Spiritual Reset

Blessed new year. I can't believe it's 2020 will read what a great opportunity. God has given us to close 2000 on to strong for the work of the kingdom. I am so glad that God has moved so many of you to participate. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your support for your encouragement and for your friends welcome to leading the way with pastor and International Bible teacher, Dr. Michael you sent. If you're unfamiliar with Dr. Michael yourself are leading the way, you can learn more@ltw.org today is the beginning of a new year so appropriately. Dr. Yousef takes you to the apostle Paul's challenge to embrace the future that God has for you is a message he's called spiritual reset.

Let's listen as Dr. Michael yourself begins with the Philippians chapter 3 and I want to look at verses 13 and 14 umbrella translated like a homespun translation. It's a All-Stars or use of translations or a promise you is accurate is what the apostle Paul is saying I'm going to put it in context.

In a minute. Brethren, I count not myself to have made it ever made it yet reached. But one thing that I do is obviously the one thing that occupies his mind.

The one thing that are constantly impacting every aspect of his life.

The one thing I do is forget those things about in my past and I strained forward Army strenuously hard.

I strained forward to the future. I pressed hard toward the goal of the finishing line, the prize of the high calling in Christ Jesus. Listen carefully is what he said rather than dwelling on the past, whether it is failure or success makes no difference. By all means learn from the past and don't live in it.

By all means, let the past propel you forward not pull you back by all means glean lessons from the past but don't bask in it. In fact, the apostle Paul's lesson to all of us are your pastor is included for getting or letting go of the past and striving forward with every energy with every ounce of energy that I have toward the future, should not be one of many things that we do, but should be the one thing that impacts on everything that we do an all-time preacher used to say.

The apostle Paul said one thing I do, the average Christian traverses the 20 things I Dublin I couldn't agree more.

Why is that the one thing for the apostle Paul that he focuses on that he allows it to be the driving force for all his decisions, for all his life. Why is that the one thing that he pushes for not think with your grandmother explained to you why because I know you agree that the apostle Paul single-handedly accomplish more for the work of God for the gospel of Jesus Christ than anybody else, including the 12 disciples who walked and lived with Jesus for three years right deep thinking with me okay I'm getting somewhere if Paul was like many of us who tends to live in the past if he allowed his past sins.

If he allowed his past blaspheming of the name of Jesus to weigh him down if he constantly lived with the past guilt of persecuting Christians to be heavy on his heart. If you continuously allow that vision in his mind, which was very visual to him of standing there holding the close of Stephen the very first Christian martyr and he was there literally participate.

He was there watching his long-lost stone that came and hit him in the end of his life. Just think about this if you allow that vision to continue in his life he would be living in nightmares and day out, he would have been hardly paralyzed from doing anything that's worthwhile. He would've been prevented from doing what he did in the power of God and that is impacted the whole world with the gospel of Jesus Christ, not only in his day, but even to this day, but he also knew that the forgetfulness of the past or letting go of the past moving forward from the past or letting the sin of the past go by or being cleansed from the horrors of the past, whatever they may be.

He knew that this only can take place because of God's forgiveness, love it, please listen to me when selling our sins confessed one sin or sends unrepented off when sins are covered by the blood of Jesus Christ must be forgot his Akamai riser for my member. I want to show you all are sure how it works every time you're reminded of your past sins of what you confessed and repented of you will immediately remind yourself that you are forgiven that those sins are forgotten by God, by the way, it is not enough to just let go of the past because there could be a very dangerous place, but your mind, your heart you member your spirit must be refilled in those empty places that have been forgotten and forgiven. How by continuously filling your mouth with praise and the promises of God by continuously feeding your mind on the promises of God are forgiveness and renewal by continuously allowing your thoughts to dwell on the love of God by continuously allowing your fostered wealth on the grace of God and the mercy of God.

Let me repeat it is not enough to just try to forget the past but your strength forward and you see that in the formula. He says that's what he was doing is not only a let go of the past, but I strained forward with every ounce of energy I strained forward toward the future and I believe the image here that the apostle Paul gives us his image of a marathon runner believe that all the Greek culture and there were everywhere.

Collinson F and seven way what marathon running was a big deal and I think that's the image that he has in his mind. Here, because a serious marathon runner cannot afford one second delay because a one second delay can mean the difference between winning and losing. And so the runner does not waste one second of time looking for the right or looking to the left leg, glancing to see how far he is from his opponent. He cannot afford as second of delay.

Looking at the sky admiring the blue sky he can afford he has to keep his eyewear on the finishing line to keep his thoughts on the upcoming trophy. He keeps his attention squarely on the finishing line now. I believe the apostle Paul has a very clear objective. You list all of us, including your pastor how to face an uncertain future. I believe it was only that's the intention of the verse here and I think most people in there almost a moment when I really, come clean with God. Most people are apprehensive about the future. Different things play different people. In fact, that is why they look back on this day back because apprehensive about the future of the truth is this. Listen carefully. Most people anxious about something in the future will be about their children and children's future with OB about the economy of house, going to fair next year or other jobs whether there still have a job with health of the financial security and list goes on and on and on and on Nimrod because uncertain about the future.

Plagues a lot of people. It really does. But listen to me for the child of God who has placed his or her complete trust in Jesus Christ need not be afraid of the future and one of the reasons is one of the keys to do that is to let go of the past. There is nothing that will happen to you, which is not already foreseen by your heavenly father, God sees the future as a present reality. And God said, I knew you before you were formed in the womb. He knows you know when your little baby. He knows you when you knows what happens before it happens. The questions how do you face uncertain future by trusting that the same God, the same heavenly father who protected you in the past with all of its grief and pain and joy. The one who took care of you of the past. He is going to take care of the present and the future and that is why pulsing press forward. I strained my click forward, eyes strenuously importing every energy in this doing work keeping his eyes on the end of the race. If you train yourself to keep you thoughts on the finishing line. Those of you hear me long enough to know is what I call the audience of one.

Everyone of us don't have that audience of one. Keep your eyes on the finishing line. Keep your eyes on the audience of one. And when you keep your eye on this finishing line on the keeper on the prize you not gonna waste your time is running on the trash that you see along the road, but think Paul said all of the great honors that he had accomplished and achieved, he calls them trash that you worsen for them to focus on the trash. No matter how valuable, for in the eyes of the world with might be you are not going to stop to entertain the spectators can't talk to them, how are you hey how my home doing yeah I get praise from the crowd.

Nothing on let them go. You are not gonna look up and become a stargazer.

No, when you are pressing strenuously toward the goal. You're not going to waste your time on trivia you're gonna waste your time on things that are passing in a gonna waste your time on losses of things.

Things you're gonna waste your time on your critics. There will always be there. You're not gonna waste your time on your detractors. There will always be there all those who hate you for whatever the reason might be. Paul said no, I refuse to do this but the one thing I do I keep pressing to the finishing line.

I keep pressing the finishing line. Someone said if you aim at nothing you emotionally hit it. I couldn't agree more. Beloved, you'll finish line. My finish line is that audience of one am telling you about on the final day. Therefore, don't look at the past it's already been forgiven is under the blood of Jesus is like order to move used to say Jesus have thrown your sins into the deepest sea and you better not go fishing for them.

Don't look to the sideline put blinders on, refuse to look back because if you do gonna stumble most certainly don't stumble and fall in Luke chapter 9 verse 61 the Lord Jesus tells something that is really very similar to what Paul is saying here news I will.

Where did Paul get his idea got it from Jesus. Members spend years trying to learn what did Jesus say probably debriefed the writers of the Gospels before we brought the stuff that he was anxious to not everything that Jesus settled it and he was listening to James.

He was listening to the other apostle disciples. Paul learned this stuff from Jesus son Luke said that Jesus told Freeman to follow him on the gonna focus on all of them just one followed by what this man said are you all will father you, but let me go first home and say goodbye to my family reasonable request, and to think you're great is a reasonable request by Jesus who knew all things Jesus who knew all hearts. Jesus, when you all loaded for. No, not one who puts his hand on the plat and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God is fit for the service of God is not that harsh yeah political correct society uses very harsh really know see the plow is pulled by a strong and wild ox. If you are not holding that thing with every ounce of your attention and energy you are you gonna really be dead meat you take your aisles that ox you could literally crush you controlling and managing of that ox that is pulling the plow should be a total forward looking and complete concentration. Listen to me. Please our Lord knew that this particular man is prone to look back and stay back. Lord knew that this particular man if he had not moved swiftly.

He will never succeed.

Beloved, listen, I know and you know that many of us want to go back to the past, whatever the past might be an Jesus is saying what Paul is teaching us today, namely please, please, please, whatever you do, strained following.

Can I get an amen. Please whatever you do don't look back. Don't go back. Don't waste your time on the past whatever is in this regard to fail past failures of past successes or pastoral judgments of past wrong decisions that you have made a pass wrong choices or past wrong action straightforward. Strive forward in the Bible gives us many examples of those who have looked back and stayed back Dimas was a companion of the apostle Paul, but he went back and Paul says he loved the present age. John Martinville later on accomplish great things, but in the early days of his ministry he went with Paul and Barnabas on the first missionary journey but he got cold feet they got homesick and as I wanted all possible. You go home and be with me again. I wonder how many of us today. Hence, between you and got you caught and what I called the retrospective glance. Only you know, only you know when the great apostle Paul said forgetting what lies behind it means forgetting everything everything then pass that is evil. Everything that is questionable. Everything that is improper. Everything that is sinful. Everything that is hurtful. Everything that is ever done in his hall of life that is displeasing to the Lord. Everything. But not only that, he also talks about every achievements in the past. Are you with me saying that is a sumptuous look what I did back then and they stay there this day. There and on straightforward.

Sometimes, my beloved friends. Past successes can hamper us just as much, as past failures resulted to him regarding this one. Whatever your past, you must deliberately and definitively bring it and throw it in the deepest sea for that's exactly what God did with them. But there's more. There's more effect to the whole of mortal sin on the subject, but I've got a limited time, you need to be willing to burn past bridges.

These bridges that constantly beckoning you to come back to the old territories that you have walked away from long time ago. Or maybe just short time ago burn the bridge is safe with me. One of the most encouraging stories of ministers to me from the Scripture is what the prophet Elisha did Elisha is different from a larger and a lot of people confuse the two. Elisha, can you say that with me. The lash Elisha was called by his predecessor, the prophet Elijah.

The called of God to come and succeed him in the prophetic call Elisha was a farmer who was forming a small piece of land.

When the prophet Elijah called him to follow him and then Eliza, if you remember he was propelled into heaven, he did not die 1919 first Kings when Elisha heeded the call of God in his life. He did something amazing, something amazing in order to burn all of these bridges to the past in order to avoid being pulled back to the old life is filled a big barbecue big party big barbecue invited his neighbors and his friends anybody will come at this barbecue and he barbecued the ox that he was using it as far as the fire come from the fire came from the wooden implements that hung on the ox and pulled the plow.

He put back and for the fire. I got a barbecue grill everything that held into the past. Call burn consumed the bridges all pledges of the past were gone. I believe with all my heart. This is what the Lord Jesus had in mind here when he said to this man. No, one who puts his hand on the plow and looks back is fit for the service of God on ask you some questions and I want to transfer mail out. Do you want to do great things for the Lord in the coming year. Do you want to be used of God mightily in a mighty way somehow in the coming year.

Do you want to live in victory.

Do you want to be set free from whatever the past might be begin by burning your past bridges. All the bridges that keep taking you back to the old territories that are unpleasing to the Lord, burn them today literally literally.

Elisha not only was willing to accept the call of God, but he burned the bridges that connected him to the past life and you know what God performed almost us twice as many miracles through Elisha that he did so. Elijah, my beloved, if it is gold that is keeping you from straining forward toward God's goal for your life.

The golden chain.

If it's a sense of reputation that is holding you back becoming nobody for Christ's sake. It is pride of your own wisdom you must be willing to become a fool for Jesus. If it is a devotion to pleasure, then you must be willing to sacrifice it and keep on sacrificing the price if it is an unwholesome relationship that does not belong in your life then you must firmly decisively walk away from that relationship. Whatever bridges that are holding you back and constantly beckoning you to come back burner today you listening to leading the way with encouragement from Dr. Michael yourself to cut any chains that are holding experience spiritual respect nephew were challenged by this message and encourage someone you want to listen they can listen on the radio they can listen online or through the leading the way, or even with their smart home technology. You can learn more about all of these and LTW.org wasn't 2019, a monumental year it was for leading the way and as this ministry expands to vision 2025 now moving into 2020 no doubt that she will be even more exciting as we see God lead and reach many with the message of Jesus was so thankful to all of you who participated in our giving challenge last month you step out in faith for what's ahead this year and beyond, and in order to learn more about the growth opportunities and to experience lives changed. We would like to encourage you to subscribe to Dr. Yousef's monthly magazine. It's called my journal in my journal you'll find personal challenging words from Dr. yourself content about the gospel and how it's making a difference.

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