Now Is Not The Time To Keep Looking Back!
Notes
Transcript
The Old Has Pass
The Old Has Pass
Isaiah 43:18 (NKJV) 18 "Do not remember the former things, Nor consider the things of old.
I know it is difficult at times to remain steadfast, immovable, always abounding in His Work!
Too often, we let our heart become so consumed with trying to right the past, we lose focus on The Word of God in knowing that He has covered our past and has given us the right to keep pressing forward!
Trust me, I get it -
I am just going to be transparent this morning; there are times where I look back and in doing so, I become so frustrated with the things that I had done, the decisions I have made, and it seems as if they are lingering and won’t go away!
Especially knowing who I am now, and I now know how to handle that circumstance, that decision and I want so badly to rewrite my past, because of the knowledge I have now has revealed wisdom to me that would have me in a better place now!
This is the frustrating part; should have, could have would have. . .
And now I have allowed those mistakes of the past to have relations with my thought life now, which births the feelings of doubt, worry, frustration, dejection and hopelessness.
You cannot continue to dwell on the old you, God delivered you from that Thru His Word!
Paul says we are to be forgetting those things that are behind us. . .
Yes, I know some will say, “oh. . .You should be thinking like that, you know what The Word of God says. . .”
Yes I know what The Word of God says, and I am thankful that He has awakened me to His Truths; I am just telling you the truth so that you will realize that although we may look back, we don’t dwell there anymore because my heart is to be obedient to His Word, so when He says move forward, I meditate on the forward, not the reverse!
While you going forth and shift down to reverse will cause your gears to be stripped. . .
When God commands you to do a thing, then we must be so consumed with His Word that it does not matter what our past say, it does not matter what is behind me, it does not matter what naysayers declare, because God says go forward I worry not. . .
God’s Word has gone forth, His Word it swift - Psalm 147:15 He sends out His command to the earth; His word runs very swiftly.
Yes, we look back to see where He has brought us from, so that we can give Him The Glory for all of the things He has brought us through!
But when He commands you to not look back, you must obey His Word because He has destroyed everything that had you vexed!
Lot’s soul was vexed just because he was in the midst of the chaos
Tell the truth, many of us have chosen places, as we thought would be the best because of it’s appearance, but turned out to be the worst, but you cried out to God and He came and rescued you out of it, but some will try to take their past with them. .
Luke 9:59-60 (NKJV) 59 Then He said to another, "Follow Me." But he said, "Lord, let me first go and bury my father." 60 Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God."
The past is the past - Thanks Be to God Who covered us from those sins and made us new - Because of His Faithfulness and True Word we have a right to move on!
These are times where we need to just see ourselves for Who God has created us to be and stop trying to conform to an image the world has said you need to be.
In this season, we need to help one another, pray for one another, encourage one another; now is not the time to be looking back, now is the time to be pressing forward in His Word and Truths!
Two truths that are holding the body of Christ at large:
Judgmental-ism (Religious Piety) & Unforgiveness
Galatians 6:1 Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.
So often we see in the body of Christ, how religious piety causes the church to hold on to the past.
You can do this because you are the husband of many wives. . . . You cannot do this because you got pregnant out of wedlock. . .
Don’t get me wrong, we don’t preach sin, we encourage righteousness. . . .
But we must be open to help those who are trying to become awakened to who they are in Christ!
Yes, here at NDCM, we will hold you accountable for anything that is done outside the Will Of God, but we will do so in The Love Of God that will encourage you and let you know that what is done, is done, turn it over to God and know that He has wash you with His Blood!
What can make me whole again. . . “Nothing But The Blood Of Christ Jesus”
I have come to realize, that when we are enticed away by our flesh, we become so guilty to the place we condemn ourselves to hell. Christ says to the Disciples; Mark 16:7 But go, tell His disciples—and Peter—that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you.”
We know what Peter did, but that was the past, right now is not the time to be looking back, Christ is about to show Himself Faithful!
Now is not the time to sink into a pity party of hopelessness . . . We have His Word and we know that without God’s Word we would not have strength, surety, nor peace. . .
Without His Promises, which are “Yes and Amen” we would live in a place of hopelessness. . .
Hopeless - A stage of despair, having no expectations of a favorable outcome. . .
If you are not careful; when looking back, you will allow that “Old Man” to become renewed, and that mindset will cause you to speak things that will convince you to believe that you will never see the Favor Of God! Job 10:1 (NKJV) 1 "My soul loathes my life; I will give free course to my complaint, I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.
This is a trick of the enemy -
God’s Word is right, and if we keep looking back on the past, we will miss the gift of today, His Mercy that has covered all of that stuff we did, even in the midst of sin, God kept us!
Paul could have looked back . . . “I was the chief sinner, the least of them, but by Grace, I am that I am. . .”
Christ could have kept looking back. . . “But not My will, Thine Will be done. . .”
Abraham interceded on the behalf of his nephew. . . Notice in chapter 18, Abraham was bold when God revealed the Plan to him. . .
God was not going to reveal the plan, but He had chosen Abraham to be the father of many nations
He and Abraham had a personal relationship!
Therefore, God revealed the plan to him. . .
When you have a relationship with Our Father, Who Art in Heaven. . . He will manifest His Favor upon you so that you will see The Plan!
In order to continue on, full speed ahead, you must remain focused on God’s Word. . . God is shifting things in this season. He is doing a new thing, and you must be in position to keep moving forward!
I know the way ahead may not seem easy, it may seem impossible; “Genesis 18:14 (NKJV)
14 Is anything too hard for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son."
You may laugh at what God has told you, primarily due to your past and where you are currently, you cannot see this happening to you!
But I have good news for you - You are going to live to see it happen. . .~ JJ Harrison. . .
God has not forgotten about you - He knows you and cares for you! Isaiah 43:25 (NKJV)
25 "I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; And I will not remember your sins.
His Word will sustain you thru it all! God’s Report proclaims your now!
You Are Healed
You Are Free
You Have Victory
You Are Delivered
You Are An Over-comer
You Will Live!