As I walked through my house one morning, the Lord spoke one simple sentence to me. He said, “It’s time for the new.”
Of course, it reminded me of a scripture in Isaiah 43.
Isaiah 43:18-19 says, “Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.”
I love the way it reads in the Passion Bible…
Stop dwelling on the past.
Don’t even remember these former things.
I am doing something brand new, something unheard of.
Even now it sprouts and grows and matures.
Don’t you perceive it?
I will make a way in the wilderness and open up flowing streams in the desert.
God is saying, “It’s time for the new, can you believe it? Can you perceive it? Brother Norvel Hayes always told me, “If you can see it, you can have it.” He was referring to seeing it with your heart, seeing it with your spiritual eyes. Believing it before you see it with your natural eyes. This is of course biblically based.
However, the opposite is also true; if we can’t believe it in our heart – we may never see it with our eyes.
For most of us, one vital part to believing it is to completely let go of the past – especially past disappointments. You can’t look back and move forward at the same time. You must choose – we all must choose.
I love how Paul says it in Philippians; I don’t depend on my own strength to accomplish this; however, I do have one compelling focus: I forget all of the past as I fasten my heart to the future instead. I run straight for the divine invitation of reaching the heavenly goal and gaining the victory-prize through the anointing of Jesus. Philippians 3:13-14
His focus is on forgetting the past and focusing only on the future. The one God has for us in Jeremiah 29:11; “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.”
I admit, this is not easy to do, especially when we walk through hard seasons – but it is possible and God will give us the grace to do it, if we only ask Him.
I don’t know what you have walked through over the past few years – but I do know this, if you are reading this you have continued to seek God and He is right there beside you. You apparently have continued to trust Him and seek His face.
Now, He is saying to you, “It’s time to step into the new. Can you see it? Can you feel it?” It’s all around us, even in the atmosphere. It is time for the new.” It’s time for seasons to change and I for one, am more than ready for it.
In my part of the world, it seems like Fall isn’t ever going to get here even though on the calendar this week it is the beginning of Fall. Still, it is 90 degrees and feels like summer is going to go on and on. I, for one, am ready for Fall.
Some seasons feel the same way, don’t they? You may be standing in faith for a manifestation of the healing power of God that was purchased at the cross. You may be standing in faith for the salvation of a loved one.
Whatever it is, it may seem like the battle is going on and on – it will never end. But it will end. God has already had the final say and victory is assured – our job is to stand firm in faith.
We must SEE the new – with our heart – with our spiritual eyes. We must, like Abraham, be fully persuaded that what God has promised, He will perform. His Word will not fail. It will come to pass.
Today I want to encourage you to open your heart to the new. Focus, like Paul, on the future and the good things God has in store for you. Let go of past hurts, fears and disappointments and lay hold of what the Bible says belongs to you and your family. Expect something good today! Get up every single day and declare, “God, I know You are good – therefore I expect good to come my way today, I see it and I thank You for it.”
Yes, it’s time for the new…will we lay hold of it and walk in it? It’s up to us.
