Sermon Central
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Living In The Rearview Mirror
Contributed by Tom Etterlee on Jul 21, 2007 (message contributor)
Summary: Rearview mirrors are good for backing up and seeing where you have been, but as long as you are looking back you can’t go forward. The Bible says that you are to forget things behind you. You should be reaching forward!
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INTRODUCTION:
A) The reason why some people are failing in life is because they are living in the past, and they are not obeying what the Bible says!
B) We must learn how to let go of the past! * Paul says, “Forgetting those things which are behind ...”
1. To forget something means that we no longer are influenced or affected by it!
2. There are some that will say they forgot some incident long ago, but they haven’t, because they’re still affected and influenced by it, and won’t let it go!
3. Until you learn to come to the place in your life where you’re not affected or influenced by it, you have not really forgotten anything from the past!
C) The Bible says that we ought to “Forget those things in the past and then reach forth unto .......”
1. Paul goes on and says in v.14, that in reaching forth, “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus”
2. This means we put our greatest efforts into the future, not in the past!
D) Lot’s wife is an example of one living in the rear view mirror:
- Genesis 19:17 “And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed.”
- Genesis 19:26 “But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.”
I. PARALYZED BY THE PAST: (Lot’s wife)
A) Lot’s wife looking back became a pillar of salt
1. She was told Genesis 19:17 “look not behind thee”
2. She was paralyzed for ever.
B) Your past if allowed can paralyze you.
C) Paul says “forgetting those things which are behind,
1. Fear of failure. (I’ve failed before)
2. Fear of being found out. (I’m hiding something)
3. Luke 12:2 “For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known.”
II. PREVENTED BY THE PAST:
A) Lot’s wife had death behind her and life before her.
B) Lot’s wife was looking back longing at sin while trying to move forward for God.
C) You can’t make progress with God as long as you are holding on to pieces of your old life.
1. Hebrews 12:1 “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,”
III. PROPS FROM THE PAST:
A) You should not use the past to cover your bad actions today.
1. "I act like this because this happened"
2. Romans 14:12 “So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.”
B) You may have been hurt, done wrong, or cheated.
C) Your victory is getting up and being what God wants you to be.
D) It’s a new day – start living for God
IV. PROBLEMS FROM THE PAST:
- Philippians 3:13 “ … forgetting those things which are behind…”
A) Someone hurt you.
1. Forgiveness should be given
B) Some church hurt you.
1. All churches are not the same.
C) You hurt yourself.
1. You need to forgive yourself.
2. You say but I’ve done some terrible things.
V. PEOPLE USING THE PAST:
A) Saul’s salvation - Acts 9:26 “And when Saul was come to Jerusalem, he attempted to join himself to the disciples: but they were all afraid of him, and believed not that he was a disciple.”
1. Satan will use your past to affect your future
B) Galatians 1:10 “For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.”
C) I Corinthians 10:31 “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.”
CONCLUSION:
Are you living in the rear view mirror?
God has a great future for you!
