We Are Not Going Backwards

Genesis 24:6 And Abraham said unto him, Beware thou that thou bring not my son thither again.

In Genesis, we have the story of Abraham seeking a wife for his son, Isaac. The servant charged with selecting the future Mrs. Isaac wanted to be certain he had his orders straight, so he asked, "If the woman God gives for marriage will not come to Isaac, do I take Isaac to her?"

Abraham's answer was definitive, "Do not take my son back to that land!"

God had lead Abraham out of Ur of the Chaldees and there was no going back. The victories that Abraham had won had been hard fought, and he did not want to fight them again. As we approach a New Year, we need to do so with the same determination to go forward and not retrace our steps.

As a pastor, I often see Christians who are traveling in the wrong direction. I would like to say it is only true of the younger converts, but that is not the case, for I have also observed seasoned veterans of Christian warfare who are retreating on Jesus. Some have quit attending church faithfully; some have quit praying; others have stopped reading their Bibles or sharing the story of Jesus with the lost. Some stopped advancing to enjoy more of the world’s pleasures. Some stopped because they got too busy at work. The cause of their directional change is not really important. The fact that they are going backward is.

This was Paul's conclusion as he sat in a prison, wondering if it was time to forfeit his life for Christ's service.

Philippians 3:13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do , forgetting those hings which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Paul knew that the direction for the Christians was always to be forward. We can not win new ground for our Lord in reverse. No! We are the army of God, and His army must advance.

As we enter a new year, let us carry the battle cry, “We are not going backward!�