I had the privilege of speaking at my church last weekend and I will share the notes with you over the next few weeks. I spoke on F.O.C.U.S. There are many things in life that can distract us and cause us to lose focus and miss out on the promises of God. I pray that what the Lord gave me blesses you!
F-Forget the past and move forward!
I discussed two ways in which we can look back on the past and lose focus. We will explore the first point today; looking back at our past with regret.
Looking back at our past with regret
The devil loves to remind us of who we used to be, causing us to lose focus. When you think back on your past sins, you feel unqualified/unworthy of operating in your gifts that are NEEDED in the body of Christ. You lose sight of who God has called you to be. You begin to rehearse all your past sins and condemnation imprisons you. “I made too many mistakes for God to use me now,” become your normal thinking pattern. The shame from your past haunts and cripples you from moving forward. Yes you sinned but if you have repented, God has forgiven you. It is time to move on! Stop focusing on who you used to be, that person is dead!
You must resist the temptation to look back. Instead focus on the truth that you are now forgiven. You are redeemed. You are new! Once I really got the revelation that I am forgiven and I don’t have to live in condemnation the devil’s reminders of my past lost their influence on my mind and spirit. There was no Velcro on me for his accusations to stick to. Don’t waste your pain by looking back. When you focus on today, you will begin to see how God is masterfully redeeming your live from destruction.
Reflect on the meaning of the following scriptures as you spend time with God this week. Are you living in the reality of these scriptures?
2 Corinthians 5:17 (NLT)
This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!
Romans 8:1(NLT)
So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.
I have been on quite a journey with my health and I have had to take some extreme measures. There were things going on inside of my body that I was unaware of, things that a routine visit to the doctor didn’t catch. My gut was in desperate need of healing and I had no idea. I would just see the outward manifestation of an internal issue. The problem was not on the surface, it went beyond what the eye could see. It was not until they took extensive blood work that things began to be revealed. There is something about the blood that reveals truth. So the Lord has been leading me and I have had to make even more extreme changes to my diet. It is not always easy but I am beginning to see lasting results and I am motivated. Desperation has a way of creating discipline.
Isn’t this how it is with our walk with the Lord? People can see us from the outside and we look spiritually healthy but there can be issues with our spiritual gut so to speak. Issues that we can try to veil with our nice church faces and scriptures we have memorized. Sometimes we wear a mask for so long that we even begin to fool ourselves and are totally oblivious to our need for spiritual healing. But it is only a matter of time until these issues begin to manifest through such symptoms as pride, unforgiveness, rebellion, murmuring, and discontentment. Once the Lord makes us aware of our issues, we may start off determined and disciplined to walk the road to deliverance. But with time we can grow weary and slip back into old habits and open the door to the enemy all over again. I am here to remind you that the way to deliverance and healing is extreme but the end results are well worth it! Stay the course, obey what you know to do and allow the Lord to perform the healing that He wants to do in you!
Focusing on the miracle and forgetting about the miracle worker is problematic. God does everything for a purpose. Every miracle should be a catalyst to draw us closer to God. Many of us don’t hesitate to share the miracles God has done YET we refuse to surrender to Him. The miracle is half of the story, what it does to you and how it creates change in your heart is what completes the testimony. Many times people are in desperate situations and they may need provision, healing, peace etc. They ask for prayer and God moves and performs a miracle. They get excited for the moment. However with the passing of time, their pursuit of God fades and the truth is revealed; they were more interested in what God could give them and not God Himself. What a great tragedy! I don’t want that to ever be my testimony. After my prayers are answered and God works a miracle I want to be more on fire for Him and my pursuit of Him to be even greater! In Luke 17 :11-19 Jesus heals ten lepers but ONLY ONE came back to thank Him. How about you? Take some time to reflect on the miracles God has worked in your life. What were the end results, did you come back more on fire and committed to serve Him or did you take the miracle and run?
After many years of being barren the Lord declares that Sarah within a year’s time would have a son (Genesis 18:-10-15). Sarah heard this, saw her circumstance and laughed silently to herself. She asked “How could a worn out woman like me have a baby? And when my master-my husband is also so old?” (Genesis 18:12). Sarah laughed because she saw how impossible her situation was by man’s standards. In light of her natural limitations, the promise of the Lord seemed like a big joke…unattainable to say the least. The Lord knowing all things, asked Abraham why Sarah laughed and then asks, “Is there anything too hard for the Lord?”
What impossible situation are you dealing with now? What promises has the Lord made to you that contradicts the barren areas of your life? Are you doubting and laughing at these promises because you have chosen to believe and accept what you see as your final story?
God is not confined by time or any of our other limitations. Let’s continue to ask this question when tempted to laugh and doubt, “Is there anything too hard for the Lord?” In case you were wondering, the answer is a resounding NO! Stop laughing at what God has promised. Begin to grab a hold of it by faith, declaring it with confidence, knowing there is nothing too hard for Him!
My youngest son Isaiah is turning 5 in a few weeks. I have noticed that he has no limits on what he asks of us for his birthday, especially his daddy. He has made requests for a house, a boat, an airplane and even the White House. He is not asking for the toy versions of the aforementioned. He wants the real thing. His older siblings laugh at his silly requests because they know “better” they are more” mature.” Time has taught them to ask for safe things, reasonable things, things they think they can actually get.
I would like to think I have great faith in prayer. However there have been times in which I have played it safe with the request I bring to God, because life has “matured” me to know “better.” But what if, what if I took Isaiah’s approach and CONSISTENLY PRAYED BIG prayers, asking big things of my big God! My good father. I am not talking about just asking for stuff either.
Sometimes when we get a “no” to a prayer, we hesitate to submit another BIG request. Disappointment has a way of paralyzing us in prayer. We must not forget that if God said no, it was for our good. Do not let a previous “no” hold you back from praying for something that God will say “yes” to! I want to encourage you to seek God so you can know His desires for you. Once He puts those desires in your heart, don’t be afraid to pray them, even if they are BIG!
We may not like the idea but some of God’s promises are conditional.
He speaks but we must respond with obedience or there is no deal.
God cannot lie. So if He has made you a promise and it has not come to pass, it can mean a few things, two of which are below.
It’s amazing how we (myself included) are quick to rehearse the promises God made us but don’t follow through on the conditions of the promises. I was reading 1 King 2 which details David’s farewell speech to his son Solomon. David is on his death bed and tells the newly appointed king to keep the commands of the Lord so that the promises that God made will come to pass. David recognized that the promises of the Lord were not automatic. He imparts the keys for success to the newly appointed king. Many of us get excited when we hear the promises of God and rightfully so. However, I want to encourage you to put some feet to your excitement by walking in obedience. What has God promised you? What is He requiring of you for those promises to be fulfilled? Are you walking in obedience?