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. Isaiah 43:19
This is one of my favorite scriptures! It is our foundational scripture for this ministry. I am always excited when God says He is ready to do a new thing. I think we all are.
I was meditating on this scripture today when the Lord led me to read up a few scriptures.
What led to God announcing He was doing a new thing? Let’s take a look.
Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old. Isaiah 43:18
Aha! If we want to see God do a new thing in our life, could there be something we have to do first? Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old.
Many of us are delayed or hindered from the new thing. Why? Because we can’t let go of the past. We continue to remember the former things. We remember the hard season we walked through. Or we remember the people who disappointed us. We remember those who hurt, abused or betrayed us.
The word remember in this verse is an interesting word.
It means to recall, to bring to mind, to mention, to record, to remind yourself over and over again.
This is what I see people doing who are stuck in the past. They continually bring the past to their mind. They think of it way too often. They talk about it more than that talk about God or what God is doing. They remind themselves constantly. It is like a recording going over and over in their mind. It shouldn’t be this way.
Philippians 3:13 says; Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead,
Philippians 4:8 says; Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy–meditate on these things.
If we are going to see God do a new thing in our life, two things may be necessary. To forget what lies behind. Forget those who hurt you, who betrayed you. Forget the mistakes you made. If you have repented, it is washed away. Forget the failures. Forget it all and press forward in God.
Secondly, we must think on good things. Think on the truth. The truth is, it is behind you, stop rehearsing it in your mind and in your conversations. Just stop. Press forward. Begin to declare what God says about your future. Stand on His word and His promises to you. Press forward.
I truly believe we are in a season where God is indeed doing a new thing! I am excited about this season. My question to you today is are you looking forward or behind?
Press forward to all God has for you. You simply can’t look behind and forward at the same time. It’s time for a new thing. It’s time to remember not the former things, to instead press forward into the new thing.
