In this year of new beginnings, God is instructing us to put away the former things just like he did with the children of Israel. Isaiah 43:18-19 states, “18 Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. 19 Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it?” While God instructs us to forget past hurts, regrets, and failures, we may continue to rehearse them. The enemy of our souls, Satan, will also continue to bring those past negative images of ourselves and continue to replay them. That is why we must renew our minds with the Word of God (Romans 12:1-2). We must replace those self-sabotaging images with positive ones. Instead of focusing on past failure, King David rehearsed his past victories of him killing the lion and the bear before killing Goliath the Giant. There may also be old self-sabotaging habits that we need to get rid of so that we can adopt new ones. My former pastor used to say, “Sometimes, the enemy is inner me.”

     The Apostle Paul instructs us in II Corinthians 5:7 that we are new creatures in Christ Jesus. Old things are passed away and behold all things are become new. The baggage from our past can weigh us down. Apostle Paul also instructed us to “lay aside every weight, and the sin which…easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,” in Hebrews 12:1. The heavier the weight, the more we become stagnant. Isaiah 43:19b states, “I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.”  If a river becomes stagnant, the water in it stops moving. Things begin to get stuck and the river that once flowed freely with water becomes a swamp. Swamps are no longer effective as rivers. Oxygen is reduced and swamps no longer smell like fresh water; they stink.

     In order for us to walk in the new things of God, there are new or different things that we must do. First and foremost, we must hear from God to hear for His direction. We must be willing to adapt to Him repositioning or reassigning us for His purposes. There may be additional training, education, or new skills that we must learn to walk into a new season in our lives. Psalms 23:3b says, He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. If God is leading us, we are not leading ourselves. Proverbs 19:21 says, “There are many devices in a man’s heart; nevertheless, the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand.” In Hebrew, “device,” generally means a plan, scheme, or thought. We need God ideas to get ahead of the world’s system of failure, not good ideas or our ideas! Let us get busy doing what God has instructed us to do this year!

Join Lori Militello for a life-transforming event of biblical teaching & powerful encouragement

Date: Saturday, January 31st

Time: From 9-11 am

Location: Tango’s Restaurant,
1500 Town Center, Southfield 

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We started That Man Jesus Ministry to help women across the country grow in faith through online Bible study and meaningful conversations. Our journey began with a small group of friends and has grown to reach people nationwide.

We offer interactive Bible study sessions and host conversations about faith, life, and hope. Our events focus on making every voice feel welcome and heard.

As a non-denominational ministry, we bring people from all backgrounds together, making space for open minds and sincere questions, no matter where anyone is on their faith journey.