Lesson: Our Past—The Future
Author: Mark Stusek
Date: 6/29/08
The prophet Jeremiah repeatedly reminded his people that while God had been talking to them, they did not hear. God speaks to us in both our prosperity and during trials, Jer. 22:21 states. Our job, in both cases, is to listen carefully for His voice and to hear and obey what He has to say. Perhaps you feel like you have not listened in the past and made some bad decisions. You may be thinking God has given up on you—or it’s too late to make something of your life.
The good news is when we’re one of God’s kids (remember Lord’s Prayer), our past doesn’t have to define our future.
I. Broken, But Not Finished
1. God has always used “sinners” who have been broken because of their acts
to accomplish His purpose on earth.
2. In our brokenness, God strips us of our pride and self-sufficiency that brings
us to the end of ourselves.
Question: Can God still use us after a series of bad mistakes, sins, failures,
and disappointments? YES!
A. JONAH
Jonah 1:1-3
1. As a rebellious prophet, Jonah ignored God’s
directive and got a one-way ticket to Tarshish.
God wanted him to call Nineveh to repentence.
He decided he wanted no part of that. Why? He
feared he might succeed, and he hated these
abusive and heathen people.
2. Jonah’s failure to listen and obey landed him in
the belly of a fish for three days & three nights.
Jonah 1:17.
Question: What did Jonah do to get out of this situation? He repented and
yielded himself to God’s will.
3. God rescued and restored him.
Jonah 3:5, 10
4. The outcome was that Jonah was responsible for a
great revival in Nineveh where men, women, and
children came to know the Lord.
B. SAMSON
Judges 13:1-5, 24
1. Samson was created by God for the purpose to
deliver Israel out of the hands of the Philistines.
2. Samson’s desire for a Philistine wife was clearly
a sin against God’s law.
3. Samson turned his back on his vow so he could
party with Philistine women. Subsequently, he
lost the power of God (supernaturally).
Judges 16:19-21
4. Outcome: Samson lost his freedom, vision, and
God’s holy presence.
Question: Can you recall a time when failing to listen to God caused a negative
outcome?
Judges 16:26-30
5. Because of Samson’s faith in God, God used him
one final victory against the Philistines; additionally,
we read about him in the hall of faith (Heb. 11:32)
6. Samson, like us, had many human flaws, but God
still listened to him; imagine what God could
have done through Samson if he were obedient
and listened.
C. JOSHUA
Joshua 7:1-13
1. The failure to listen can cause us a great deal of
heartache. Immediately after God gave the Israelites
a great victory at Jericho, Joshua sent men to spy
out Ai, then sent a small contingency to take it.
The rest is history—human reasoning led to death.
2. God no doubt had a battle plan for Ai, but Joshua
didn’t ask to hear it. What was the problem? Sin
3. Had Joshua listened for the Lord’s counsel before
moving against Ai, no doubt God would have
revealed to him Achan’s sin. The outcome would
have been different.
4. Because Joshua obeyed and took action against
Achan, God directed the people to victory.
SUMMARY
Failing to listen and being broken as a result makes Jesus Christ’s words from
John 15:5....”apart from Me, you can do nothing” a reality in our lives.
Secondly, God will never turn away from a truly repentant heart.
The Lord often uses affliction, not to punish us, but to bring us back to Him.