I don’t know about you, but I seriously cannot believe it’s about to be 2021. I think this year was extremely sped up by the virus, because from March to like November was a huge blur. As we enter the new year with SO many things coming for AO…
I want to encourage you that this year is a NEW year. You can leave behind anything you want to, in 2020. Some people may want to leave behind grief of losing loved ones, guilt of all the mistakes they made, addictions or a broken heart from a relationship that ended poorly. Whatever you want to leave behind, i ENCOURAGE you to leave it and walk FREE this year.
This is your NEW year to walk in the FREEDOM given to you by Jesus dying for you.
Personally, when someone gives me advice, I take it with a grain of salt unless I have proof. Meaning: If someone tells me to break up with my boyfriend because he’s “not a good guy” but they are dating the same type of guy. (not reliable & a healthy source) With that being said, I’m gonna let you in on a little story that PROVES you have the power to leave your old habits, old self and old addictions. There was a man named Saul and Saul was extremely far from God. Some people that knew him would call him a “religious terrorist” because at such a young age he was consciously killing Christians claiming it was the will of God. Honestly someone you WANTED to stay 6 feet apart from… When Stephen was stoned to death, all he did was sit back, watched and approved. HAHA. As a pharisee, he saw Christians as a harm and threat against Judaism (what he believed at the time). He presumed Jesus as a liar, and believed he was being rightfully executed for his claims to be God. Since more and more people were watching Jesus perform miracles and becoming saved, Saul started to hate them too. He went on to ask the high priest if he could start taking Christians and hostages and prisoners: “Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem.” ACTS 9:1-2 I don’t know about you, but I wouldn’t wanna be near Saul at ALL. That’s how all Christians felt, they shuddered when seeming him and would avoid him at all costs. I think we have at one time or another, had a moment in our lives where we did something we shouldnt have or went somewhere we shouldnt have and everyone looked at us differently. Let’s keep reading: “As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?’ ‘Who are you, Lord?’ Saul asked. ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,’ he replied. ‘Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.’ The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.” Acts 9:3–9 I know, i’m thinking the same thing… WHAT? You're telling me, the man that’s been killing God’s people and denouncing that Jesus isn’t really God, wasn’t struck down by God?? But God ends up using Him and His past for His kingdom?? OH i don’t want to spoil it- Even though he finally understands that Jesus is God, He still hasn't learned that God has immeasurable grace and power to heal/make new. I also want to make an important point here:
God chooses whether to intervene in your life in a loud way or quiet way.
Just because your best friend got a vision from the Lord of the college she’s meant to attend, doesn’t mean you’ll have the same experience hearing from God.
Be careful not to start doubting God’s hand in your life by your inability to hear God’s voice by all the noise of comparison.
From here, the story of Paul gets better and better, and we get the opportunity to watch him flourish into a man after God’s own heart. We see him become a missionary as stated in
Romans 15:20: “It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known, so that I would not be building on someone else’s foundation.” As studies show, the likelihood of Paul staying over a year in cities He preached to and living a lifestyle that imitated Jesus’ was highly likely. Over the course of Paul’s life, he probably traveled WELL OVER 10,000 miles to spread the gospel. Over 10,000! Picking his life up and moving his simple belongings, each time God told Him to go. Could you do that? I know I would have a hard time with it. You’re probably wondering what ended up happening to Paul’s eyes, is he still blind, etc. I’m not a spoiler-gal, so you’ll have to read in Acts chapter 9 for yourself! The purpose of me telling you this story, is to give you hope. Maybe in 2020, you lost sight of the calling God has whispered to you, 2019. (I for sure did) This story of a man that was murderer of Christians, someone people feared and hated, was now borna again. He was brought from death to life! When you’re saved, you don’t just get a Bible and a round of applause. You shed your old skin, your old habits, your old addictions and start growing fruit.
You start living for the man who gave His life for you, forever.
If you’re coming into 2021, extremely discouraged and you think you’ve gone too far. You think because people say “who even are you?” or “I don’t even recognize you anymore.”, that Jesus is saying the same to you. But that’s not the case!! Jesus is waiting for you to choose life.For you to choose Him. It’s not too late to give up that addiction, that toxic relationship, the friend who influences your life negatively and the idols you hold close to your heart. At the beginning of Saul’s story, I’m not even gonna lie, I NEVER saw that ending coming. I immediately thought Jesus could never use him. I was sadly mistaken. I encourage you, to make this year a NEW year. A year of NEW hope. NEW promises. NEW freedom. A NEW year, where you’re free to leave behind your ugly, disgusting, painful and traumatic experiences in 2020.
Enter 2021, walking in the freedom Christ died for you to have.
Reflection Questions:
What is one major event/thing/person/relationship/memory you want to leave behind in 2020?
Was there a time in 2020 where you felt hopeless? Where you felt too far from God’s grace? How did you handle it and have you talked to Him about it?
Ask God today to reveal to you ways in 2021 you can start living for Him. Be BOLD and expect Him to answer!!
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