Expect New Things

Thank you for joining me today. It is such an exciting time in our lives. The world is pretty much in turmoil. Are you afraid or nervous about change? God is always in control, no matter what we hear or feel! Be assured, change is coming, but God is always prepared and fulfilling His purpose and plans.

In Jeremiah 29:11, the prophet, speaking a divine word given to him by the Lord, revealed to us that God has a plan for us and that it is for our good. In the fulfilling of God’s plans, whether for nations, the church, or us as individuals, the process requires change or new things.

Look at what God spoke through the prophet in Isaiah 43:18 and 19, “Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. 19 Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.” God tells His people that He is going to do a new thing! In this verse, the Hebrew word chadash translated ‘new’ means: fresh, new, unused, and novel. Definition-wise, it is very similar to our English word. Dictionary.com defines ‘new’ as: of recent origin, having but lately come, or been brought into being. (novel).

The Greek word used for ‘new’ throughout the New Testament is kaina, which also means: fresh, unused, or novel. HelpsWord-Studies expounded and shared that kaina means: “new in quality (innovation), fresh in development or opportunity, and not found exactly like this before.”

Many commentaries I read related the scripture we just read in Isaiah 43 to one major new thing that God has already done. He created a “new” covenant with His people through the shed blood of Christ.

This ‘new’ covenant, in relation to the ‘old’ covenant (which had been established by the Lord), no longer requires the shedding of sheep, bull’s or goat’s blood for the remission of sin. Under the ‘new’ covenant, Christ shed His blood on the cross once and for all for the remission of sin, for all who would receive Him. This ‘new’ covenant which God established with man, made the way for us to receive redemption from our sin and enables us to enter into right relationship with Himself. The ‘new thing’ God did (that had never been done before) was to send His Son to shed His blood for the remission of our sins. John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.’ Romans 5:1 and 2, “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” 1 Peter 3:18, “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit.” Ephesians 1:7, “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,” Then we also see in 2 Corinthians 5:21, “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

The ‘old’ covenant has become obsolete, as we see in the following Scriptures.

Hebrew 8:13, “In speaking of a new covenant, he makes the first one obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.” Hebrews 9:12, “he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption.” Hebrews 10:12-18, “But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, 13 waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. 14 For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified. 15 And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us; for after saying, 16 "This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws on their hearts, and write them on their minds," 17 then he adds, "I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more." 18 Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin.” Thank the Lord.

We also see evidence of another ‘new’ occurance with the establishment of the New Covenant. God sealed the new covenant by sending the Holy Spirit to each man to indicate who are His and to confirm the authenticity of this new covenant. 2 Corinthians 1:21 and 22, “And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, 22 and who has also put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.” Titus 3:4-7 reveals, “But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

Under the ‘old’ covenant, the Holy Spirit would come upon certain individuals to accomplish God’s work. Now, under the new covenant the Holy Spirit indwells every believer and abides with him forever. John 14:16 and17, “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.”

The Holy Spirit empowers us, gives us revelation of God’s Word, and assists us in accomplishing the work God calls us to do. The Holy Spirit is the source of God’s gifts and virtues in us.

What an amazing ‘new’ thing God did for His people, to help us to fulfill His purpose and plan for us!

Look at 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” When we come into relationship with God through Christ and have the Holy Spirit dwelling and working in us, we become different or new.

What are some of the evidences we see of this newness?

We begin to think and feel differently.

We experience peace and joy that can only come from Him.

We develop a hunger and desire for God’s Word.

We perceive everything with a new perspective.

We go to new (different) places and eliminate some of the old ones.

We gain a new family through the body of Christ.

Sometimes, as we become aware of His purpose and plan, He may direct us to new locales, jobs, or possibly new full time ministries.

Jesus becomes the center of our lives and who we are. That may bring about some dramatic changes in our lives as we begin a new journey with Him.

We see many in the Old Testament who’s lives changed course following encounters with God:

Abraham was told to separate from His family and to go wherever God led.

Sarah had a child when she was beyond child-bearing age.

Moses went from the palaces of Egypt to tending sheep, then, to leading the Israelites out of Egypt.

The Israelites ate manna in the wilderness. Their clothing and shoes never wore out. (a 40 year journey).

Joseph went from being a shepherd to slavery, to prison, and then to being second in command over all of Egypt.

Peter, a fisherman, became an apostle.

Matthew, a tax collector, became an apostle.

Paul, a persecutor of Christians, became the greatest apostle of them all.

As we are faithful to obey God in the small things, He will give new anointings for us to do greater things. Our new life in Christ is a process that will bring new desires, giftings, and experiences to us throughout our lives. Philippians 3: 13-14 (NLT), “I don't mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. 13 No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.” Yes, our life with Christ is a process which will include new things and change.

We can expect the great outpouring of God’s Spirit, which began on the day of Pentecost, to continue until Christ returns to receive His church (the body of believers) to Himself.

Our last ‘new’ adventure that we will experience while still on the planet, will be the greatest of all. Jesus spoke these words to His disciples and is applicable to us today! John 14:1-3 (Amplified Bible), “ Do not let your heart be troubled (afraid, cowardly). Believe [confidently] in God and trust in Him, [have faith, hold on to it, rely on it, keep going and] believe also in Me. 2 In My Father’s house are may dwelling places. If it were not so, I would have told you, because I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and I will take you to Myself, so that where I am you may be also.”

In God’s perfect time, He is going to create a new heaven and earth where we will dwell. Isaiah 65:17, “For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former things shall not be remembered or come into mind.” 2 Peter 3:10-13, “But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed. 11 Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, 12 waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! 13 But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.”

Most of our focus and effort needs to be in preparing for eternity (by living our lives in obedience to God, and pleasing Him), rather than focusing and having all of our efforts be on working for our earthly comfort and pleasure for the short time we will be on the planet. Colossians 3:1-3 (NLT), “Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God's right hand. 2 Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. 3 For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God.”

When we get to heaven, everything will be new. We will have new bodies, as revealed in 2 Corinthians 5:1, “For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.”

Revelation 21: 1-5 is a wonderful description of the ‘new’ life we will be entering, “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away." 5 And he who was seated on the throne said, "Behold, I am making all things new." Also he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true." Hallelujah! No crying, no death, no mourning, no pain, the former things will pass away for He is making all things new!

Praise God!

Change and new things will come! Do not be afraid. You can trust Him, always!

Unless indicated, scriptures were taken from the English Standard Version.

NLT New Living Translation