HOW TO HAVE A FRESH START
Zechariah 10:6 - I will strengthen the house of Judah, and I will save the house of Joseph and I will give them a fresh start. I will have mercy upon them: and make them new as if nothing ever happened, for I am the LORD their God, and will hear them.
Hosea 14:5 - I will make a fresh start with Israel; They will blossom like a flower in the spring and root deeply in the soil like cedars in Lebanon.
Psalm 145:14 - God gives a hand to those who are down and He gives a fresh start.
GOD IS A GOD OF A FRESH START.
Creation - Fall of man - 2 Cor. 5:17 - If any man be in Christ, He is a new Creature or Creation…. Rev. 21:5 - Behold I make all things new.
RENEW
Romans 12:2 - And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
Ephesians 4:23 - and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind,
2 Corinthians 4:16 - Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is dying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day.
Psalm 51:10 - Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
GOD’S WANTS US TO HAVE A FRESH START - GOD WANTS TO REDEEM US, RENEW US, REVIVE US, RESTORE US…
I’ve created an acrostic, S-T-A-R-T, to help us remember them.
S - STOP MAKING EXCUSES
One of the biggest barriers to your success are your own excuses.
Jn. 5 - The man who had been paralyzed 38 years, Jesus said do you want to be healed? Man made excuses… Jesus asked Do you want to be healed… Excuses… Jesus said Get up, pick up your bed and walk.
At once the man was healed, picked up his bed and walked.
LET’S LOOK AT FOUR EXCUSES.
EXCUSE 1 - NOT ABLE - I just can’t do that, I am not able.
Phil. 4:13 - I can do all things through Christ…
Eph. 3:20 - Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.
ABLE MEANS “CAN DO”
Ps. 78:19 - The people spoke against God and said, Can God furnish a table in the wilderness? It should not be Can God but GOD CAN!
Heb. 7:25 - God is able to save from the uttermost. (entire, everyone)
2 Corinthians 9:8 - God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.
Jude 1:24 - God is able to keep you from falling.
If God makes a promise, he will keep it because he is faithful, and nothing can stop him. --- Numbers 23:19 - God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind.
The Lord is able to transform angry people into peaceful people; sad people into happy people; despairing people into hopeful people who are confident that they are part of a bigger and better story.
Ps. 139:16 - You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.
Luke 14 - The Great Supper - A man made a great supper and invited many people to come. Everyone invited made excuse for not going to the supper. First, he had bought some ground and had to go see it. Next one had bought five yoke of oxen and wanted to go and try them. Third one said he could not go because he had married a wife. But the story doesn’t end - His supper had been prepared and he must have someone to help him eat it. He ssid, Go out into the streets and city, and bring in the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind. The servant returned and said It is done as you have commanded, and yet there is room. The master did not want to eat until the house was full. Go again out into the highways and hedges, and compel people to come. He said that none of the people who had made excuses should taste of his supper.
How about you today? Will you come to the supper - the beautiful life God has prepared for you? Do not make excuses. Say Yes Lord.
EXCUSE #2 - MY PAST - Forget the past!
Isa. 43:18-19 - Do not remember the former things, Nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth.
Your past can keep us from the new thing God wants us to do.
Phil. 3: 13-14 - This one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before. I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
There comes a time when we forget the past, with all its discouragement and defeat, and move on to what God has for us in the future.
Pr. 28:13 - He that covers his sins shall not prosper: or he that will not admit his mistakes won’t make it but whoever confesses and forsakes them shall have mercy. ADMIT IT - QUIT IT - FORGET IT
Forget trying to make everybody like you. Forget trying to please everybody. Forget always needing approval from others. Forget what others think of you. Forget trying to be perfect. Forget about fearing failure. Forget trying to explain yourself to everyone. Forget trying to be something you are not.
EXCUSE #3 - QUITTING IN THE HARD AND DIFFICULT TIMES
Proverbs 24:10 - If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small.
Never make a decision during hard and difficult times or when you are angry. Remember Moses got mad and instead of speaking to the rock he smote it. Do not make fast decisions. Think about it. Pray and make sure you have a peace. If you do not have peace probably wrong decision. If in doubt don’t. 2 Tim. 4:2 - Be ready in season and out of season.
EXCUSE #4 - WAITING FOR BETTER CONDITIONS
Eccl. 11:4 - If you wait for perfect conditions you will never get anything done (TLB) When we look in the natural, there will always be excuses why now is not the right time to step out and begin the process. Waiting for everything in the natural to line up for the perfect condition is a sure way to delay or completely prevent the harvest the Lord wants you to receive. The one who waits for certainty will certainly wait… and may never find the conditions perfect enough to get started.
T - TAKE INVENTORY
ASK - What do I have? - Col. 2:10 - You have everything when you have Jesus.
ASK - What did I learn? - Gal. 3:4 - Did you go through all these troubles in vain and not learn anything.
ASK - Who can help me? - Ps. 46:1 - God is our refuge and strength, a great help in time of trouble
A - ACT IN FAITH
Mt. 9:29 - Be it unto you according to your Faith
R - RENEW YOU MIND
Eph. 4:3 - Be renewed in the spirit of you mind
Ps. 1- Blessed are those who meditate on God’s Word. They shall be like a tree planted by the river who will bring forth fruit in due season
Pr. 4:23 - You are shaped by your thoughts
T - TRUST GOD
Pr. 3: 5-6 - Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.
