Don’t allow your past to limit your future success.
Though Cooper’s father and Grandfather both played professional football, he wasn’t highly recruited out of high school like how other pro athletes were. He was small and not the fastest. He didn’t allow this to stop him as he set his goals higher and worked diligently every day to reach them. He wasn’t even thinking about his past while he was playing that amazing game last week. I’m reminded of a few verses here.
“But Lord,” Gideon replied, “how can I rescue Israel? My clan is the weakest in the whole tribe of Manasseh, and I am the least in my entire family!”- Judges 6:15
Jesse had seven of his sons pass before Samuel, but Samuel said to him, “The Lord has not chosen these.” So he asked Jesse, “Are these all the sons you have?” “There is still the youngest,” Jesse answered. “He is tending the sheep.” Samuel said, “Send for him; we will not sit down until he arrives.” So he sent for him and had him brought in. He was glowing with health and had a fine appearance and handsome features. Then the Lord said, “Rise and anoint him; this is the one.” – 1 Samuel 16:10-12
No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. – Philippians 3:13-14
As we go through every day we can follow what Cooper did.
Had a vision after a great defeat.
Its usually at a lowest moment or an uncomfortable time that God will speak about a future glory that he will reveal in us. Cooper suffered a season ending injury in 2018 and couldn’t play in the Super Bowl that year that his team made it to. His team lost that game. It must’ve been crushing to see his team lose and he couldn’t do anything on the field to help them win. It was after that loss where he had the vision from God that his team would be back in that game and that he would win the MVP. I’m reminded of these verses.
Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later. Romans 8:18
Meanwhile, Jacob left Beersheba and traveled toward Haran. At sundown he arrived at a good place to set up camp and stopped there for the night. Jacob found a stone to rest his head against and lay down to sleep. As he slept, he dreamed of a stairway that reached from the earth up to heaven. And he saw the angels of God going up and down the stairway. – Genesis 28:10-12 NLT
God will give us a vision of future glory that he will bring to pass in our lives at a time when we need a lot of faith to believe it. It’s up to us to hold on to that vision by faith and believe it until it comes to pass. This is one of the things Romans 8:18 teaches us.
As we look at Genesis 28, Jacob was sleeping using a rock as his pillow. If you have ever woke up with a pain in your neck, you know that this must’ve been uncomfortable for Jacob. It was at that time when he had this great vision of an open heaven and God confirmed the promise that he was going to keep through Him just as he promised to Abraham.
So what we can learn is in our challenging times or moments of greatest defeat, God can and will speak about the amazing and great promises he will bring about in your life.
Be careful who you share the vision with.
Cooper didn’t mention the exact reason why he only told his wife about the vision God gave him. But this was very wise. The following verses comes to mind.
Soon Joseph had another dream, and again he told his brothers about it. “Listen, I have had another dream,” he said. “The sun, moon, and eleven stars bowed low before me!” This time he told the dream to his father as well as to his brothers, but his father scolded him. “What kind of dream is that?” he asked. “Will your mother and I and your brothers actually come and bow to the ground before you?” But while his brothers were jealous of Joseph, his father wondered what the dreams meant. – Genesis 37:9-11
Joseph should’ve only told his Father and not his brothers. But God turned around that situation for good. Joseph was the youngest in his family and disliked by his brothers because of his dreams. We need to be careful who we share our dreams with also. Some people might steal your dreams or ideas from you, others will hate you for it. And like in Joseph’s case, his own brothers were jealous of him because of it. Luckily for Cooper, he only told his wife and kept it in mind.
We already have the victory.
This is probably the most powerful thing that Cooper mentioned. He said because of his vision from God in 2019 he went into the Super Bowl last week playing from a position of victory and not playing for victory. As believers, we already have the victory in Christ. I’m going to read the following verses:
I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms. Now he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else—not only in this world but also in the world to come. God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church. And the church is his body; it is made full and complete by Christ, who fills all things everywhere with himself. – Ephesians 1:19-23
For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. – Ephesians 2:6
Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see— such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him. He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together. – Colossians 1:15-17
These are just some verses that show that we live from the position of victory in Jesus Christ. We have authority and dominion in him over all things and we are to hold onto the vision that God has given us and live with that vision in mind. This is how we live from a position of victory.
As I wrap up this episode I’m about to pray but I want you to think for a moment. What is YOUR super bowl victory? For Cooper his vision was to become Super Bowl champion and MVP. For you, it might be purchasing a new home, paying off all your debt, or bringing your business to the next level. What is the vision that God gave you in your life? Hold on to that vision and let’s pray it through now.