Starting Over Part 1

ISAIAH 43:18-19 “STARTING OVER – PART 1”

A) How many of you here tonight would like to have a fresh start in your Christian life?

* Some of us here have made many mistakes in our lives as Christians, and we all wish that

there was a “starting over” button that we could push and we could start our lives over again.

B) We have experienced many setbacks and failures throughout our lives!

* Sometimes we allow these mistakes, these setbacks and failures to enslave us to the point that

we never enjoy the full Christian life that God has given us to enjoy.

C) In John 10:10 Jesus said, “I am come that they might have life, and that they might ....... ”

* Then he goes on to tell us that there is an adversary, called the devil, and that he seeks to steal,

kill, and to destroy that life.

* The devil will remind us of our past in order to keep us from enjoying the life that God gave

us to live ... The devil does not want you to have a fresh start in your Christian life.

D) The good news is, God says, “I want you to have a new, a fresh start in life!”

* “I want you to have a new beginning ... I want to do something new in your life.”

E) Aren’t you glad that God wants to do something new in your life?

* Doesn’t it make you excited to know that God desires to give you a fresh start, a new beginning

in life? ... What all of us here need tonight is a fresh start, a new beginning with God.

F) Last year some of you said, “I am going to grow in my relationship with God – I am going

to pray more, read my Bible more, and get more involved in my church!”

* “I’m going to spend more quality time with my family.” ... AND THE LIST COULD GO ON.

* The fact is, all of us here made some mistakes, or we made some bad decisions that hindered

us from doing those things that we wanted to do.

G) Well, the Bible gives us good news, and the good news is in Isaiah 43:18-19 .......

* The Lord says, “Forget about what has happened before ... Do not think about the past ... Instead,

look at the new things I’m going to do.”

H) Listen to what God is saying in this verse ... “Forget about what’s happened before!”

* He says, “Don’t think about the past ... It’s over ... The book’s closed on it.”

I) We need to understand that God is far more interested in our future than He is in our past!

* Some people think that God is stuck on their past, that all He wants to do is remind them of the

things that they have done wrong.

J) God is more interested in your future than He is with your past!

* That’s where you’re going to spend the rest of your life.

* He says, “Forget about your past ... Forget about the former things ... Don’t think about it ...

Look at the new things I’m going to do.”

ISRAEL WAS BEING PUNISHED FOR THEIR SINS AND REBELLION AGAINST GOD

A) God wanted to give hope and encouragement to His people ... He wanted them to know

that even though they were being punished, they were not being forsaken!

* God wanted His people to understand that the punishment that they were experiencing would

not be the end of them.

* The fact is, that God wanted to give them a fresh start in life, a new beginning in life.

B) Israel, no doubt, was discouraged because they thought this was the end of them!

* They had gone too far ... They had sinned and rebelled against God to the point that He would

no longer be their God ... Maybe they thought God would not deliver them again – It’s over.

* That is when they begin to remember the former things or past deliverances.

C) They could remember when they were trapped by the Red Sea and had nowhere to go, and

how God made a way for them!

* They could remember that when the enemy was about to overtake them, how He provided

protection for them.

D) They could remember the former things, but they couldn’t see their future!

* That is why God said, “I am going to do something new.”

E) Maybe that’s where you are right now!

* You feel that you have made so many mistakes, you have failed God so many times, and you

have sinned it all away, and now God doesn’t want anything to do with you.