Listen to last week’s sermon Don’t Look Back.

As we step into 2025, God is calling us to embrace a powerful truth: to move forward in faith, we must stop looking back. In this New Year message, Pastor Eric reveals four essential keys that will help you leave the past behind and step boldly into God’s future.

The Universal Desire for More in 2025

At the start of every new year, we naturally desire progress. Whether in our physical health, relationships, careers, or spiritual lives, there’s an innate longing to move forward. As believers, we especially hunger for more of God’s presence, power, and purpose in our lives.

Scripture reminds us in Jeremiah 29:13,

You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

This divine promise sets the foundation for our spiritual journey in 2025, encouraging us to pursue more of God’s presence and power.

Understanding Why We Look Back

Before exploring how to move forward, we must understand what keeps us looking backward. Pastor Eric uses the following analogy: trying to drive while constantly looking in the rearview mirror. This behavior inevitably leads to:

Getting trapped in the past;

Becoming paralyzed for the future;

Remaining stuck in neutral;

Limiting our imagination for God’s possibilities.

Four Biblical Keys to Stop Looking Back and Start Moving Forward

1. Don’t Look Back at the Old Life

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Like Lot’s wife who looked back at Sodom, many believers struggle with leaving their old life behind. Remember these crucial truths:

You can’t serve God and the devil simultaneously;

Your past sins are buried by God’s grace;

Your new identity in Christ defines you now.

2. Don’t Look Back at Past Hurts

Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice (Ephesians 4:31-32)

Hurt people hurt people. That’s why we must:

Be willing to receive God’s healing;

Choose forgiveness over bitterness;

Let go to move forward.

3. Don’t Look Back at Past Glory Days

The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house (Haggai 2:9)

There was a powerful moment in Israel’s history during the time of Haggai when the returned exiles were rebuilding the temple. The first temple, built by King Solomon, had been a magnificent structure covered in gold and adorned with splendor. It symbolized God’s glory among His people.

However, when the people rebuilt the second temple after returning from exile, many who remembered Solomon’s temple wept. The new structure seemed small and unimpressive in comparison. They kept saying:

“It’s not the same”;

“It’s not as good”;

“It’s not as glorious”.

But God spoke through the prophet Haggai with a remarkable promise:

The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house.

This principle applies to many areas of our spiritual life today:

When changing churches or ministry seasons;

During transitions in leadership or style;

Moving between different sizes of congregation;

Shifting from urban to rural ministry (or vice versa).

The message is clear: God’s best is ahead, not behind. As Francis Chan reminds us,

God has called us to live for today, not to idolize the victories of yesterday.

Eugene Peterson echoes this truth:

The Christian life is going somewhere. We are called to walk forward with faith, not sit around and reminisce about the past.

Remember: You can learn from the past, but you can’t live there. God is doing a new thing, and His future glory will exceed anything you’ve seen before.

4. Don’t Look Back at the Approval of Men

Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? (Galatians 1:10)

When we become dependent on others’ approval:

We limit our obedience to God;

We compromise our calling;

We paralyze our progress.

Moving Forward in 2025

As we enter this new year, God is calling us to join Him in a 21-day journey of prayer and fasting. It’s time to:

Leave the old life at the cross;

Release past hurts through forgiveness;

Embrace God’s new season;

Seek His approval above all else.

Watch the sermon here: