Getting Past your past

Intro

serve team party

Easter

Continuing a series we started last week based off a Pastors books who is important to Christy and I, Donkey Mission by Matt Keller.

It’s based off of a passage of Scripture found in 1 Samuel.

Who has ever dealt with the accumulation of the Big C???

CLUTTER!

the longer I live the more it grows, It starts as a clutter drawer, then a closet, then a shed...

Have you ever walked past some of your clutter, looked at it, said man I should really do something about that and then said, Ah what’s the point?!?

It’s easy to identify with this in our homes, but I also believe that if we think about it, there is probably a room or space in our hearts, a corner in our lives, that we just keep walking past.

I know I need to deal with that… Someday. Ah it’s just too far gone.

But maybe God brought you here today because it’s time for spring cleaning, he’s wanting to help you deal with that.

This series centers around a story we see in 1 Samuel 9 about a guy named Saul.

Saul was destined to become the very first king of the nation of Israel, God’s people.

But before he could step into his greater destiny, greater mission of being King, first he had to go on what would have felt like a meaningless mission, A Donkey Mission.

Let’s review the story

1 Samuel 9:1-2

There was a Benjamite, a man of standing, whose name was Kish son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Bekorath, the son of Aphiah of Benjamin. Kish had a son named Saul, as handsome a young man as could be found anywhere in Israel, and he was a head taller than anyone else.

1 Samuel 9:3

Now the donkeys belonging to Saul’s father Kish were lost, and Kish said to his son Saul, “Take one of the servants with you and go and look for the donkeys.”

1 Samuel 9:4

So he passed through the hill country of Ephraim and through the area around Shalisha, but they did not find them. They went on into the district of Shaalim, but the donkeys were not there. Then he passed through the territory of Benjamin, but they did not find them.

Ver 4 is super easy to just pass over.

Ok Saul went through some different town looking for these lost donkeys.

Like I couldn’t find the right pants so I went from store to store to store looking, right.

But what we have to realize is that the bible doesn't include frivolous details, if its there it matters.

It’s just as interesting as the information that isn’t shared in the story.

A servant went with Saul, It never gives us his name.

Donkeys went missing, we don’t know how many.

These things aren’t there, because ultimately it doesn’t matter.

Which means the details that are there must matter.

He went to Ephraim, Shalisha, Shalim and Benjamin.

It’s interesting because researching, each city he went to had great significant to the journey that God has Saul on.

It’ wasn’t just random.

The breakdown is done so well in the book, but today we’re going to look at the significance of the city of Benjamin.

4 Truths from the Story

1. No Detail of our Story is insignificant

Just like we said in the biblical story, I believe that the same is true for us.

There’s no detail of the story that God is writing in your life is insignificant to him.

One easy detail to overlook that really does matter in this story, is that Saul went through the territory of Benjamin.

Check out verse 1 again.

1 Samuel 9:1

There was a Benjamite, a man of standing, whose name was Kish son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Bekorath, the son of Aphiah of Benjamin.

Saul was from the tribe of Benjamin.

He went back through his old stomping grounds.

This is a place his family would have been rooted from.

Possibly even where he grew up at minimum visited often for family.

IN ORDER FOR SAUL TO STEP INTO HIS FUTURE, HE HAD TO WALK THROUGH AND DEAL WITH HIS PAST!

Have you every went back to places where you grew up or used to live and check it out?

I love to see those places, remembering the moments. Often the moments seem so much bigger than they really were when you revisit.

There was a store down from my grannys house, I remember my cousins and I were tasked with going down to the store, and getting her a hunny bun and a diet coke. This was an adventure. It was a big deal..

In reality when I drive by now it’s less than half a mile , a rinkady store

We all have old stomping grounds, old places and it’s so important to know that all of our moments matter.

There aren’t insignificant parts, it’s all working to make you into who you are.

For some of us, this is painful.

There are some parts of that past that we wish weren’t there.

Just because something was painful doesn’t mean it’s not purposeful and that God can’t use it.

And sometimes it’s easy to look back and live in shame and regret of the things behind us. Things we’ve said and done, hurt, pain.

1 John 1:9

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

This matters BECAUSE...

2. Your Past matter more to our Present than we realize!

For Saul, God ordered his steps to revisit his past before walking into where he had for him next.

We just want to move past the past, don’t think about it. Leave it where it’s at.

But the problem is, our past is too huge of an influence on your current reality than you know and than you can ignore.

Ever had anything from your past pop up in your present?

My mom showing my kids old pictures from school and childhood.

That past haircut didn’t seem as good of a choice seeing it with my kids...

Ever had your past come back?

Sometimes your past makes an appearance, I sound just like my dad when I said that… I said the same thing they used to say!

how about things like:

Habits

Anger

Worry/Anxiety

Insecurity

Panic

Avoidance

You know what God says about you but all you can see is that past things that were said to you, mistakes you’ve make, or things you’ve told yourself...

Reality, most of our current fears stem from past pains.

The past rears it’s head all of the time doesn’t it.

3. What is not dealt with, grows.

If you know the story of Saul, you know this is true.

He because the first king of Israel, but his life later derailed and he lost the kingdom to a man named David who was called a man after God’s own heart.

I believe the failures of Saul was the refusal to deal with the pride and past and it compounded to derail his future.

Church, is it possibility that what you won’t deal with will derail you???

Could it be festering and compounding??

Is it possible that that anger undealt with has the power to derail your relationships?

That pain can corrupt and destroy any dreams of the future?

that addiction you think is not big deal but without being set free it’ll overtake us later??

Yoru insecurity, jealousy, bitterness

This isn’t a later issue, it’s not a past one, its a now one.

Here’s the good news:

4. God wants to heal us from our past and free us for our future!

Donkey missions, moments that don’t seem to make sense, are actually great moments to deal with things so that you can be ready to move forward into all God has for you.

They say the best time to plant an oak tree was 20 years ago… the second best time is today.

Don’t get to your future and say I wish I would’ve dealt with that.

Could God have brought you into the room today because he doesn’t want you to keep carrying that shame, regret, pain, hurt etc.

I got a shed a few years ago with the goal of being able to store some seasonal things and also being able to put up my tools and to work out of my shed!

Started off so great, but little by little things were carried out and stacked up, shifted around, thrown on top of… and now I have tools I barely get to!!!!

Maybe it’s time we quit stepping over the clutter.

We all have the stuff that accumulates in our hearts and it takes up valuable room, not allowing God to do the work that he wants to.

Holding Anger and unforgiveness: no room for peace

Holding fear: no room for more faith

Holding people pleasing: No room to please only God.

Holding guilt and shame: no room for joy

Holding sin: no room for love and real relationship.

Holding selfishness: No room for a God sized mission and journey.

WHAT CAN WE DO?

1. Recognize when it shows up (self awareness)

As believers we have the holy spirit to be our helper, our counselor, our guide.

We can begin to see the things we though were insignificant, but actually really matter.

Why do I do the things I do?

Why did I react that way?

Am I dealing with this based on what’s happening or what happened before?

Ask God to make us more self aware, to notice those things, to realize where my past has connected to my present.

2. Get help with it

Last week we got a piano for the house. We grabbed a couple guys from the church to help, Paul and Sonny.

No way could I attempt it alone!

Some things are so big, that we need help when we move them.

Sometimes we need others to come along side up and help us to pick up and dig out what we’re dealing with.

Get in a group you can talk and share

Maybe you need to find a christian counselor

Who do you have praying for you.

What other believer are you confiding in and battling with you?

God wants you free and healed!!

But if you’re the only one who knows, and the past is still lingering in the dark corner, it’s really hard to overcome.

James 5:16

Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

We need each other!

(courage this week to say it and talk to someone)

3. Get rid of it

So much of my storage building is just garbage! Just stuff I don’t need. But it’s in the way and I don’t to go through the effort of going through it and getting rid.

I just keep tip toeing around it.

Some of us today need to determine that my past won’t derail my future any more.

It’s a part of who I am, but it doesn’t have to dictate who i will be.

Jesus I give this to you.

Maybe you're in a season that feels a little lost or a little off, I say it’s the perfect time to deal with what is holding you back.

RESPONSE

it’s time to respond and let God do the work.

He wants you free and healed so you can walk into your greater mission.

Salvation

Surrender