GOING FORWARD
EXODUS 14:15
Introduction:
We are facing another new year with its challenges and opportunities. What will we do? We can maintain the status quo or we can “go forward.”
When Israel was leaving Egypt under the leadership of Moses, the people looked back to see Pharaoh coming with his army to destroy them. Moses knew what the Lord was going to do, but he called out to the Lord anyway. “And the LORD said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward:” Exodus 14:15. THE WORD OF GOD TELLS TO GO FORWARD…
I. IN THE POWER OF THE LORD, v. 14
A. Ye are of God, 1 John 4:4, “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.”
1. The Son of God has given us understanding, 1 John 5:19, “And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness. 20And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.”
2. That we may know Him that is true, John 17:3, “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.”
A. Ye have overcome them, 1 John 2:13, “I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father.”
1. You have overcome the wicked one, 1 John 2:3, “And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.”
2. You have known the Father, Matthew 11:27, “All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.”
B. Great is He that is in you, 1 John 3:24, “And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.”
II. IN THE PEACE OF THE LORD, v. 14
A. There is NO PANIC in the peace of God, Philippians 4:7, “And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
B. The peace of God will “keep your hearts,” John 14:27, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”
1. The Lord has overcome the world, John 16:33, “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”
2. He gives us quietness in the face of adversity, Job 34:29, “When he giveth quietness, who then can make trouble? and when he hideth his face, who then can behold him? whether it be done against a nation, or against a man only:”
C. The peace of God will keep your minds, Hebrews 12:3, “For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.”
1. The Lord has given us a “sound mind,” 2 Timothy 1:7, “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”
2. He has given us a “ready [willing] mind,” 1 Peter 5:2, “Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;”
III. IN THE PATH OF THE LORD, v. 22
A. We are his workmanship, Ephesians 2:10, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”
1. We are his people, Psalm 100:3, “Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.”
2. We are the works of His hands, Isaiah 43:21, “This people have I formed for myself; they shall shew forth my praise.”
B. We were created to walk in good works, Matthew 5:16, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”
1. In the past we walked according to the course of this world, Ephesians 2:2, “Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:”
2. Now we walk in His paths, Isaiah 2:3, “And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.”
3. Now we walk in the light, 1 John 1:7, “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.”
CONCLUSION
As we anticipate this new year, let us walk in the light of the truth of God’s Word. Let’s not walk in sin that dishonors our Saviour, “Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.” Titus 2:14.