Moving Forward

In sight of 2020 coming to an end, many of us may find ourselves wanting to throw aside all memory of this past year and sprint into 2021. While this seems to be a popular mindset, there are many others looking back with a desire to just rewind time and hide away in years past. For those of us that find ourselves teetering into this second mindset, the Lord has a word he has been speaking to our congregation through our pastor and even some guest speakers. It is time to move forward.

Throughout scripture we are told that there is no room in our Christian walk to cling to the past. Luke reminds us to “remember Lot’s wife.” (Luke 17:32) Isaiah warns to “remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old.” (Isa 43:18). Solomon in all his wisdom declares to “say not, ‘why were the former days better than these?’ For it is not from wisdom that you ask this.” (Ecc 7:10) Paul encourages the Philippians to press on and forget what lies behind and strain forward to what lies ahead Phi 3:12-14.

Dwelling in the past suffocates growth. We can not move forward into the plans that the Lord has for our lives without growth. Every Christian called to become more Christ-like as each day passes. We can not “leave [elementary] principles of the doctrine of Christ, [and]…go unto perfection” (Heb 6:1) if we are clinging to our past. We must die daily in order to be renewed in Christ each day. This means leaving the happenings of yesterday under the blood and confidently stepping into the unknown that lies ahead of us.

When we allow the Lord to purge us of the past, a powerful weapon is being constructed. With the previous day under the blood of the Lamb, we are given the word of our testimony. Rev 12:11 says “they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.” We can not love our yesterday so much that we are unwilling to put it to death. Putting yesterday to death under the blood forges the weapon of our testimony. It is our testimony that breathes life into our tomorrow and the tomorrows of others. The very word of our testimony overcomes the accuser. We have our past for one reason and one reason only, and that is to overcome it.

So, in 2021, there is a choice to make. We can attempt to wash away the lies the enemy is feeding us about the upcoming year by flooding our minds with thoughts of past days; or, instead, backed by the blood of the Lamb, we can gather up our testimony and triumph over the enemy. Lord Jesus, I thank you for the privilege of carrying my testimony into the days ahead. I ask you to place people in my path that will be encouraged and drawn to you by my experiences and how you have molded my life. In Jesus’ Name.