(12) And the men said unto Lot, Hast thou here any besides? son in law, and thy sons, and thy daughters, and whatsoever thou hast in the city, bring them out of this place: (13) For we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the LORD; and the LORD hath sent us to destroy it. (14) And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons in law, which married his daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place; for the LORD will destroy this city. But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law. (15) And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city. (24)Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven; (25) And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground. (26)But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.
God is all about progression and moving forward, He desires for us to keep moving forward, so that we could progress. All through scripture God was pushing man forward to reach to obtain their destiny, miracle, etc.
I. In John 3; Jesus said, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus asked him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? Jesus replied Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
A. Being born again is as close as we will come to time travel, and even if time travel were possible the problem with it is we would never spend any time in the present or have any kind of future because we would keep staying in the past. Salvation is all we need because resets us; 2Co 5:17 Therefore if any man [be] in Christ, [he is] a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. I still look the same on the outside, but there was a change on the inside.
1. When you look into a mirror you see traits that were passed on from mother and father. Hair, eye, skin color was passed on from your parents, good or bad we have certain physical traits from our parents but one thing regardless of your parentage that we all share is our Sin nature. Ecclesiastes 7:20 - For [there is] not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not. Romans 3:23 - For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
2. Sin just comes naturally to us all because that is how we are born. Psalms 51:5 - Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me. Romans 5:19 - For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, Romans 5:12 - Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: Job 14:1 - Man that is born of a woman is of few days and full of trouble.
a. To any would be or soon to be parents, I hate to break it to you that sweet precious baby you will be holding, as you are gitty and mesmerized by those sweet cuuus that baby is making will one day turn to lies, Psalms 58:3 - The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies.
b. I love my girls, and I am keeping them and raising them in God’s house. All they know is Church; they have been in it since they were born. We are doing our best to raise them in the fear and admonition of the Lord. I know what a precious gift God has giving us and I know it is our duty as their parents to teach them to walk with the Lord.
aa. Isabel our oldest has her favorite praise songs, and pretends to be her Sunday School teacher at home teaching her baby sister and her toys Sunday School Lessons, we are teaching her that she can call on Jesus for anything, and just so happen this week with that child like faith she put that to the test when she went to the potty she asked Jesus to assist her with the toilet paper if you know what I mean, but you know what sweet Isabel has also lied, we didn’t teach her how to lie, it just came naturally.
c. I got a past like everyone here and thank God it is under the blood, but if you ever met the old Sean you would be shocked, now I am not going to tell you everything but I will share this; I was a craftsman of 4 letter words, I stayed away from taking the Lord’s name in vain but everything else flowed freely; there would be more f-bombs coming out of my mouth than any other word in the English language, I used to combo cuss, stringing 4 letter words together in one incoherent mess, looking back now I am sure those that heard me speak must have thought I was the most uneducated, ignorant somebody that lacked any proper coherent understanding of grammar and speech.
B. Jesus said, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever. If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
1. Paul says 1Co 6:20 For ye are bought with a price: how many have seen the TV show Pawn Stars on it people sell their stuff for quick cash some sell to get rid of stuff while others use it as a loan. They are given a ticket and their item will be placed on hold until the owner returns with the ticket to buy back his property. When Adam and Eve sinned they pawned off all of humanity to Satan, but God said “that’s my property they had no right to sale it”, so God took the ticket gave it to His Son and said buy back our property.
2. Through the shedding of the blood of Jesus on Cavalries cross a Blood Transfusion took place that reclaimed my rightly place as a child of God. Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world: But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
3. An heir in its simplest form is a person of entitlement to another’s position and property after death. In the case of Jesus, He said [I am] he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death. He is not going anywhere so he made us joint heirs with him so everything that is His is mine.
a. I was born in sin on my way to hell but Jesus saved me, Ps 40:2 He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, [and] established my goings. I am free at last, free at last, thank God Almighty I am free at last, and let me say too that I am from free from my past, free from my past thank God Almighty that I am free from my past.
II. Amputees will sometimes suffer from what is known as Phantom Pain, where they exhibit mild to extreme pain felt in the area where a limb has been amputated. In addition to pain in the phantom limb, some people experience other sensations such as tingling, cramping, heat, and cold in the portion of the limb that was removed. Any sensation that the limb could have experienced prior to the amputation may be experienced in the amputated phantom limb. Although the limb is no longer there, the nerve endings at the site of the amputation continue to send pain signals to the brain that make the brain think the limb is still there. Sometimes, the brain memory of pain is retained and is interpreted as pain, regardless of signals from injured nerves.
A. We as Christians battle a similar Phantom Pain, but on a spiritual level. This Spiritual Phantom Pain usually shows up throughout our walk with the Lord. It is a nagging guilt in our minds that remind us of our past sin and mistakes. Even though we are new creatures and old things are passed away doesn’t mean all our memories get erased.
1. I still remember what it was like to be a sinner, I remember what I used to do and how I did it, and who I did it with, but when Jesus set me free and cleansed me of my sin, washed me in his blood, I didn’t desire those things no more. Sin and the appetite for it are gone.
2. Just because I am a Child of God doesn’t mean I am not flesh; For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. Paul said: But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.O wretched man that I am!
B. On a computer there is a trash can icon, you know the one that you drag files in too or right click on those files and hit delete; everything you delete from your computer goes to that trash can and will stay there until you empty the trashcan. For the average user they think that once they empty the trash it’s gone. Well, it's going to take a lot more than dragging and dropping it into that little trash can at the corner of your desktop to get rid of it. Your computer's trash bin only removes that file visible from you, even if you empty the trash bin; it only deletes the virtual pathway to it. The file and its properties are still saved on your hard drive, but now it's just more difficult to access.
1. That’s what happens to our memories when we get saved, now don’t mix my words when you repent and ask Christ into your heart your sins are forgiven and are gone forever As far as the east is from the west, [so] far hath he removed our transgressions from us. The sin that was in your life was removed but those memories and everything associated with them are just more difficult to access.
2. Let’s be real, rather you’re a veteran or just starting out in the faith; who hasn’t had to deal with a blast from the past; something that just comes in out of nowhere. It can happen anywhere even at Church in the middle of Praise and Worship when you got your dance and shout on and all of sudden bam, the enemy comes in like a flood, you are hit with guilt and condemnation and what was a praise session has turned to repentance for something that happened years ago. One minute you had the victory and was running the aisles the next you got the walk of shame.
3. Now you’re reliving that thing, the enemy the accuser of our brethren, will go deep into those files with the intention to restore them and get you off track. I am talking to real people, not religious, pretentious, self-righteous people, but real people; I’m preaching this because there are some that are dealing with some Phantom Pains right now and if you aren’t you will. The enemy tries to disrupt your walk and faith with some buts…believing you can’t be blessed because you aren’t worthy. You can’t prosper because you’re undeserving. You will never be anointed because of past mistakes. He keeps bringing up that you came from a dysfunctional family, have a history of abuse, alcoholism, or drug addiction, that you born on wrong side of tracks. He keeps telling you that you will never amount to anything, never be used, never be able to achieve because you don’t look the part.
C. Those Phantom Pain of Guilt and condemnation are a direct assault from the enemy to try to hold you back. That’s why that thing is hurting you now because you are moving forward and moving on. What the enemy is doing is trying to stop you from taking that next step; he wants you living in the past so you never see your future. These attacks are a strategic move against you to keep you from being who Christ made you to be and that is free. Ga 5:1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
1. He wants you to feel unworthy, He wants you to abort your promise and destiny, He doesn’t want you to go to the other side, and He wants you looking back so you don’t get ahead. Satan will try to get you to believe that your past occupies your present and your future, that no matter what it will always reside over your promises, destiny, miracles, etc…
D. In Numbers 13 twelve spies each from the twelve tribes are sent to spy out the Promised Land and come back with a report during their recon they cut off a branch bearing a single cluster of grapes. Two of them carried it on a pole between them, along with some pomegranates and figs. That had to be a large cluster of grapes, because the grapes I buy I can carry in my hand without the assistants of someone else and I don’t need a pole to get them out of the grocery store. You know the story they come back and tell the people that the land does flow with milk and honey! Here is its fruit, everyone is excited until they throw a but in there, But the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large. Now everyone is full of doubt and sowing it among themselves.
1. Caleb speaks up and says, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.” I believe the reason why Caleb made such a bold proclamation is because he and Joshua were the ones that carried the grapes, they were the ones that were confident they could take the land, because they were the ones that knew what the promise land felt like, they knew first hand that the promise was bigger than anything they ever had before. They didn’t just see it with their eyes that felt it; they weren’t shaken by the giants or the doubt of the other spies because they understood how great the promise was because they were the ones carrying it, they weren’t worried about the giants.
2. When you have carried, tasted the promise you can’t let no one take that from you. Once you carried the promises of God around no devil in hell can take that from you. Just like the Giants for the children of Israel; our Phantom Pains are the giants we deal with; their mission is to keep you out of your blessing, and to keep you from enjoying the promises of God for your life.
3. In life, you are either going to have giants or grapes, but you can't have both that means: either the Giants are going to occupy your thoughts and capture your attention and decide your actions and control your life or the grapes will.
4. There are two kinds of people in the church: There are those that spend their lives measuring giants, and talking about how tall, mean, and how powerful the giants are. Then there are those who are weighing the Grapes, and the Grapes outweigh the giants. I can’t speak for you: but as for me and my house we are in the grape weighing business; we’re weighing the promises of God that are heavier and more powerful than any giant. It’s hard to see the giants of the past when I got face full of God’s promises blocking them from my sight.
III. Stop wrestling with those things that you have been acquitted of.
A. How many know what double jeopardy is and no I am not referring to the game show. Double jeopardy is a legal term that forbids a defendant from being tried again on the same (or similar) charges following a legitimate acquittal or conviction.
1. Jesus went to trial for you, Pilate couldn’t find fault in Him because there was none, He was born without sin, blameless, spot less lamb. Jesus’ trial wasn’t for Him but for us, He went to trial on our behalf, took our sin and shame and purchased and redeemed us with His Blood 2Co 5:21 For he hath made him [to be] sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. Paul said in Hebrews 10, But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.
aa. I took the plea deal and confessed my sins, 1 John 1:9 - If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness and now I am living out my sentence of eternal life as a child of God, I am walking the straight and narrow, looking unto the author and finisher of my faith, I got my eyes set on things above, I am now treading on serpents and scorpions.
2. Satan can’t try you for what you have been acquitted from. God said in Mic 7:19 he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea. Isa 43:25 I, [even] I, [am] he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins. The devil may remember them, people, family, church folk may remember my sins and faults but God says every time it’s brought up, “I DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT!” Isaiah said that his soul (was) delivered from the pit of corruption: for (God) hast cast all my sins behind (His) back.
B. Treatment options for phantom pain is settling in the mind that it is not there, it has been treated successfully with a mirror box and virtual reality to help the brain in believing that the hand and sensation are no longer there. You got to settle it once and for all that you are free, you just got to get it in your head that you are free from the pain of the past. Here are four treatment options I am going to give you that you can do any time the enemy gives you a head ache.
1. Instead of a pity party have a praise party, with the guest of honor being your past sin; The Bible says In every thing give thanks, I thank you Lord that I am no longer… I praise you Lord for bringing me out of… I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
2. Overcome with the word of your testimony, I used to be this…but look what the Lord has done, I used to curse Him but know I lift Him up, etc…
3. Speak the Word, remind the enemy what has been written. I am alive with Christ, I am free from the law of sin and death, I am born of God, and the evil one does not touch me, I am holy and without blame before Him in love, I have the mind of Christ, I have the peace of God that passes all understanding , I have the Greater One living in me; greater is He Who is in me than he who is in the world ,I have received the power of the Holy Spirit to lay hands on the sick and see them recover, to cast out demons, to speak with new tongues. I have power over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means harm me , I can do all things through Christ Jesus , I am God’s child for I am born again of the incorruptible seed of the Word of God, which lives and abides forever ,I am more than a conqueror through Him Who loves me , I am the head and not the tail; I am above only and not beneath , I am forgiven of all my sins and washed in the Blood ,I am delivered from the power of darkness and translated into God’s kingdom , I am redeemed from the curse of sin, sickness, and poverty , I am healed by the stripes of Jesus , I am raised up with Christ and seated in heavenly places , I am submitted to God, and the devil flees from me because I resist him in the Name of Jesus ,For God has not given us a spirit of fear; but of power, love, and a sound mind, It is not I who live, but Christ lives in me.
4. The Blood – In Revelation it says, They (meaning us) overcame him by the blood of the Lamb; when the enemy comes to you saying, “you used to do this” Say, “The Blood.” “You used to be a” The Blood. “You have cancer” The Blood. “The dr. said you have 6 months” The Blood. “They say there is no cure” The Blood! Satan the blood is against you!!!
C. You are free, the enemy can’t keep you in a prison that has an open door. I am free from the pain of the past, but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead. I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
1. In my opening text, Lot and his family were instructed to not look back, his wife choose to look back and it consumed her. There is nothing for you to look back too, because you have been delivered, before you is greatness, the greatest sermons have yet to be preached, the greatest books have yet to be written, the greatest songs have yet to be sung, the greatest musicians have yet to play, the greatest works have yet to be done, the greatest churches have yet to be built why? Because they are waiting on you, it has been said that You can’t reach for anything new if your hands are still full of yesterday’s junk. There’s more in you; I wish somebody would push your neighbor and tell them: there’s more in you, your past can’t hold you back. Today is a day to say good bye to the former and hello to the latter. Tell your past thanks for the lessons but I am moving on.
