Self-Sabotage / Let It Go…
Sermon • Submitted • Presented
0 ratings
· 12 viewsNotes
Transcript
“Remember not the former things,
nor consider the things of old.
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.
Self-sabotage is the behavior that undermines your own success or growth — consciously or unconsciously.
Isaiah was speaking to the nation of Israel, specifically the Southern Kingdom of Judah. Though they were not yet in exile when Isaiah first spoke these words, the prophecy in Isaiah 43 is spoken as if they are already in Babylonian captivity.
Their Condition (Prophetically):
Judgment had come (or was coming), and the people would soon be exiled to Babylon.
They were broken, discouraged, and displaced—wondering if God still saw them or had a future for them.
Spiritually, they were far from God—marked by idolatry, injustice, and hollow religion.
Three Sins That Set the Stage
1. They Drifted from God (Idolatry)
1. They Drifted from God (Idolatry)
Their land is filled with idols;
they bow down to the work of their hands,
to what their own fingers have made.
Idolatry is the worship of anything other than God, including images, material things, false gods, or even personal desires.
They abandoned God and gave their loyalty to false gods, material things, and political alliances.
Their hearts were no longer anchored in trust—they worshipped what they made, not who made them.
2. They Abused God’s Standard (Injustice)
learn to do good;
seek justice,
correct oppression;
bring justice to the fatherless,
plead the widow’s cause.
Their society favored the powerful and crushed the poor.
The rich exploited the poor (Isaiah 3:14-15).
Widows and orphans were ignored and unprotected (Isaiah 1:23).
Judges accepted bribes, and leaders twisted the law (Isaiah 5:23).
People showed up to worship, but lived lives that oppressed others during the week.
3. They Pretended to Worship (Religious Hypocrisy)
And the Lord said:
“Because this people draw near with their mouth
and honor me with their lips,
while their hearts are far from me,
and their fear of me is a commandment taught by men,
The people performed all the right rituals, said all the right things—but their hearts were disconnected. God wasn’t fooled by religious performance.
Bring no more vain offerings;
incense is an abomination to me.
New moon and Sabbath and the calling of convocations—
I cannot endure iniquity and solemn assembly.
Your new moons and your appointed feasts
my soul hates;
they have become a burden to me;
I am weary of bearing them.
Worship became an empty ritual
THEIR CONDITION:
They were headed for captivity, living with the consequences of their rebellion.
Spiritually empty. Nationally shattered. Personally discouraged.
Surrounded by shame and regret.
Pause!
They Were in a Mess Largely of Their Own Making... So Are We.
They Were in a Mess Largely of Their Own Making... So Are We.
Israel wasn’t just suffering because of outside enemies — they were in this situation because of their own decisions:
They ignored warning signs.
They clung to comfort.
They let compromise become normal.
Sometimes we’re stuck, not because the enemy is attacking — but because we’re sabotaging ourselves through bad patterns, toxic thinking, or spiritual drift.
The lie of self-sabotage: judging your future by your failures.
God speaks a word!
“Remember not the former things,
nor consider the things of old.
That analytical mind is a gift, but when it goes unchecked, it can turn into self-sabotage disguised as overthinking.
“Remember” — Hebrew: זָכַר (zākar)
“Remember” — Hebrew: זָכַר (zākar)
Definition:
Definition:
To recall, call to mind, bring to remembrance. keep in memory.
it’s about what you choose to dwell on, replay, or give emotional energy to.
God is saying: Stop rehearsing the past in your mind.
Don’t keep bringing it back up as your reference point — whether it’s your trauma or your triumph.
We often understand why it’s dangerous to dwell on past failures…
But why would God tell Israel not to dwell on past victories?
Past victories can become a ceiling if we treat them like the standard.
2. “Consider” — Hebrew: בִּין (bîn)
2. “Consider” — Hebrew: בִּין (bîn)
✅ Definition:
✅ Definition:
To understand, discern, pay attention to, or give focused thought to.
It means to analyze, meditate on, or mentally process deeply.
You’re not just remembering it — you’re filtering your whole future through it.
God tells them to:
Stop recalling the past (remember),
And stop analyzing it to death (consider).
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.
Isaiah is prophesying to Judah before they are taken into Babylonian captivity (which happens ~100 years later).
But Isaiah 40–66 is written as though they are already in exile — this is a prophetic message of hope spoken ahead of time.
So when God says “I am doing a new thing,” He is:
Speaking into the future, but
Declaring it in the present tense to show certainty and urgency.
It’s as if God is saying:
“Before the captivity even begins, I’ve already scheduled your comeback.”
“A new thing” (Hebrew: chadash) – Something fresh, never-before-seen.
It’s not recycled or familiar. It’s not based on the old version of you.
I am experiencing the “New Thing”
The “New Thing” was a layered future forecast…
MESSIAH — God Makes a Way Back to Himself
MESSIAH — God Makes a Way Back to Himself
Prophetic Layer: The “new thing” wasn’t just about physical return — it pointed to a spiritual Redeemer, Jesus, who would do what no temple, priest, or law could ever do.
But he was pierced for our transgressions;
he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
and with his wounds we are healed.
The ultimate “way in the wilderness” is Jesus Himself
Self-Sabotage Check:
Stop carrying shame for what Jesus already carried to the cross.
HOLY SPIRIT — God Puts the Way Inside of You
HOLY SPIRIT — God Puts the Way Inside of You
Isaiah 44:3 continues the promise:
For I will pour water on the thirsty land,
and streams on the dry ground;
I will pour my Spirit upon your offspring,
and my blessing on your descendants.
This points to Pentecost — when the Spirit didn’t just fall on people, but began to live in them.
The “rivers in the desert” are a picture of the Holy Spirit flowing inside of dry people in dry places (John 7:38-39).
Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’ ” Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
The power to overcome “Me Against Me” isn’t in your willpower — it’s in the Spirit of God living inside of you. (Destroy the strongholds)
PHYSICAL — God Makes a Way Out of What You’re Stuck In
PHYSICAL — God Makes a Way Out of What You’re Stuck In
Israel was headed for captivity in Babylon.
God was promising that even when they hit rock bottom, He would bring them out and restore them to their land.
Even when your situation is a result of your own choices, God is still willing to make a way.
He’s not waiting for you to “earn it” — He’s already worked a plan to bring you back.
Let it Go…. Remember & Consider
God is the God of the “New”
New beginnings
New covenant
New heart
New spirit
New birth
New creation
New name
New mindset
New mercies
New opportunities
New ideas
New relationships
New perspective
New strength
New direction
New vision
New assignment
New doors
New seasons
New strategies
New purpose
New power
New identity
New joy
New peace
New dreams
New hope
New miracles
New future
