God is a God of new beginnings!

I experienced a powerful new beginning in 1977 when I said “Yes!” to God and “No” to my old way of life. He delivered me from addiction to drugs and alcohol and set me on a new path. I clearly remember that day when He spoke to me, “I give you a new life, free from the bonds of iniquity.”

Another new beginning came in 2005 when the Lord called Susan and me out of pastoral work into this evangelistic ministry. It was a huge transition in our lives, which was not without some trauma and birth pains.

New beginnings are not always easy. They require faith, and a willingness to change. But new beginnings are necessary to bring you into your destiny. You must be willing to move with God if you want God to move with you.

I have been thinking a lot about new beginnings as we have been preparing for our move to Scandia, Minnesota. It, too, has not been without trauma and birth pains. But I see a brighter future. I see the promised land! I see a new beginning for us, for our family, for our ministry. As the great missionary to India, William Carey said, “The future is as bright as the promises of God.”

To accomplish great things for God, we must be visionaries. We must see the future. We must walk by faith.

God planned a new beginning for Israel when they were enslaved under Pharaoh’s hand down in Egypt. He brought them out of Egypt to bring them into a brighter future in the promised land.

As I look at Israel’s journey from Egypt to the promised land, I see four major steps that they took. Let’s look at them.

1. They got under the blood. Nothing can be accomplished without the blood. As the scripture says, “… without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. (Hebrews 9:22, MEV) When God began to bring Israel out of Egypt, He first instituted the Passover. A lamb was slain for each household and the blood was placed on the doorposts of their houses. The firstborn children of all of Egypt died that night, but Israel was protected. They were under the blood, and we know that the precious blood of Christ has been shed for us!
2. They were delivered from their past. As a result of the judgment on the firstborn, Pharaoh expelled Israel from Egypt and they began the journey into their new beginning. But when Egypt realized that their slave labor force was gone, and they were going to have to work for a living, they pursued Israel to bring them back to Egypt. But God used the opportunity to deliver Israel, once and for all, from their oppressors. Moses stretched forth his rod of authority and God split the Red Sea and Israel went through on dry ground. When Egypt pursued Israel through the sea, Moses once again stretched forth his rod, and Pharaoh and his army were swallowed up in the Red Sea. Israel began to sing, “… I will sing unto the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.” (Exodus 15:1, AV)
3. They had to change their thinking. Israel was riding high after the victory at the Red Sea, but their joy turned to sorrow when Moses sent men into the promised land to spy out the land. Of the 12 spies, 10 came back with an evil report, Caleb and Joshua being the exception. There are giants in the land, they proclaimed, and the people feared. Caleb and Joshua, however, said, “Let’s go up at once and possess it, for we are well able to overcome it.” But Israel believed the evil report and was defeated before they started. They wanted to return to Egypt, where everything was provided for them. God had brought them out of Egypt, but the more difficult task was getting Egypt out of them. They were still had a slave mentality, and as a result they spent their lives going around in circles waiting to die.
4. They possessed their possessions. After that generation had passed away, the men of faith, Joshua and Caleb, were still alive, and ready to go up and possess the land with the new generation, God had given Israel the land 40 years before, but now they finally were ready to possess it. There were battles to fight and cities to conquer, but because they believed the Word of God acted upon it, their enemies fell before them. It is one thing to know that you have something, but another to actually possess it by faith. Likewise, we must act upon what we believe and take hold of what God has given us to fulfill our destiny. 

We have a choice! We can live as slaves to the past and wander aimlessly through life, or we can go possess all that God has for us. Most often, we are held hostage to the past by either guilt and condemnation over past sins and errors or by bitterness of soul over things that have been done to us or against us. The answer is the cross of Calvary, where we can find forgiveness and freedom from guilt and shame. There we can see the one who hung on the cross and said, “Father forgive them for they know not what they do.” Therefore we must remember the blood of Jesus, walk in the light of our forgiveness, and forgive those who have wronged us.

Everyone is eligible for a new beginning! As we move forward with God, He will give us the strength to overcome. Let’s be a part of the generation that refuses to be intimidated by the giants, and goes forth to possess what God has given us, in Jesus’ name.

God’s Plans for Your Life Have Not Been Canceled!

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