Fresh Start for the New Year
John 10:10
God wants us to have an abundant, joyful life. In order for that to happen, we must do some things to make it happen.
We must also realize that Satan is constantly trying to rob us of that abundant life.
He wants us to be bound up by things.
He wants to remind us of our past
He wants to remind us of our former sin & failures
He wants us to life in a life that has our mind tormented & burdened.
I. Forget about our Past
Isaiah reminded us to not allow those things to keep us down.
Isaiah 43:18
18 Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old.
II. Remember God has a Plan
We must remember that God has a plan for our lives. I use this verse a lot, but Jeremiah 29:11 tells us just that.
“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.”
Proverbs 3:5-6
5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
III. Push Through
Proverbs 24:10 reminds us that we must be strong and push through even when things get rough.
“If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.”
Paul instructed Timothy to endure hardness. 2 Tim. 2:3 “Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.”
We cannot be discouraged even when we go through hard times or trials.
Peter reminds us not to think it is strange when we go through things.
“Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:” 1 Peter 4:12
Paul reminded the Galatians not to give up on their faith (they were turning back to the law rather than Christ’ completed work on the cross). “Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain.” Galatians 3:4
IV. Keep the Faith
Mt. 9:29 “Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you.”
The writer of Hebrews reminds us that it is impossible to please God without faith.
“But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” Hebrews 11:6
We must trust God with all of our being and allow Him to direct us and lead us. Knowing He has a plan and purpose for our lives will help us know He will do a work in our lives. Philippians 1:6 “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:”
God will continue to work in our lives if we just allow Him to. If we do this, He will create in us an abundant life even though Satan wants to fight against us having such.
