It's A New Season

Isaiah 43:18-21

New American Standard Bible (NASB)

¹⁸ “Do not call to mind the former things,
Or ponder things of the past.
¹⁹ “Behold, I will do something new,
Now it will spring forth;
Will you not be aware of it?
I will even make a roadway in the wilderness,
Rivers in the desert.
²⁰ “The beasts of the field will glorify Me,
The jackals and the ostriches,
Because I have given waters in the wilderness
And rivers in the desert,
To give drink to My chosen people.
²¹ “The people whom I formed for Myself
Will declare My praise.

Seasons change all the time. Leaves fall off a tree in a certain season. Seems like you are missing or lost something when that happens. God is taking you through transition. The leaves fall for a reason.  They are there only for a season. You have to know who is a season friend, acquaintance or who is there for life. We know a brand new season is coming. Don't give up on God Yo are in transition. What you lost God will replace with something new. When your seasons change you have to praise God for the old and  the new. If you saw that was on the way you wouldn't cry over what is old, brown and dead. The new blessing that is coming won't compare to the old.

¹⁸ “Do not call to mind the former things,
Or ponder things of the past.
¹⁹ “Behold, I will do something new,
Now it will spring forth;
Will you not be aware of it?
I will even make a roadway in the wilderness,
Rivers in the desert.

This thing is getting ready to happen so fast that you won't believe it. Some of you are in a  wilderness. He will make a way in the wilderness. In the midst of your struggling , your condition, lies being told on you, God is getting ready to bless you. Stop worrying about how people feel about you. You won't get anywhere in life being a people pleaser. He will send rivers in the desert. The desert is that dry place. God can wink and water will start flowing. He can blow on your and your finances can change or whatever you are dealing with will change.

If you put a saint a in the desert He knows how to put you in the top. IF you just hold on God will turn the water on. He's getting ready to fix that thing.

Ezekiel 11:19

New American Standard Bible (NASB)

¹⁹ And I will give them one heart, and put a new spirit within them. And I will take the heart of stone out of their flesh and give them a heart of flesh,

1. When God does something God will give you a brand new heart.

When you go to the next level you start to love your enemies.

Proverbs 16:7

New American Standard Bible (NASB)

⁷ When a man’s ways are pleasing to the LORD,
He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.

You have to walk in love. It's hard because people try to kill you. You don't have half of what they think you got. Gthey hate the potential, what's on the way. Your potential is putting presssure on them.

2 Corinthians 5:15,17

New American Standard Bible (NASB)

¹⁵ and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf.

Cross references:

1. 2 Corinthians 5:15 : Rom 14:7-9

Cross references:

1. Proverbs 16:7 : Gen 33:4; 2 Chr 17:10

¹⁷ Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.

There is a new way of walking and talking. You don't do the things you used to do. You can be minding your own business and people are attacking you. You want people  to see God bless you that you curse them. Stop reversing the curse and bless the other

Romans 12:14

New American Standard Bible (NASB)

¹⁴ Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.

Be the bigger person. You have to do it because you have God. It's not that the person. It is the devil. You can't fight flesh against spirit. Fight with prayer. Get som kneeology. Speak in tongues.

2. You have to have a new confidence.

Have the audacity to believe God will do what He said He will do. You don't believe because you are caught up in sin.

Hebrews 10:35

New American Standard Bible (NASB)

³⁵ Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward.

The devil knows how to condemn you. There is no just man (Ecclesiastes 7:20). We have an advocate (1 John 2:1). We don't have to fall but if you do fall get yourself back up. We have something in our closets. Don't leave church because people judge you.

3. God will give you a new voice.

Cross references:

1. Hebrews 10:35 : Heb 10:19
2. Hebrews 10:35 : Heb 2:2

The people were able to walk to the Promise Land. Listen to the voice that will get you over the hump. Moses took them as far as he could. The next man was at the bottom of the mountain. When you get to the top make sure you have someone holding your ladder. Learn to be a blessed #2 and not a blessed #1. Joseph was always a #2. The position fell on Joseph. Are you stuck because you can't hear the new voice.

4. You just need a brand new Word.

Psalm 105:17-19

New American Standard Bible (NASB)

¹⁷ He sent a man before them,
Joseph, who was sold as a slave.
¹⁸ They afflicted his feet with fetters,
He himself was laid in irons;
¹⁹ Until the time that his word came to pass,
The word of the LORD tested him.

Proverbs 29:18

King James Version (KJV)

¹⁸Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.

Don't neglect the old Word. Timothy was instructed to to stir up the gift ( 2 Timothy 1:6). Don't let doubt doubt and fear rob you of your prophecy. Prophecy is neither old or new. It's predetermined. Some of us are so talented but doubt and fear have robbed us from the manifestation.

Mark 4:3-9

New American Standard Bible (NASB)

³ “Listen to this! Behold, the sower went out to sow; ⁴ as he was sowing, some seed fell beside the road, and the birds came and ate it up. ⁵ Other seed fell on the rocky ground where it did not have much soil; and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of soil. ⁶ And after the sun had risen, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away. ⁷ Other seed fell among the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked it, and it yielded no crop. ⁸ Other seeds fell into the good soil, and as they grew up and increased, they yielded a crop and produced thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold.” ⁹ And He was saying, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

 

Some of you should be further along in life but fear and doubt got in the way.

 

Matthew 9:16-17

New American Standard Bible (NASB)

¹⁶ But no one puts a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch pulls away from the garment, and a worse tear results. ¹⁷ Nor do people put new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the wineskins burst, and the wine pours out and the wineskins are ruined; but they put new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved.”

Don't get caught up in the old stuff. There is no one way of doing things. Don't let people talk you into tradition that will hold you back.

New wine caused the old skin to burst. When you get a new idea and you are shot down that is confirmation new wine can't be put into old wineskin. Don't slap God in the face by trying to put new wine into old wineskin. You can't be put into a box. There is no sense in God giving you new ideas and you put it to the side. Don't let a day go by without embracing the new idea. God will give you someone for what's on the way that's new. Don't cry over the last man or woman. He will give you someone who is not jealous.God knows how to make lemonade from lemons. He knows how to make a testimony from a test.God will not leave you in the old predicament and not give you an opportunity to walk into the new season.

Stewardship

Psalm 24:1

New American Standard Bible (NASB)

¹ The earth is the LORD’S, and all it contains,
The world, and those who dwell in it.

We all can't be poor. Otherwise we can't help others.

Proverbs 13:22

New American Standard Bible (NASB)

²² A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children,
And the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous.

There are two keys to your blessing:

1) Stewardship

2) Obedience

Stewardship:

1 Timothy 6:6-7

New American Standard Bible (NASB)

⁶ But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment. ⁷ For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either.

Cross references:

1. 1 Timothy 6:6 : Luke 12:15-21; 1 Tim 6:6-10
2. 1 Timothy 6:6 : 1 Tim 4:8
3. 1 Timothy 6:6 : Phil 4:11; Heb 13:5
4. 1 Timothy 6:7 : Job 1:21; Eccl 5:15

We don't own anything. The earth is the Lord's our lives are like a vapor:

James 4:14

New American Standard Bible (NASB)

¹⁴ Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.

A steward manages another's property or financial affair. Why should God give you more when you don't do anything with what you have now? We are not going to be here forever. We should be good stewards over time, talent and treasures.

Psalm 63:1

¹ O God, You are my God; I shall seek You earnestly;
My soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You,
In a dry and weary land where there is no water.

You've got to manage your time. Your day will be better when you seek God 1st in the day. Instead we seek other things.  There are 24 hours in a day. What are you doing with your time other than complaining? You have to have the attitude that yo are too blessed to be stressed. Life will not be perfect. Life happens. If you are not a good steward life happens sooner (i.e death from not eating right).

God does not want exclusivity. He wants priority. He doesn't mind you living life.

Matthew 6:31-33

New American Standard Bible (NASB)

³¹ Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ ³² For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. ³³ But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

God wants to be put 1st. We are no better than the next person and we all have struggles. You can tell where your heart is by looking  at the check book. God wants to know when He is going to get His sacrifice, the 1st fruit. God will show you what will happen later on in the day because you sought Him. 

When you think you got it together and arrive that is when you are in trouble. The devil can't make you do anything. Cast those seeds/thoughts down. When you let the devil drop a seed of offense it will be magnified. Cast it down. You will always be offended.

Luke 6:26

New American Standard Bible (NASB)

²⁶ Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for their fathers used to treat the false prophets in the same way.  

Let people talk about you. Watch jealousy. Your time is coming. Can you handle someone being blessed in front of you?

Obedience:

Genesis 12:1-3

New American Standard Bible (NASB)

¹ Now the LORD said to Abram,

“Go forth from your country,
And from your relatives
And from your father’s house,
To the land which I will show you;
² And I will make you a great nation,
And I will bless you,
And make your name great;
And so you shall be a blessing;
³ And I will bless those who bless you,
And the one who curses you I will curse.
And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.”

Obedience is complying with and submitting to authority. You sometimes just don't want to listen to anyone. You can't even be obedient to the law of the land.

To the single ladies: you want to be married. The Bible says to submit yourselves to your husband (Ephesians 5:22). This is not to say you don't have anything to contribute. There is order. The husband is the head. Dating is important and finding out about the other person. IF you are not on the same page financially, spiritually, emotionally that may be a red flag. Kids are not above the parent/step-parent.

If you don't submit to anyone submit to your pastor. The pastor is the shepard.  We return the honor by giving our gifts/talents.

In the last scriptures there are several points to look at:

1. Get out of the country.

Get away from the familiar, the comfortable. You have to make a change.

2. Get away from the kindred.

Get away from family members who will try to talk you out of God's blessing. We are in a new day and time. Sometimes they may not understand what God is telling you to do.

3. Get away from your father's house.

Get away from your father's house. Get away from the place of protection and learn to fend for yourself. It also represents stability. You have to leave by faith. When your season change don't let your attitude change. Some of us will get the blessing for enduring the pain.

4. A land that I will show thee.

Abraham didn't know where he was going. You have to take a few steps and believe He will show you the way.

You have to be excited about the end of the story. God has a blessing with your name on it. You will be the head and not the tail (Deuteronomy 28:13). God will do it. It's the year of total recovery.

Another Chance

Luke 13:6-9

New American Standard Bible (NASB)

⁶ And He began telling this parable: “A man had a fig tree which had been planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and did not find any. ⁷ And he said to the vineyard-keeper, ‘Behold, for three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree without finding any. Cut it down! Why does it even use up the ground?’ ⁸ And he answered and said to him, ‘Let it alone, sir, for this year too, until I dig around it and put in fertilizer; ⁹ and if it bears fruit next year, fine; but if not, cut it down.’”

2011 was the year of struggles, sadness, disappointments, situations, and circumstances weighed you down. You said you would pray,fast , read your bible more but you couldn't get yourself together. All the hell you went through you have another chance. Anyone can die whether they are righteous or not. You can die at any given time. The devil could have take you out last year but God told the devil no. He has given you another chance. Another chance to live right, holy, righteous, etc.

If your fruit doesn't show judgment comes (v6-7). If you can't get yourself together God will get upset after all the sparing He did. We are in danger of being cut down. The man said in the above scriptures to give it another year and if no fruit comes then to cut it down. God's giving us another year. Make up in your mind you will bear fruit in 2012.

The fig tree was planted wither it liked it or not. Other trees had the same light, exposure, etc. How long are you going to let other people around you produce fruit and they are not as gifted? Be determined to not let those who are not saved out do you. You have to the same opportunities and chance as others. It takes 3 years for fig trees to produce fruit but the one in the parable did not. How much fruit is supposed to be there but has not manifested? Get yourself together.

We have a black president which caught us by surprise. What would you do if things happened in your life that wasn't suppose to happen?

1 John 3:2

New American Standard Bible (NASB)

² Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is.

 

Don't let one day go by in 2012 with out taking advantage of 2012.

 

2 Kings 6:5-7

New American Standard Bible (NASB)

⁵ But as one was felling a beam, the axe head fell into the water; and he cried out and said, “Alas, my master! For it was borrowed.” ⁶ Then the man of God said, “Where did it fall?” And when he showed him the place, he cut off a stick and threw it in there, and made the iron float. ⁷ He said, “Take it up for yourself.” So he put out his hand and took it.

Cross references:

1. 1 John 3:2 : 1 John 2:7
2. 1 John 3:2 : John 1:12; 11:52; Rom 8:16; 1 John 3:1, 10
3. 1 John 3:2 : Rom 8:19, 23f
4. 1 John 3:2 : Luke 17:30; Col 3:4; 1 John 2:28
5. 1 John 3:2 : Rom 8:29; 2 Pet 1:4
6. 1 John 3:2 : John 17:24; 2 Cor 3:18

If he didn't reach out for the axehead he would have missed it. IF you don't reach out and grab it you can't blame anyone but yourself. There's so much potential but you killed it with doubt and unbelief.

 

Luke 13:8-9

New American Standard Bible (NASB)

⁸ And he answered and said to him, ‘Let it alone, sir, for this year too, until I dig around it and put in fertilizer; ⁹ and if it bears fruit next year, fine; but if not, cut it down.’”

 

All the hell you went through could have been fertilized. Jesus could have been preparing you for the next 365 days. Jesus said not to cut you down so you could have another chance.

 

John 15:8

New American Standard Bible (NASB)

⁸ My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so ^]prove to be My disciples.

 

Your prayer life doesn't prove you are a disciple. It's your love walk. You have another chance to be like Him. 2012 will be the best year of your life. You have to have your mind made up that you will bless the Lord at all times.