Choose to Remember

Apr 12, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: Lions and Royal Priests

The disciples faced storms, prison, and persecution—yet Peter wrote to remind them: “You are a chosen people, royal priests, God’s own possession.” Like Simba forgetting his identity, we often wander when lies whisper we’re unworthy. But Jesus calls us back: Remember who you are. Your adoption into God’s family isn’t earned—it’s a gift. [13:30]

When shame says “failure,” God says “forgiven.” When fear says “orphan,” the Spirit whispers “heir.” The enemy wants you to hide, but your true name is written in heaven. You’re not defined by your worst moment but by Christ’s victory.

This week, when criticism or regret knocks, stand firm. Open your Bible to 1 Peter 2:9 and read it aloud. How would your choices today change if you fully believed you’re God’s royal child?

“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”
(1 Peter 2:9, NIV)

Prayer: Ask God to silence every lie about your identity with the truth of His Word.

Challenge: Write “I AM GOD’S CHILD” on a sticky note and place it where you’ll see it hourly.

Day 2: Manna and Memorial Stones

The Israelites grumbled about manna while forgetting Egypt’s chains. God commanded Joshua to stack stones from the Jordan’s dry riverbed—a physical reminder of His faithfulness. Jesus did the same at the Last Supper: “Do this to remember Me.” [08:49]

Memories shape our faith. Recalling God’s past miracles fuels hope for tomorrow’s battles. But when we fixate on what’s missing, we become like the child crying at the park gate, blind to hours of joy.

Grab a journal today. List three times God protected or provided for you—big or small. Which “stone” from your past reminds you He’s still able?

“I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago. I will consider all your works and meditate on all your mighty deeds.”
(Psalm 77:11–12, NIV)

Prayer: Thank God for one specific rescue or breakthrough in your life.

Challenge: Text a friend about a miracle God did for you this past year.

Day 3: Benefits We Can’t Forget

David preached to his own soul: “Bless the Lord…forget not all His benefits.” He listed them—forgiveness, healing, redemption—like counting coins from a treasure chest. Yet we often rehearse our pains, not His promises. [26:19]

God’s benefits aren’t abstract; they’re daily bread. Healing may come in stages. Provision might look like unexpected help. But each mercy is a brick in the wall guarding your joy.

The next time anxiety strikes, replace “What if?” with “He will.” Which of God’s promises (Jehovah-Rapha, Jireh, etc.) meets your deepest need today?

“Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits—who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion.”
(Psalm 103:2–4, NIV)

Prayer: Confess one area where you’ve doubted God’s promise, then declare it aloud.

Challenge: Circle every “He” or “His” in Psalm 103:1–5—then thank God for each one.

Day 4: Stones from the Jordan’s Heart

Twelve men hauled boulders from the Jordan’s center to Gilgal. These weren’t trophies—they were teaching tools. When children asked, “What do these stones mean?” parents recounted how God split the river. [07:37]

Physical reminders matter. The Israelites’ stones, communion bread, even fingerprints declare: “God was here.” But we often rush past miracles, treating them as coincidences instead of altars.

Place a “memorial stone” in your home—a photo, verse, or object that points to God’s faithfulness. What ordinary item could spark a conversation about His goodness?

“Each of you is to take up a stone on his shoulder…to serve as a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask, ‘What do these stones mean?’ tell them…”
(Joshua 4:5–7, NIV)

Prayer: Ask God to open your eyes to one “stone” of His faithfulness you’ve overlooked.

Challenge: Set a reminder to share a God-story with a family member before bedtime.

Day 5: Bears, Lions, and Giants

David faced Goliath armed with a sling and a testimony: “The Lord rescued me from the lion and the bear—He’ll rescue me now.” Past victories became fuel for the impossible. [31:16]

Your Jordan crossings—healed relationships, survived losses, broken addictions—are training for today’s giants. The enemy wants you to forget how far God’s brought you.

Name your “lion and bear”—specific battles God already won. How might recalling those wins change your approach to current struggles?

“David said to Saul, ‘Your servant has been keeping his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came…I went after it, struck it, and rescued the sheep…The Lord who rescued me…will rescue me.’”
(1 Samuel 17:34–37, NIV)

Prayer: Thank God for a past victory, then ask for courage to face today’s challenge.

Challenge: Write your “lion and bear” story in 3 sentences and save it as a phone note.

Sermon Summary

The joy of the Lord stands as the sustaining power for believers, yet the enemy aims to steal, kill, and destroy what God has given. Combat arises not by passivity but by an intentional discipline: choose to remember. Remembering differs from living in the past; it means deliberately bringing God’s truth back to mind, filtering thoughts by what is pure, noble, true, and praiseworthy. Scripture models this everywhere—memorial stones at the Jordan, priestly ephods with tribal names, the Lord’s Supper, and the Passover all function as divine prompts to recall God’s acts and character.

Forgetting produces spiritual drift. Israel’s complaints in the wilderness reveal how memory loss suppresses gratitude and opens space for fear. In contrast, remembering strengthens identity and resolve. Believers receive a new identity in Christ—chosen, royal, holy—and must rehearse that sonship when shame or failure whispers otherwise. Testimonies and memorials anchor that identity: personal deliverances, healings, providential protections, and everyday wonders testify to God’s faithfulness and sharpen the ability to recognize His voice.

Remembering also includes recollecting God’s promises. The Psalms repeatedly command remembrance of God’s benefits—redemption, healing, provision, and steadfast love. Remembering promises does not bypass suffering; it reframes suffering within covenantal reality so faith perseveres. Obedience plays a complementary role: many of God’s promises move forward through faithful obedience and patient trust. Biblical examples—David recalling past victories before facing Goliath, Abraham’s obedience at the mountain, and the repeated memorials set by Israel—show how memory, identity, and obedience link to God’s provision and deliverance.

Practically, memory becomes a spiritual practice: write down moments of God’s intervention, erect memorials of thanksgiving, share testimonies, and confess covenantal truths aloud. These acts cultivate confidence when new trials arise and prevent the surrender of joy by thoughtless dwelling on lack. Choosing to remember who one is, what God has done, and what He has promised turns memory into an active tool for reclaiming and maintaining joy amid life’s storms.

Key Takeaways

1. Choose to remember every day Remembering must become an active daily discipline rather than a sporadic feeling. Deliberate recollection trains the mind to resist the enemy’s narratives and restores joy by aligning thoughts with God’s reality. Small, repeated acts of memory—journaling, prayerful meditation, speaking truth aloud—rewire responses to fear and disappointment. [02:17]
2. Remember who you are Identity in Christ reorients shame into sonship and daughterhood, granting access to the Father not earned but received. Rehearsing the truth of being chosen, royal, and holy breaks the enemy’s lies that induce hiding or exile. Anchoring identity in adoption fuels faithful choices when failure tempts retreat. [11:23]
3. Remember what God has done Cataloging past deliverances and daily mercies trains discernment of God’s voice and builds courage to face new giants. Memorials and testimonies function like spiritual landmarks that redirect memory from scarcity to providence. Frequent remembrance reshapes perception so faith interprets present trials through God’s record of faithfulness. [19:38]
4. Remember his promises and obey Covenantal promises provide a framework for hope, but their fulfillment often requires obedient perseverance. Remembering God’s names and benefits compels confession, patient waiting, and actions aligned with God’s commands. Obedience positions believers to receive provision and vindication when God’s timing unfolds. [25:29]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:24] - The enemy’s intent described
[02:17] - Choose to remember
[02:34] - Remembering vs living in the past
[06:16] - Scripture shows remembering’s importance
[06:33] - Memorials at the Jordan and tabernacle
[11:23] - Identity: who believers are
[17:35] - Remember what God has done
[25:29] - Remember God’s promises
[34:24] - Obedience and provision (Abraham)
[40:05] - Practical steps to remember
[44:44] - Call to choose remembrance

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
- John 10:10 (ESV): "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly."
- 1 Peter 2:9 (ESV): "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light."
- Psalm 103:1-5 (ESV): "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s."

Observation Questions

In John 10:10, what two contrasting purposes are described (the thief’s vs. Jesus’)?
According to 1 Peter 2:9, what four identities are given to believers?
Psalm 103:1-5 lists specific benefits of God. Name three actions God takes for His people in these verses.
The sermon mentions memorials like stones at the Jordan (Joshua 4) and the Lord’s Supper. What purpose do these serve? [06:33]

Interpretation Questions

Why might the enemy’s tactics (steal, kill, destroy) specifically target joy and identity? How does remembering who we are disrupt his plans? [11:23]
How does forgetting God’s past faithfulness lead to fear or complaining, as seen in Israel’s wilderness stories? [09:49]
Psalm 103 commands us to “forget not all his benefits.” Why is intentional remembrance tied to worship (“bless the Lord”)?
The sermon connects obedience to experiencing God’s promises (e.g., Abraham’s sacrifice). Why is obedience often a prerequisite for provision? [34:24]

Application Questions

What practical step could you take this week to “write down moments of God’s intervention” in your life, as suggested in the sermon? [20:55]
When have you felt shame or failure whisper, “You’re not worthy”? How can rehearsing your identity in Christ (chosen, royal, holy) shift your response?
Share a specific time God protected or provided for you. How could recalling that story strengthen your faith in a current challenge? [19:38]
Is there a promise from Scripture you struggle to believe right now? What small act of obedience could you take to align with that promise?
The sermon warns against “programmed” focus on lack or brokenness. What daily habit could help you intentionally dwell on God’s goodness instead? [04:45]
How might sharing a personal testimony of God’s faithfulness encourage someone else this week? Who needs to hear your story?

Sermon Clips

42s

#RememberYourCalling

“Watch. Think about this for a second. David looks and says, when I was a shepherd in my father's field now, it's interesting he says, when I was a shepherd, because that's already past tense, because he remembered who he was and what he was anointed to be. That's number one. Then he looks and they look and he answers and says, well, when a lion came and took one of my sheep, or when a bear came and took one of my sheep, I chased that sucker down, grabbed it by the beard, slayed it, and took my sheep back. And this giant will be like one of them. He remembered what God had done, and he went to fight Goliath remembering the promise.”

30s

#LovedNotShamed

“And we go back, and and and and and we go back with the tail tucked between our our legs thinking we're not worthy, we're full of shame, and the Lord sees us, and hugs us and runs after us and restores us. We've got to remember who we are. If you've made Jesus the Lord of your life, there's nothing you can do that God is gonna push you. You're now a son. You're a daughter, and we have to remember that. We have to remember that. Remember who you are.”

43s

#KeepDeclaringFaith

“some of you in this place right now or watching online, you might be fighting for your marriage. Don't give up on it. Remember what God has joined together. No man will separate. No circumstance will separate. You might be fighting for your children. Remember that God says that he protects your children, that he guards your children, that he watches over your children. Some of you right now, you're dealing with a crisis in your health. Remember what he says, that by his stripes, you have been healed. Remember the promise. Oh, but pastor, when will I see it? I don't know, but keep believing. Keep declaring it. Keep saying it over and over and over.”

49s

#ChooseToBelieve

“Some of us were stuck in a place right now where we're in unbelief or disbelief or doubt for our healing because we know someone else that prayed for it and didn't receive it. I know so many people that have told me, no, don't wanna believe in God anymore, or I don't believe in God anymore because my aunt prayed for healing and she died. Where was God? But when you remember that you are a son, that you are a daughter, even when things have happened that painful, when I remember that he's still with me and getting me through it, I can continue to believe for what he will do tomorrow. But it's a choice. It's a choice”

49s

#DoThisInRemembrance

“We just did the Lord's Supper. And part of what Jesus said when he instituted the Lord's Supper communion, he said, do this in remembrance as me. As often as you drink it, it's remembering that I broke my body for you, that I shed my blood for you. These are examples of God showing the importance of what happens when we remember. The Passover, which is what was celebrated right at that Lord's Supper when Jesus then dies on the cross, Passover was something that was set up to remember what God did and how he brought the children of Israel out of Egypt. Over and over throughout all of scripture, you see God institute the importance of remembering.”

34s

#RestorationNotRejection

“Man, I don't know if you've hit rock bottom in your life, but when you're desiring to eat what the pigs eat, there ain't much lower. You can go. So he begins to say and rehearse in his mind, you know what? I'm no longer a son. I've messed this up. That's the lie of the enemy in our lives when we've messed up and when we've sinned. He's like, he he starts rehearsing it. I'm no longer worthy to be a son. I'm gonna go back and say, just hire me as a servant. Let me be an employee. And there's some of us that we're in that place where, like, you know, I've messed it up, and and we think we've lost our sonship.”

33s

#StonesOfRemembrance

“Many times we remember the miracle of the Red Sea. Right? We've read the story. We've seen the the the movies of prince of Egypt, let my people go. We seen that Moses gets there. He puts the staff out, the Red Sea parts. And people sometimes don't realize there's other parts of scripture where God did the same thing, the Jordan River being one of them. And in that moment, everybody saw that God's anointing now rested on Joshua. But this is what God tells Joshua, get one leader from each of the tribe and have them put out a stone as a memorial.”

44s

#NamesOnStones

“Get one of these stones from the middle of the water and erect them all together that when your children ask, what is this? You can tell them about what I did at the Jordan. This is what God was telling them, make something a memorial. We think about other things where God does that. When they're building the tabernacle in Exodus, and God's giving all of the instructions for the tabernacle, when they go to make the priestly garments, there was an ephod that had to be built that had all of these stones on it. And the bible says that God told them on each stone, write down the name of the children or of the tribes of Israel as a remembrance.”

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Choose to Remember

Devotional

Day 1: Lions and Royal Priests

Day 2: Manna and Memorial Stones

Day 3: Benefits We Can’t Forget

Day 4: Stones from the Jordan’s Heart

Day 5: Bears, Lions, and Giants

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Choose to Remember

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