"Trusting God for 2025"
CCCAG 12-29-24
Scripture: Philippians 3:13-14
Introduction-
The last Sunday of 2024!
A lot of changes this year
Our church family saw a few changes-
• Keith and Marvin have gone onto their eternal reward.
• Roberta, Matthew, and Doris moved out of the area.
• In our country, we lived through the weirdest election season I have ever seen.
• If I passed a microphone around, many of us could tell of personal stories and situations that challenged us in a unique way.
Talking with a lot of people, they say the same thing-
It’s getting so exhausting, and many people have told me how tired they constantly feel, even to the point of being perpetually tired of life.
I feel you. In fact, sometimes I resemble that remark- you feel so exhausted with the constant battles that you just want to pull up the covers in the morning and say, “Not today- I’m taking a day off of life to recover.”
If that is you this morning, this message is for you. God has some encouragement for you in HIS Word this morning.
In the bible, many of the people expressed exhaustion, frustration, irritation, and hopelessness over their current situation.
One of the things we see is that many of them were held back
because of mistakes or events that were so traumatic and emotionally devastating that they felt that their lives were essentially over.
Again, If that is you this morning- I encourage you to let God’s WORD refresh you and encourage you so that you have HIS perspective.
Someone in the bible who often struggled with these same thoughts was the apostle Paul.
Paul was probably the person least likely to ever join the Christian church, much less become its greatest influencer.
He was trained in the IVY league school of his time. From a wealthy family who was well respected, and an up-and-coming rabbi within the Jewish ruling class.
He was so well respected, that he was given the task of stamping out this new religious movement centered around this man named Jesus, and in his own words, he said that “he was very zealous”.
In the book of Philippians, Paul is talking about how he lived in rebellion against God while thinking he was doing God’s will, but then found out the truth when he met Jesus. Everything for him changed. Before he met Jesus, he had all of these worldly credentials and fame, but now he considers it to be worthless, and he has a new life focus-
Scripture Reading: CSB
Php 3:10-14 My goal is to know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings, being conformed to his death, assuming that I will somehow reach the resurrection from among the dead. Not that I have already reached the goal or am already perfect, but I make every effort to take hold of it because I also have been taken hold of by Christ Jesus. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead,
(14) I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus.
Prayer
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Introduction: (Title) Trusting God for the Journey Ahead
There is a truth in life-
Your Focus determines your direction in life.
It’s like target shooting with a bow or with a gun- what you focus on the most is where that arrow or bullet will land. You are on target, getting ready to release or to pull the trigger and you hear a noise to your right and shift your focus that way, what happens?
You are missing what you are aiming at.
That’s why managing our life focus is so important for us, and will be critical for us to survive and thrive in the year ahead.
I say survive AND THRIVE.
I don’t want to just barely make it- I want to live in such a way that Jesus is magnified through my life.
One of the ways we can start to thrive in this next year is in
Forgetting what is behind-
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I. Forgetting What Lies Behind
The first step scripture gives us to thrive in 2025 is in , “forgetting what lies behind.” This doesn’t mean we erase our memories or ignore the lessons of the past. Instead, it means we choose not to let past failures, regrets, or even successes hinder us from moving forward in God’s plan.
The first way we do that is to
1. Letting Go of Regrets
o Illustration:
Imagine this last year- every time you made a mistake, or sinned, you had to add a brick to a backpack you are carrying.
Each of those bricks represents a regret or failure.
The longer you carry it, the more exhausted you become.
Anyone who has ever had to ruck, or carry a backpack for miles knows how exhausted it can make you. You can be the toughest, most fit Delta Force level soldier out there, but if you are carrying un-useful and unnecessary weight, sooner or later, you will gas out and collapse.
It’s important for us to recognize in our spiritual lives. If we are going to move forward in 2025, you are going to have to lighten your load and leave those regrets, those mistakes, and those sins behind.
You must lay it all down. Give it to Jesus.
Jesus says his yoke or weight is easy, and HIS burden is light- HE is carrying the weight.
Also remember the scripture that tells us-
o Scripture: Psalm 103:12 reminds us, “As far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.” God’s grace frees us from the weight of our past sins and mistakes.
o So, if God has forgiven it, then empty out your rucksack filled with regret and guilt- it’s gone…forever.
o This is critically important for us in the last days-
o In Daniel 7:25 it says that in the end times, the enemy is going to try and wear out the saints of God- and he does so by filing you up with all of this emotional and spiritual baggage so that all you can focus on is the heavy weight you are carrying.
o There is an additional reason to get rid of the regret and shame-
Imagine for a moment that you are a soldier preparing to go into battle. Your platoon leader walks past you and sees that you are staggering under the load you are carrying in your ruck, and he orders you to drop your pack so he can inspect it. You open it up, and he sees dozens of magazines filled with ammunition that will only work in the weapons of the enemy.
Seem silly right?
That’s us carrying if we chose to carry 2024’s regrets and failures into 2025. You are simply giving the enemy the very ammunition and weapons he needs to harass or destroy you.
o Application: As you enter the New Year, bring your regrets and failures to the cross. Confess them to God, receive His forgiveness, and walk in the freedom He offers.
So that was the first way we forget what is behind us-
The second way we do this might seem a little counterintuitive-
2. Releasing Past Successes
o We have focused a lot on the failure side, but there is also a hidden, more subtle tool of the enemy and that is to focus on a past success in order to prove that “I made it!”
o Success can also become a barrier to spiritual health and spiritual growth if we let it.
o Success lulls us into being complacent or prideful, thinking we’ve already “made it.”
o Illustration: People who train for the Olympics have to pass a series of regional competitions to qualify for the Olympic team. Resting on a success is like an athlete who wins a regional match thinking that they can now stop training because of that victory when they really want that Olympic gold medal.
o Application: I encourage you this morning-
o It’s good to Celebrate your achievements and thank God for them, but don’t relax once you achieve- use it as an additional rung to keep climbing to the height that God has to for you in 2025.
o It’s going to require a lot of effort and discipline, and that is why the bible tells us-
II. Straining Forward to What Lies Ahead
Paul’s words inspire us to look forward with hope and determination. “Straining forward” implies effort and intentionality.
It speaks of a runner getting ready to break that tape at the finish line, throwing their chest forward and straining with all of their might to win this race.
WE can’t get there by relaxing.
Growing in Christ doesn’t happen by accident; it requires focus. It requires perseverance. It requires an attitude that says, “You can knock me down 99 times, but I will get back up 100 times. I will never quit”
A few tools to help us-
1. Setting Godly Goals
o I’m not talking about a New Year’s resolutions. They don’t work. In the vast majority of people they won’t even last a week.
o Instead as Christians, we should be growing in our walk with Jesus, allowing the Holy Spirit to mold us and shape us into the image of Jesus.
o One of the things that trips us up is following our own paths.
o Scripture: Proverbs 16:3 says, “Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.”
o The reason many of us stumble throughout the year is because we are on a road that God has not called us to or equipped us to walk on.
It’s like trying to walk on a glacier with flipflops on, or on a beach with snowshoes.
If you are trying to live that way, and call it walking with God, it’s not going to be an enjoyable experience for you.
Let me show you a scriptural example of this-
Turn to 1 Kings 19.
The background of this bible narrative is that the Prophet Elijah has defeated all of the priests of the demon god Ba’al. This angers the queen who is a Ba’al worshipper and she vows to kill Elijah.
Elijah runs for his life, and hides in a cave. Elijah is exhausted, despondent, and hopeless at this point
1Ki 19:9 He entered a cave there and spent the night. Suddenly, the word of the LORD came to him, and he said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
There is a lot of context here that would take too long to go through this morning, but essentially God was asking-
“Elijah, why are you in this condition right now?”
Why are you depressed, feeling hopeless, and wanting to die?
It was because God told him to stand, but he ran.
Elijah failed to exercise faith, and because of that did not have the power, presence, and provision of the HOLY SPIRIT available to him.
God uses that same criteria for you and I today.
In 2025 if you find yourself exhausted, feeling hopeless, and just at your breaking point, let God ask you- “What are you doing here?”
Did a lack of faith and/or obedience lead you to a path that God has not equipped you to walk on?
o Application: As you plan for the year, prayerfully consider what God is calling you to prioritize.
o Do your priorities deepening your spiritual life, or draw you away from a Godly focus for your life.
o Hint- the more you try to justify something- that an indication that you might be walking on a path God has not called you or equipped you to travel.
2. Embracing Change
o It might involve you changing some things about your life. God may be calling you to a higher path- and your old footwear will not allow you to walk there.
o Your old way of reacting, your old way of thinking, your old way of doing things might be what is holding you back from the next level that God has for you.
o Flipflops might be comfortable to wear, but they are useless and even dangerous if you are being called to walk on ice.
o Some of us need to relent and surrender to God’s will for us. Exercise faith to let God’s power, presence, and provision equip us to walk the path He has for us this next year.
o And I get it- we love our routines, and Change can be uncomfortable, but it’s ALWAYS necessary for growth.
o Application: Ask God to give you the courage to step out of your comfort zone in 2024. Trust that He is with you every step of the way.
o If we do this, we will be doing as the Apostle Paul did-
I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus.
3. Pursuing Christ’s Calling
o Paul’s ultimate focus was the “upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Our highest goal should be to know Christ more and become like Him.
o Jesus also encouraged us in this when HE said-
o Scripture: Matthew 6:33 reminds us to “seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”
o Application: Evaluate your priorities. Are you investing time in things that draw you closer to Christ? Make a plan to grow in your faith this year through regular Bible study, prayer, and fellowship.
A few quick ways to develop this mindset are found in-
1Th 5:16-18 Rejoice always, (17) pray constantly, (18) give thanks in everything; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
All rise
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Prayer- against exhaustion, hopelessness, fear, doubt, unbelief
We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28
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