Think Back to Walk Forward

Sermon Title: Think Back to Walk Forward

Main Text: Deuteronomy 8:2-3

Deuteronomy 8:2–3 ESV

2 And you shall remember the whole way that the Lord your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not.

For the next few moments I want to speak under the subject entitled:

Think Back to Walk Forward

Prayer

Father, we need a word from the Lord. Just one word from the Lord, will move all doubts

And cause the sun to shine And give peace of mind Speak Lord.

Open up our ears that we may hear your word,

Open up our eyes that we may see your word,

Open up our minds that we may understand your word,

And open up our hearts that we may receive your word.

It’s your time father, do what you do, in Jesus name, Amen.

Introduction

The book of Deuteronomy is a book that allows us to attend the final sermons of Moses to the people of Israel. See God’s people are on the edge of the promise land once again and Moses does not want them to delay this journey again.

After forty years in the wilderness, a new generation is ready to move forward.

The heart of this book is simple but serious. It is to remember the Lord, love the Lord, and obey the Lord. God knows that prosperity can make people forget what struggle taught them.

So before Israel crosses over, Moses calls them to remember that it was not their strength, their wisdom, or their effort that sustained them, it was God alone.

And this is the whole message this evening as we prepare to go into 2026. You might want to write this down…

Central Truth: God uses his track record to empower your trust in Him, in order to launch you into progression/advancement.

In other words God wants your testimonies to aid your trust in Him in order to launch into advancement in 2026.

Explain how we plan for the new year with goals to “Achieve.”

God wants us to “achieve”

He wants us to walk forward into “achievement”

Subject

How do we walk forward in 2026?

Point 1: Reflecting on the Journey

Read Deuteronomy 8:2

Deuteronomy 8:2 ESV

2a And you shall remember the whole way that the Lord your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness…

You shall Remember = This is a command, not a suggestion. In Deuteronomy, remembering is a spiritual discipline.

God calls us to reflect on where He has brought us.

Application:

Being in a relationship with God calls for us to spend time reflecting on what He has done for us.

Then the text continues by saying,

The Whole Way that the Lord your God has led you.

The whole way = Not selective memory. Israel is commanded to remember all of it

The Lord your God has led you = Moses centers the story on God’s leadership, not Israel’s survival skills.

They had made it this far because they were being led, not surviving.

When you reflect on the journey you can help but remember how the Lord has carried you…

Expound on…

Sub Point 1: Wilderness seasons are not wasted seasons.

Deuteronomy 8:2 ESV

2b that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not.

That he might humble you = This is not humiliation. It’s God undoing self-reliance.

God humbles not to crush identity, but to cure your independence.

Testing = In Scripture, God’s testing is not to discover what He doesn’t know. It’s to reveal what we don’t see in ourselves.

Sub Point 2: Testing is for Dependance

Closing

Illustration: “My friend who had been training for the real fight”

When you find yourself facing a tough predicament or situation, start thinking about If God be for me, who can be against me,

When you find yourself being attack from all sides, start thinking about No weapon formed against me, shall be able to prosper,

When you find yourself sick and wracked with pain, start thinking about He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.

When you find yourself discouraged and depressed, start thinking about the battle is not yours, it’s the Lord,

When you find yourself wondering and pondering on why your life is what it is, start thinking about all things work together for the good of those who love Christ Jesus,

When you find yourself down and out, start thinking about they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings as an eagle. They shall walk and not be weary, they shall run and not faint.

God shows us that when we reflect and remember, we find ourselves empowered to trust Him all the more!

The song writer says, Trust and obey, for there's no other way, To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey!

The Bible says, Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not into your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make straight your paths!

In 2026, God is demanding us to Think Back, so we can Move Forward.