“mso-bidi-font-style: normal;”>
“font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: Verdana; color: black;”> Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead. Philippians 3:13
“font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: Verdana; color: black;”> There’s a story in the Bible in Genesis (19:12-29) that tells of how God sent His angels to destroy a certain city because of how wicked the people in the city were. Abraham’s nephew Lot and his family lived in the town as well. Before the city was to be destroyed, the angels were commanded to get Lot and his family out of the town safely.
“font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: Verdana; color: black;”> In the process of escape they were commanded to “leave the past behind” and not look back. As they were running for their lives, Lot’s wife turned around and looked back and turned into a pillar of salt as she was warned would happen if they looked back.
“font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: Verdana; color: black;”> Just like Lot’s wife, we tend to find ourselves not wanting to let the things in our past go. When our past was our present, we were so unhappy and praying for God to change our situations and circumstances. We realized how bad our past was, but we made a bad decision to become comfortable in it. Whether it’s rejection, failure, an old fling, old habits and behaviors – it really doesn’t matter what’s back there, it’s destined to keep you from your future.
“font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: Verdana; color: black;”> God gives us so many warning signs of the dangers of looking back. Though it’s so easy to get caught up in the temptations of the past, we must understand that as long as we continue to dwell there, we forfeit our future. God brought you out of bondage to bring you into a land that flows with milk and honey. But it is up to you to choose whether you want the dead things of the past, which can’t satisfy nor benefit you at all, or your future. Your future is waiting on you.
“font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: Verdana; color: black;”> You must determine that you will do whatever it takes to press into God like never before. You have to decide to renew your mind with His word so that it can flush out all the old mindsets, patterns and behaviors of your past so that you can rebuild new ones.
“font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: Verdana; color: black;”> I went walking today and in the area where I live they are building a lot of new houses. As I walked on I observed how they first have to dig up the dirt before they can lay the foundation for the new house. The same with our minds: we have to first dig up all the dirt that has been planted in our minds and then begin laying a new foundation which is the word of God.
“font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: Verdana; color: black;”> Build new mindsets, habits, actions and behaviors by studying God’s word, meditating on it and confessing it, and before you know it you too will have a brand new home and your life will be changed forever.
