the cost because the prize is eternal purpose, witness, and transformation. The closing summons is a prayerful call to count everything as rubbish compared to Christ, to embrace trust over clinging, and to act on God’s leading today—letting go, stretching forward, and living out the calling Christ has placed on every believer’s life.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Let go of the past Holding on to past successes or failures freezes spiritual momentum and blinds the heart to present callings. Releasing former accolades prevents pride; releasing former sins prevents shame from owning today’s identity in Christ. True freedom requires treating the past as a backdrop, not the script for ongoing decisions. [08:22]
• 2. Strain toward what is ahead Spiritual progress is not passive drift but deliberate, costly exertion—Paul calls it a strain. This strain reshapes desires, reallocates time and courage, and reorients attachments toward eternal aims rather than temporary comforts. Expect discomfort; expect growth when faith demands effort. [16:12]
• 3. Make Christ Lord of life Belief without lordship leaves life divided; surrendering lordship submits decision-making, ambitions, and identity to Christ’s reign. This reordering transforms mundane choices into kingdom work and aligns personal purpose with God’s redemptive mission. Living under Christ’s rule produces endurance and clarity in vocation. [21:08]
• 4. Christian growth never retires Spiritual maturity is ongoing—there is always another prayer, another surrender, another soul to shepherd. Viewing the Christian life as perpetual calling combats complacency and stokes continual repentance, learning, and service. Retirement comes only at Christ’s return or call home, not before faithful obedience is complete. [05:35]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [00:38] - Pursuing God in 2026
• [01:06] - A continuous journey of growth
• [01:44] - God is doing a new thing
• [02:51] - Reading Philippians 3:7–14
• [04:26] - Paul’s unfinished maturity
• [07:55] - Letting go of the past
• [16:12] - Straining toward what’s ahead
• [20:20] - Making Christ Lord of life
• [24:54] - Identifying what holds you back
• [26:03] - Closing prayer and charge

1. In verses 7 and 8, what specific words does Paul use to describe his past accomplishments and "gains" when he compares them to knowing Christ?
2. According to verse 12, what is the reason Paul gives for why he continues to "press on"? [06:31]
3. What two specific actions does Paul describe in verse 13 as his strategy for moving toward the goal? [08:22]
4. Based on verse 10, what are the three things Paul says he wants to experience in his relationship with Christ?

1. Paul speaks about "forgetting what is behind" [08:22]. Does this suggest we should ignore our history entirely, or is there a specific way we are meant to view our past successes and failures so they don't stop our momentum?
2. Spiritual progress is described as a "strain" rather than a passive drift [16:12]. Why does the process of becoming more like Christ require such deliberate and sometimes painful effort?
3. Maturity in the faith is framed as an ongoing journey where no one has "fully arrived" [04:26]. If even an apostle like Paul had not yet obtained perfection, what does that tell us about the nature of "spiritual retirement"? [05:35]
4. Christ has already "taken hold" of the believer, yet the believer is told to "press on to take hold" of what Christ intended [06:53]. How do these two truths work together in the life of someone following Jesus?

1. We often hold onto past accolades or "the way things used to be," which can make us stagnant [08:22]. Is there a past success or a "golden era" in your life that you are clinging to, and how might that be keeping you from seeing the "new thing" God wants to do today?
2. Past failures and regrets can act like chains that keep us from moving forward [08:53]. What is one mistake or regret that you need to finally "let go" of so you can grab hold of the next step God has for you? [11:21]
3. Following Christ is a daily challenge to surrender more of ourselves and cling to more of Him [02:28]. In what specific area of your life—your finances, your career, or your private habits—are you finding it most difficult to let Jesus be "Lord" instead of just "Savior"? [21:08]
4. Like a trapeze artist, there is a moment of fear when you let go of one bar to reach for the next [11:37]. What is the "next bar" or the next step of faith God has been tugging you toward that you have been hesitant to reach for? [00:38]
5. There is no such thing as retirement in the Christian faith; there is always another prayer to pray or another person to disciple [06:04]. Who is one person in your circle of influence that you can commit to serving or sharing the gospel with this week?
6. It is easy to attend church and "drift along" without really growing [18:05]. Looking at your daily routine, what is one practical change you can make to ensure you are "straining toward what is ahead" rather than just settling into a place of comfort? [19:15]