AUTHOR: BOLA FOLAKEMI PRAISE
TOPIC: DON’T LOOK BACK
TEXT: GEN 19:12-17, 23-26.
The determination to turn from the character that annoys God is a big sign of spiritual growth. This highlights that you care about how God feels about you.
Obedience is an important factor that should be taken serious when walking with God. Partial obedience is as good as disobedience. (Deut 28:15 to the end). In the text the angel of God told Lot to run quickly with his household out of Sodom, the instruction given to them was that they should not look back.
Was the instruction obeyed fully? No. Lot's wife looked back for one reason or the other, and she became a pillar of salt. Looking back caused her her future. The plan and purpose of God in her life was destroyed because of her act of disobedience. Many have missed their breakthrough because of their disobedience to God.
They try to do things their own way and not according to God's plan.
Many Christian today started their Christian race well, but the distractions of this world have caused them to look back, and this has caused them their eternal glory in Christ.
(1Cor 9:24-25) “Do you not know that in a race all runners run, but only one get the prize. everyone who competes in a game goes into strict training, they do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever."
God created us to serve him, He wants us to have close fellowship with him. Walking with God may be challenging, but there is gain in walking with God.
Some Christian started in spirit but ended up in flesh. Though they may still be active in their service in the church, but spiritually they have gone back to perdition. What Lot's wife looked back to could be what she left behind, and other things they are used to in Sodom.
This made her to lose all good things that lie ahead for her. Looking back deprive people from seeing good things that God is preparing for them.
The storms of this life make people to turn their back against God, but if you endure to the end you will sing the song of victory.
Once you have decided to follow God; you are a new creation, you need to forget totally about your old ways, and embrace your new life in Christ. Some people cannot persevere; they cannot endure hardship that would lead them to eternal life. Instead they give up and go back to their old self that will lead to eternal destruction.
(Isah 43:18-19) “Forget the former thing; do not dwell on the past. See I am doing a new thing. Now it springs up do you not perceive it?"
Many believers today are struggling to concentrate fully on God. They are still living in the past. (1Pet1:14) "As obedient children do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance" On the final note, God created us and He put our eyes in front, if He thinks that there is something to look back to; may be He would have put another eye at the back of our head, but because there is nothing to look back to because He said we should forget the former thing, so He put our eyes in front, so that we would be able to see all good things that lies ahead of us.
The importance of our heavenly race is to make heaven, to reign with Christ. People that are living a life of sin will not reign with Him.
Don't lose your focus; you know why you are running the race. Don't give up until you achieve the purpose. I pray that at the end of our Christian race we will not be disqualified in Jesus name Amen. Therefore since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw of everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us (Hebrew 12:1)
Whatever you are going through today is not enough for you to turn your back against God; He is the only lasting source of life that can satisfy the desires of your heart. Run your Christian race to the end. DON'T LOOK BACK!
