Embracing New Beginnings: Trusting God for Growth
Summary
In today's message, we explored the theme of moving forward and embracing the new things God has for us. Drawing from Philippians 3:13-14, we are reminded of the Apostle Paul's encouragement to forget what lies behind and press on toward what lies ahead. This is a call to never stop growing in our faith and to let go of past mistakes, guilt, and disappointments that hinder our spiritual journey. Paul, despite his spiritual maturity, acknowledged that he had not yet arrived, which gives us hope and motivation to continue striving for spiritual growth.
We also delved into Isaiah 43:19, where God promises to do a new thing in our lives. This requires us to believe and speak faith-filled words, even when we find ourselves in ruts or facing obstacles. The story of the Israelites in Exodus 15 serves as a powerful illustration of this. After experiencing miraculous deliverance through the Red Sea, they faced the bitter waters of Marah. This new challenge required a fresh faith and trust in God, who turned their barrier into a blessing by making the waters sweet.
The message encourages us to trust God when we encounter bitter waters in our own lives. These trials are opportunities for our faith to be tested and refined, much like gold in the fire. We are reminded that God can turn our pain into power and our barriers into blessings. By trusting in His promises and relying on His guidance, we can navigate through life's challenges with confidence and hope.
As we step into a new year, we are called to embrace the new things God is doing in our lives. This involves letting go of past failures and embracing fresh faith for new barriers. God is working in us, giving us the desire and power to do what pleases Him. Let us be open to new revelations, opportunities, and ways to serve and love others as we walk out our calling.
Key Takeaways:
1. Never Stop Growing: Just as Paul acknowledged his ongoing journey of growth, we too must continue to strive for spiritual maturity. Letting go of past mistakes and disappointments allows us to move forward in faith and embrace the new things God has for us. [43:53]
2. Embrace New Beginnings: Isaiah 43:19 reminds us that God is doing a new thing in our lives. To see it, we must believe it and speak faith-filled words. This requires us to look forward and not get stuck in past patterns or ruts. [45:19]
3. Trust God in Trials: The story of the Israelites at Marah teaches us to trust God when facing new obstacles. These trials refine our faith and can turn barriers into blessings if we rely on God's guidance and intervention. [48:54]
4. God Turns Pain into Power: Life's challenges can be opportunities for growth and transformation. By trusting God, we can turn our pain into power and our trials into testimonies of His faithfulness. [55:47]
5. Fresh Faith for New Barriers: As we enter a new year, we need fresh faith to face new challenges. God is working in us, giving us the strength and desire to fulfill His purposes. Embrace the new things He is doing and trust Him to guide you through. [01:00:53]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:45] - Introduction and Recap
- [03:00] - Forgetting the Past
- [05:30] - Embracing New Beginnings
- [08:00] - The Story of Marah
- [10:30] - Trusting God in Trials
- [13:00] - Turning Pain into Power
- [15:30] - Fresh Faith for New Barriers
- [18:00] - God's Promises and Guidance
- [20:30] - Embracing New Opportunities
- [23:00] - Closing Prayer and Blessing
- [25:00] - Offering and Final Encouragement
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
1. Philippians 3:13-14
2. Isaiah 43:19
3. Exodus 15:22-25
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Observation Questions:
1. What does the Apostle Paul emphasize about his spiritual journey in Philippians 3:13-14? How does this relate to the idea of forgetting the past? [43:53]
2. In Isaiah 43:19, what new thing does God promise to do, and what is required from us to perceive it? [45:19]
3. Describe the situation the Israelites faced at Marah in Exodus 15:22-25. How did God intervene in their situation? [48:54]
4. How does the sermon illustrate the concept of turning pain into power using the story of the Israelites? [55:47]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. Why does Paul stress the importance of forgetting past mistakes and disappointments in Philippians 3:13-14? How might this help believers in their spiritual growth? [43:53]
2. What does it mean to "speak faith-filled words" as mentioned in Isaiah 43:19, and how can this impact one's spiritual journey? [45:19]
3. How does the story of the Israelites at Marah serve as a metaphor for facing new challenges in life? What lessons can be drawn from their experience? [48:54]
4. In what ways can trials and barriers be seen as opportunities for spiritual growth, according to the sermon? [55:47]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a past mistake or disappointment that you need to let go of. How can you actively work on releasing it to move forward in your faith journey? [43:53]
2. Identify a current challenge or "bitter water" in your life. How can you apply the lesson from the Israelites' experience at Marah to trust God in this situation? [48:54]
3. What are some practical ways you can start speaking faith-filled words in your daily life? How might this change your perspective on current challenges? [45:19]
4. Consider a time when you felt stuck in a rut. What steps can you take to embrace the new things God is doing in your life, as encouraged in Isaiah 43:19? [45:19]
5. How can you cultivate fresh faith to face new barriers this year? What specific actions can you take to strengthen your trust in God's promises? [01:00:53]
6. Think of a recent trial you faced. How did it refine your faith, and what did you learn about God's faithfulness through it? [55:47]
7. As you step into a new year, what new opportunities or ways to serve others do you feel God is calling you to embrace? How can you prepare yourself to respond to these opportunities? [01:10:12]
Devotional
I'm ready to provide the 5-day devotional based on the steps outlined. Here it is:
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Day 1: Continuous Spiritual Growth
Description: Spiritual growth is a lifelong journey, as exemplified by the Apostle Paul in Philippians 3:13-14. Despite his spiritual maturity, Paul acknowledged that he had not yet reached his ultimate goal, encouraging believers to forget what lies behind and press on toward what lies ahead. This involves letting go of past mistakes, guilt, and disappointments that can hinder one's spiritual journey. By doing so, individuals can embrace the new things God has for them and continue to grow in their faith. [43:53]
Isaiah 40:31 (ESV): "But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint."
Reflection: What past mistake or disappointment do you need to let go of today to move forward in your spiritual journey?
Day 2: Embracing God's New Work
Description: Isaiah 43:19 reminds us that God is doing a new thing in our lives, and to perceive it, we must believe and speak faith-filled words. This requires looking forward and not getting stuck in past patterns or ruts. Embracing new beginnings involves trusting in God's promises and being open to the new opportunities He presents. By doing so, believers can experience the transformative work of God in their lives. [45:19]
2 Corinthians 5:17 (ESV): "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come."
Reflection: What is one new opportunity or change in your life that you sense God is leading you to embrace?
Day 3: Trusting God in Trials
Description: The story of the Israelites at Marah, as recounted in Exodus 15, teaches us to trust God when facing new obstacles. These trials are opportunities for our faith to be tested and refined, much like gold in the fire. By relying on God's guidance and intervention, believers can turn barriers into blessings. Trusting God in trials requires a fresh faith and a willingness to see challenges as opportunities for growth. [48:54]
James 1:2-4 (ESV): "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."
Reflection: What current trial are you facing, and how can you trust God to turn it into a blessing?
Day 4: Transforming Pain into Power
Description: Life's challenges can be opportunities for growth and transformation. By trusting God, believers can turn their pain into power and their trials into testimonies of His faithfulness. This involves seeing challenges as opportunities for God to work in and through us, refining our character and strengthening our faith. By embracing this perspective, individuals can experience the transformative power of God in their lives. [55:47]
2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (ESV): "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong."
Reflection: How can you allow God to transform a current pain or struggle into a source of strength and testimony?
Day 5: Fresh Faith for New Barriers
Description: As we enter a new year, fresh faith is needed to face new challenges. God is working in us, giving us the strength and desire to fulfill His purposes. Embracing the new things He is doing involves trusting Him to guide us through life's challenges with confidence and hope. By relying on God's promises and being open to new revelations, believers can navigate through life's obstacles with renewed faith. [01:00:53]
Hebrews 11:1 (ESV): "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen."
Reflection: What is one new challenge you are facing this year, and how can you cultivate fresh faith to overcome it?
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Quotes
I want to tell you there's some things you need to leave behind. You got some things that's going to hinder your faith, things going to slow you down, things going to keep you from being what God has called you to be. Now you got some good things in the past too. Hang on to them. But there's some things that need to go. Can I have an amen? We all do. I was listening to a podcast, and this person was talking about resolutions. [00:43:18] (28 seconds)
So God is doing a new thing. Do you really believe this? It's hard to believe it when sometimes we get in the rut, and all of us get in this rut, we keep looking behind, and when we look behind, we can't see what God has in front of us. Now, a couple weeks ago, I should have looked behind because somebody was just getting ready to ram me with their car when I was at a stoplight, and it was slick out, but most of the time, we don't need to look in the rearview mirror. We need to look forward. [00:45:59] (33 seconds)
God wants you to see your potential that he has for you. It's already begun. Believe today that it's going to take you to the next level of faith this year. Just believe it. Just believe that something started. It might have started last week or this week. Believe that something's starting today. Just keep that in your mind. Keep renewing your mind with that. Keep grabbing a hold of these promises we're looking at, for I'm about to do something new. He wants to do something new in your life. [00:46:55] (29 seconds)
God, he can turn your barriers into blessings. They had a barrier. They were moving in the right direction. They were trying to follow after God's will. He brought them through the Red Sea. And now they're saying, why is this happening to me again? They get the water, they got their hopes up, and then the water's bitter. They can't drink the water. God knew the Israelites could never fulfill their destiny of reaching the promised land without trusting him. And he knows that you and I can never fulfill our destiny without trusting him. Trusting him also. [00:53:13] (49 seconds)
See, Jesus can change your bitter waters to sweet. He'll give you a... He'll give you a new perspective on how to live, how to love, and how to forgive, so you won't be stranded in your journey. I want you to get this next part that I'm going to say because I think it's going to help somebody or all of us. If you don't trust God when you face the bitter waters of life, that's as far as you're going to go without being stuck each time. [01:00:28] (37 seconds)
You're just stuck because you have old faith, and God's wanting to give you something new, a new faith for the new barriers, for the new bitter waters, and you haven't grabbed a hold of the new faith yet. All you have to do is reach down and grab a hold of the new faith. Keep feeding. Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Keep coming to church. Keep getting built up. Keep sharing. Keep allowing God to move in your life. He has something new for you. [01:01:19] (24 seconds)
Look at the last words that Jesus spoke before he was taken up to heaven after he rose from the dead. Now, why did Moses believe God, and why did the people not believe God? Moses believed that God was with him. The people thought that God had forgot about him. But look at what Jesus said in your Bible here. In Matthew 28, verse 20, he says, and you can be sure of this, that I am with you always, even to the end of the age. That is a promise for you. [01:02:24] (30 seconds)
Well, something bad happened to Paul. Something bad happened to Peter. Something bad happened to Jesus, but he hadn't abandoned all of them. He just helped them go on through and he's gonna help you go on through. It might not be easy. Sometimes it's gonna be difficult, but if you'll trust God, he's gonna carry you through and he's gonna get some glory because people are gonna look at you and think, how in the world did you get through that? Well, wait a minute. Maybe it was their faith. [01:03:58] (29 seconds)
The reality of the Holy Spirit inside you and the power of the word of God to take some of those promises and make them in your own and begin to walk them out in your life. He's doing a new thing. This is a new year. He started something new in your life and you're not going to be the same. You can't keep looking back to those past failures. Just look back to the past successes and say, Lord, I know you're going to be the same. I know you're going to take me through. I know I've had some barriers. I know I've had some bitter waters. I know I've had some struggles, but I'm going to hang on to you this year. Your rod and your staff, they strengthen me. They comfort me and they give me peace. [01:05:20] (37 seconds)
I'm almost done Philippians 2 .13 for God is working in you so what Paul wrote he was inspired to write it he knew there'd be thousands of people would need this God is working in you giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him and that's what's going to happen in this future you're going to have difficult things but you're going to get through those difficult things and God's going to get the glory God wants to reveal new things to us new revelations from his word I don't want to stay where I was last year I don't want to stay where I was last year new steps to lead and guide us I want to be open to what God has for us new opportunities to share our faith with others and serve others new ways to love the people around us and new ways to walk out the calling that God has for our lives let's believe this together can we? [01:09:28] (57 seconds)
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