1. God has more for your life
Phil 3:12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. (NIV) (Paul said, I’m not there yet but I’m pressing forward because God has more for me)
A. One thing that I’m convinced of, is that I haven’t arrived yet. I haven’t accomplished all that God has for me; And you haven’t either. The fact that we’re still alive means God has more for us. God is still changing us into what He wants us to be. God is still working through us to accomplish His purpose through our lives! God has more for us!
B. I’m not WHO I want to be, but I’m on my way! I’m in process! God’s still working on me! I’m not WHERE I want to be, but I’m on my way. God has more for me in 2011!
C. Don’t get use to what I am because I’m on my way somewhere. God is still working on me! Don’t get use to where I am because God has more for me! I’m on my way somewhere! This is my year! I’m getting free from the addictions in my life, I’m fully committing to Christ, I’m losing some weight, I’m starting the business, I’m getting out of debt, My marriage is turning around, My kids are turning around, I’m getting some new friends! I’m breaking free from some bad habits. Don’t get use to what I am and where I am because I’m about to change! I quit making excuses; this is my year!
To get to where God wants you to be you must:
2. Forget the past
Phil 3:13 Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: (NO Excuses) Forgetting what is behind (No Excuses) and straining toward what is ahead, (No excuses)
A. Don’t let past successes stop you from straining toward what is ahead. God has more for you but you can’t live in the past. So many people never receive what God has for them today because they get stuck in yesterday! You can’t live in the past and receive all that God has for you in 2011: I remember when: I remember the good ole days: I wish it was like it use to be: At my last job, The last city I lived in had, My last car, At my last church, my last husband.
B. Don’t let past failures stop you from straining toward what is ahead. Failure can be hard to deal with. So many people are chained to the past. Some of you are chained to a mistake, a failure, a sin. Some of you feel like a loser. You feel like you can’t move on because of the past. Paul said we need to forget what is behind us and move forward! How can I move forward? I’ve blown it!
Jesus died so that we don’t have to live chained to the past. Jesus forgives and forgets and we need to do the same! We need to forgive ourselves and MOVE FORWARD.
C. A major key to moving forward is learning from past mistakes. The last thing you want to do in life is make the same mistake over and over again. You have to learn from past mistakes so that you don’t continue to repeat them! Henry Ford, said it like this, “Failure is the opportunity to begin again, more intelligently.”
8 Questions To Ask Yourself So You Can Learn From Mistakes
1. Decision: What was my original motive? Internal:
2. Action: What did I do? External:
3. Time & Place: When and where did I do it?
4. Results: What happened? What were the consequences of my bad decision?
5. Evaluation: Why did this happen? Reflection:
6. Correction: How can I change the mistake?
7. Action: What will I do differently?
8. Move forward: What do I need to do to move forward? You need to learn from the mistake and move forward! Stop looking backwards!!
A. Defeat is sure to come when you live in the past. No matter how bad you’d like to, you can’t live yesterday over again. Learn from it and move forward. Stop looking backwards!
Gen 19:17 As soon as they had brought them out, one of them said, "Flee for your lives! Don't look back, and don't stop anywhere in the plain! Flee to the mountains or you will be swept away!" (NIV)
Gen 19:26 But Lot's wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt. (NIV)
B. Lot’s wife never reached her potential because she looked back. She missed out on what God had for her because she was stuck in the past!
Luke 17:32 Remember Lot's wife! (NIV)
C. Every time you get ready to look back remember Lot’s wife! Every time you get ready to live in the past, remember Lot’s wife! Every time yesterday’s successes become bigger than tomorrows dreams, remember Lot’s wife. Every time yesterdays failures are bigger than tomorrows hopes, remember Lot’s wife. FAITH FACES FORWARD. Faith moves forward not backwards!
3. Stay focused on the future
Phil 3:13-14 Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. (NIV)
A. Paul stayed focused on the goal that God had for him. He said one thing I do, is forgetting what is behind and I’m pressing toward the goal! I’m moving forward toward the goal! What’s your goal? It’s not good enough to just forget the past, you have to get focused and stay focused on the future that God has for you! What’s your 2011 goals? What are you focused on? Stop focusing on the past and start focusing on the future that God has for you! Start taking steps of faith towards your future!
2 Cor 5:7 For we walk by faith, not by sight. (NKJV) (We’re called to be people of faith! Quit living by what you see! Quit making excuses and start taking steps of faith towards your future)(Faith faces forward. Faith is focused on the future not the past)
Heb 11:1 Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. (NIV)
(What are you hoping for in 2011? 2010 is history! What are you hoping for and believing for in
2011. One thing I do, forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead)
