Stop resting your hopes on yesterday’s promises.

We all have memories. Memories that bring us great joy and memories that we would rather forget. Our memories are records of experiences that seek to inform our future (Exodus 2: 12-13). For instance: If I was to ask you to tell me your thoughts on the Covid 19 pandemic, what would you say? Did your thoughts immediately recollect the global lockdown, your personal health and how that experience in time has impacted your life today, and informed your steps for tomorrow? What if I were to probe you a bit further and ask you what you were doing two weeks prior to Covid 19. What would your answer be? In your attempt to jog your memory, you may find it difficult to exactly relay this information due to the premise that people generally retain information they are emotionally connected to, or where that event is meaningful to them in some way. This may explain why, some believers struggle to let go of past offences, joys, hopes and pains. They are emotionally connected to their past, because there is a certainty found in the ‘knowledge’ of that ( negative or positive) past experience, that is not found in the uncertainty of tomorrow.

Certainty is one of the six human needs we often overlook in life. It’s sole pursuit is survival. Everyone wants to survive in life, and in our quest to do so, we may try to hold onto the past too tightly, because familiarity seems like a safe choice. Comfortable habits, routines and tried and tested strategies are all familiar works we have used in the past to survive in life. The issue with this way of living is that, when you hold onto the past too tightly, you may find yourself in hostage to the past.

I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you. Philippians 3:14-15 KJV

Apostle Paul had the right approach towards how we as believers should view our lives within the constraints of time. He advises us to let go of the past ( no matter how good or bad it may be) and focus our eyes on God’s plan for us in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3: 14). John 14:6, tells us that Jesus is the way towards a fulfilled human life. He is the truth of life and the Life that our human life should be sustained by. Which is why, God does not hinder us from remembering our yesterday’s, rather he wants us to strive for a life found beyond the confines of time. He wants us to be eternity conscious, despite the fact that our human existence will experience a continuous progressive change of experiences that we will recognise as being our yesterday, today and tomorrow.

Do you feel hopeless because you cannot attain the heights of yesterday’s glory?

We all know the story of King Saul, the anointed king of God’s people, who transgressed the word of the Lord and as a result was rejected by God ( 1 Samuel 12:11- 13 ). It was at the place of sin Saul’s experiences changed. Saul began to see a life of uncertainty. Sin had robbed him of the privilege of living a life before God for God. He could no longer see how his basic human need for love, significance, certainty, growth, belonging and validation could be met. From the day the Lord departed from Saul, Saul lived in the shadow of yesterday’s glory. The Saul in 1 Samuel 10 was not the same Saul standing before the Lord in 1 Samuel 13: 11-13.

Saul’s yesterday’s glory was not found in his tomorrow.

Does Saul’s life story sound familiar to you? Is yesterday’s glory missing in your today? Your actions, your thoughts and your choices all play a part towards how you walk in your tomorrow. There are believers who are like Saul, who are living on the wings of yesterday’s successes, anointing, praise and glory, they will slander anybody ( spiritually, physically or even emotionally) in order to reclaim that level of recognition and respect they once held in the confines of yesterday’s reality. As they longingly ponder on yesterday’s glory (or lie), they become like Lot’s wife, who looked back and perished in yesterday’s hopes.

Saints do not lose sight of the hope of eternity’s higher calling, just because of what you believed you have lost in yesterdays dreams.

There are no shortcuts to regaining yesterday’s glory in today’s reality.

In Saul’s rebellious pursuit to reclaim the significance and certainty he found in yesterday’s glory, he sought a witch (1 Chronicles 10:13, 1 Samuel 15:23). Saul thought witchcraft could help him. So he asked the witch to connect him with Samuel and we all know what happened to him in the end. Sometimes believer’s in Christ use witchcraft strategies ( manipulation dominance and intimidation) to try to gain access to the desires of their hearts. They pursue yesterday’s promises, thoughts, blessings and opportunities, ‘their own way’, not knowing that their actions are rebelling against God. This should not be so.

Then Ahab enticed Jehoshaphat to join forces with him to recover Ramoth-gilead. 2 Chronicles 18:2 (KJV)

King Ahab the King of Israel in 2 Chronicles 18: 29, thought that he could avoid repenting from his wicked ways by associating himself with King Jehosophat. He failed to realise that yesterday’s disobedience could not be corrected through association. In the battle of Ramoth- gilead, King Jehosaphat nearly lost his life and King Ahab died. Sensual strategies and witchcraft manipulations will not change God’s mind. But repentance can align you to God’s will and bring you back under his divine authority.

It is time to take your eyes of yesterday and start looking at eternity

God wants us to live a life in Christ with eternity in view. When you are too earthbound focused, you will strive for things that are gone or that are not God given to you and you will live your life in today wallowing in sorrow, regrets, hurt and pain. You do not have to experience this. It is time to learn from the common mistakes of others:

• Let go of the idols of yesterdays battles and successes. Don’t be an Acan in the camp (Joshua 7). For the stolen spoils of yesterday, will affect the peace of your today.
• Obey God. Obedience is better than any sacrificial gift or service you can offer (1 Samuel 15:22). Don’t resist God’s will and override his authority in the process of ‘getting the job done’ or because you want to satisfy the lust of your flesh. Respect God’s timing, his process for your transformation and don’t stand in a position God has not called you to stand in.
• Honour God’s appointed authority: Avoid challenging the position, assignment and authority of God’s ministers, through your speech, actions and affiliations. The Sons of Korah challenged Moses because they looked at themselves (their abilities, giftings) and made unholy comparisons with Moses. They were covetous, they desired what Moses was given and as a result they failed to look at God and submit to his will for the assignment ahead (Numbers 26:9-11). Their tomorrow was affected by their yesterday’s transgressions.
• Know who you are: Remember you are not who you were yesterday. Stop idolising the relationships of the past, the ‘you’ of yesterday and the things you once had, and allow the Spirit of the Lord to mature you. You are meant to mature in time and this is made possible when you keep your eyes on Jesus ( Romans 8:19) .
• Cast down the Strongholds: Your life will change when you choose to let go of the emotional strongholds of past experiences. Ask yourself: What is it that is in your past that you are struggling to let go off? Is it a behaviour or habit? An offence? Or a sense of security in a relationship role that gives you a false sense of significance, belonging and validation? Whatever the stronghold is, it is time to make a stand to break free from it (2 Corinthians 10:5). Look at your life, and ask yourself these questions again. Then make a decision to put your trust in Jesus and not the security of these past experiences, behaviours and relationships, found within these strongholds. Choose to let Jesus be Lord in your life.
• Have Faith: Instead of looking back at your past experiences, chose to look into the word of God for your future experiences, in faith (Hebrews 11: 1). God has a promise for your life. Stop rejecting it, because you fear the uncertainties of your future. Remember that your faith has a hope and this hope is Jesus! Let Jesus be the substance of your hope as you tarry in the Spirit, mediating on the word of God, praying without ceasing.

Finally, it is time to stop looking back into the past and start pursuing fellowship with God as you mature in your knowledge of the Lord. There is a future joy the Lord wants you to enter into, and it is not found in your flesh or in the desires of yesterday, but it is found in Jesus Christ (Matthew 25: 23). Seek “complete maturity” in Jesus Christ and stop resisting the new experiences before you ( no matter how good or bad). Remember, these experiences are a part of your transformation into the image of Christ ( Ephesians 3 :14). Embrace them as you embrace God.