I remember riding in my car one night thinking about my ex, I started reminiscing on old memories of what we used to have and I thought about calling to check up on him. The moment it crossed my mind to call, I began to pray in the car. I prayed that God removed all thoughts of my past that were unlike him or not beneficial to my future and that he gave me the strength and will power to never look back or desire to look back unless it was to acknowledge a situation I learned from in my past.
Immediately after my prayer, God brought to my attention the progression I had made since I decided to let go of my relationship with my ex: months of actually building an authentic relationship with God for the first time in my life, months of celibacy, months of being bondage free, months of no drama, months of discovering new underlying layers of who I am as a woman, months of pure happiness, months of healing & restoration, etc. The moment I was able to recognize my progression, I vowed to never look back. Jeopardizing where I had made it in life by looking back to reminisce on all of the sin I had been delivered from seemed like a risk I was not willing to take. That same night, I thanked God for deliverance and progression.
Immediately after my prayer, God brought to my attention the progression I had made since I decided to let go of my relationship with my ex: months of actually building an authentic relationship with God for the first time in my life, months of celibacy, months of being bondage free, months of no drama, months of discovering new underlying layers of who I am as a woman, months of pure happiness, months of healing & restoration, etc. The moment I was able to recognize my progression, I vowed to never look back. Jeopardizing where I had made it in life by looking back to reminisce on all of the sin I had been delivered from seemed like a risk I was not willing to take. That same night, I thanked God for deliverance and progression.
How many of you have ever looked back reminiscing on times or people in your past that you know are not good for you? That ex you used to share so many memories with, that friend you used to be cool with that you no longer associate with, that big mistake you know you made and can’t go back to undo, that addiction that you have overcame and you think about going back to, those traumatic childhood memories that have caused you to put up so many guards in certain areas of your life, etc. We’ve all had our look back moments at some point in time right?
I’m here today to let you know that in your year of 2015 God has requested for me to deliver this simple message: “Don’t Look Back”.
I’m here today to let you know that in your year of 2015 God has requested for me to deliver this simple message: “Don’t Look Back”.
In the bible, the book of Genesis chapters 18-19 tell a story about the city Sodom and Gomorrah. There is so much sin and wickedness happening in the city that God sends two angels down on his behalf to destroy the city. The angels tell Lot to get his family and flee the city because they are going to destroy it. The angels grab Lot, his wife and his two daughters and they lead them safely out of the city. Once they make it out, one of the angels tell Lot and his family to flee for their lives and don’t look back or stop anywhere or they will be swept away with the city.
“But Lot’s wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt” (Genesis 19:26 NIV).
“But Lot’s wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt” (Genesis 19:26 NIV).
When we observe the actions of Lot’s wife, it becomes evident that by looking back or staying stuck on pieces of her past, it limited where God wanted to take her in her future. Because she looked back, she was left behind and therefore missed out on the merciful blessing of escape that God wanted to grant her and her family with.
It is so important that as you start your New Year that you remember not to look back at your past sins unless it is to acknowledge your growth. Looking back for any reason besides that opens up a pathway for possibly going back. Going back to that unhealthy relationship with your ex that God delivered you from, going back to that friend that God has intentionally removed from your life because their season was over, going back trying to fix that mistake that was not meant to be fixed, going back to that addiction that God has set you free from, going back to memories of those traumatic childhood experiences that cause demonic spirits of anger, hurt and pain to arise within you again.
Take a look at what the bible says about going back or returning to your unwise past:
“As a dog returns to its vomit, so fools repeat their folly” (Proverbs 26:11 NIV)
I remember how one day at church my pastor described this verse of the bible as it being like God putting his finger down your throat to make you regurgitate (vomit up) your mess or things that no longer need to be in your life and taking you away from it (delivering you) then you deciding to turn around after time has passed and go back to try and re-digest your own vomit. Although this is a very distasteful image to imagine, I believe that it gets the point across loud and clear.
It is so important that as you start your New Year that you remember not to look back at your past sins unless it is to acknowledge your growth. Looking back for any reason besides that opens up a pathway for possibly going back. Going back to that unhealthy relationship with your ex that God delivered you from, going back to that friend that God has intentionally removed from your life because their season was over, going back trying to fix that mistake that was not meant to be fixed, going back to that addiction that God has set you free from, going back to memories of those traumatic childhood experiences that cause demonic spirits of anger, hurt and pain to arise within you again.
Take a look at what the bible says about going back or returning to your unwise past:
“As a dog returns to its vomit, so fools repeat their folly” (Proverbs 26:11 NIV)
I remember how one day at church my pastor described this verse of the bible as it being like God putting his finger down your throat to make you regurgitate (vomit up) your mess or things that no longer need to be in your life and taking you away from it (delivering you) then you deciding to turn around after time has passed and go back to try and re-digest your own vomit. Although this is a very distasteful image to imagine, I believe that it gets the point across loud and clear.
Looking back for the wrong reasons has the potential to lead you back to a place in your life that is messy and utterly disgusting. Only a fool would compromise their liberation to go back to a place like that and repeat sins in their past. Don’t be that fool.
I want to acknowledge that not looking back is one of those things that is definitely easier said than done for most people. For those of you who may still struggle with looking back even after reading this post, let the dangers of looking back that were mentioned in this post resonate in your mind so that it can be a constant reminder that will keep you thinking about why you should not look back. In addition to that, let your momentary slip ups looking back become an opportunity for you to get closer to God. When you catch yourself looking back, train yourself to immediately stop and begin praying and talking to God. Ask God to shift your focus so that it is aligned with his future plans for you. This typically has the ability to redirect your thoughts and shift your focus back to where it needs to be, ahead and not behind. If you find yourself still struggling begin to surround yourself with people who used to struggle with looking back as well but have learned how to look forth. Being surrounded around the right people has the ability to pull you in the right direction without you even noticing it.
Bottom line, you have to do whatever best works for you but whatever you do, in 2015 don't look back.
I want to acknowledge that not looking back is one of those things that is definitely easier said than done for most people. For those of you who may still struggle with looking back even after reading this post, let the dangers of looking back that were mentioned in this post resonate in your mind so that it can be a constant reminder that will keep you thinking about why you should not look back. In addition to that, let your momentary slip ups looking back become an opportunity for you to get closer to God. When you catch yourself looking back, train yourself to immediately stop and begin praying and talking to God. Ask God to shift your focus so that it is aligned with his future plans for you. This typically has the ability to redirect your thoughts and shift your focus back to where it needs to be, ahead and not behind. If you find yourself still struggling begin to surround yourself with people who used to struggle with looking back as well but have learned how to look forth. Being surrounded around the right people has the ability to pull you in the right direction without you even noticing it.
Bottom line, you have to do whatever best works for you but whatever you do, in 2015 don't look back.
Prayer:
Heavenly father,
We thank you for being such an omnipotent God. Thank you for carrying and keeping us through another year. As we start anew for 2015, we ask that you keep our minds focused on what’s ahead and not behind. We never want the dwelling of our past to hinder the plans that you have for us in our future so we pray for full equipment this year. Equip us with a shield of protection that prevents our past from colliding with our future unless it is aligned in your will. Equip us with the will power to never look back unless it is to testify to a lesson we have learned. Equip us with a new frame of mind that stays focused on you. Equip us with fresh perspectives on life and a fresh anointing in everything we do.
Let your mercy shower down on us right now so that we are forgiven for every sin in our past.
As we proceed through our future, we come against any demonic spirits of our past that may try to arrest us throughout the year and bind them in the name of Jesus. We ask that you cover us as you promised you would in Isaiah 54:17 (NKJV), and let no weapon formed against us prosper throughout the year.
Elevate us God and take us to higher heights in every area of our lives. In Jesus name we pray, Amen.
Heavenly father,
We thank you for being such an omnipotent God. Thank you for carrying and keeping us through another year. As we start anew for 2015, we ask that you keep our minds focused on what’s ahead and not behind. We never want the dwelling of our past to hinder the plans that you have for us in our future so we pray for full equipment this year. Equip us with a shield of protection that prevents our past from colliding with our future unless it is aligned in your will. Equip us with the will power to never look back unless it is to testify to a lesson we have learned. Equip us with a new frame of mind that stays focused on you. Equip us with fresh perspectives on life and a fresh anointing in everything we do.
Let your mercy shower down on us right now so that we are forgiven for every sin in our past.
As we proceed through our future, we come against any demonic spirits of our past that may try to arrest us throughout the year and bind them in the name of Jesus. We ask that you cover us as you promised you would in Isaiah 54:17 (NKJV), and let no weapon formed against us prosper throughout the year.
Elevate us God and take us to higher heights in every area of our lives. In Jesus name we pray, Amen.