Rise – 2 – How to Stop Letting The Past Control Your Future t1y2s

RISE – 2 – How to Stop Letting the Past Control Your Future Welcome to Redemption Church of Plano Tx Let me ask you something personal… Have you ever made a mistake you wish you could erase? I have. A word I wish I hadn’t said… A decision I wish I hadn’t made… A season of life I wish I could go back and redo. And while time moves on, some things from the past cling like shadows. And if we’re not careful… we’ll start to believe the lie: THE LIE: “Because of what I’ve done… this is all I’ll ever be.” We all have a past. And for many of us, our past doesn’t feel like just a memory—it feels like a prison sentence. The guilt we carry… The shame we hide… The choices we regret… Some of us are buried—not physically, but emotionally and spiritually—by the weight of what we’ve done or what’s been done to us. We don’t just feel down—we feel defined by our lowest moment. But here’s the good news… Jesus didn’t come to remind you of your past. He came to rewrite your future. Turn to John 8:1–11 — The woman caught in her failure. She’s caught in her failure. Dragged into public shame. Surrounded by accs. Staring at the ground, waiting for judgment. But then Jesus speaks: “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” One by one, the accs leave… until it is only Jesus and the woman. Jesus is the one who is without sin… Jesus is the only one who could have thrown the first stone… Instead, Jesus invites her to live a new life. …neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.” Jesus didn’t ignore her sin. He removed the shame. He didn’t throw stones—He threw her a lifeline. The woman rises to live a new life… Do you believe that Jesus will do the same for us? Romans 8:1 (NIV) “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” NO CONDEMNATION! Rise from your failure. Jesus meets us in the middle of our mess—not to remind us who we were, but to call us into who we can become. So let me ask you: What part of your past still has power over your present? That addiction? That broken relationship? That compromise? That secret? Do you believe you can rise from your failure? How to rise from Failure. 1. Face It Honestly “Honesty is such a lonely word Everyone is so untrue Honesty is hardly ever heard And mostly what I need from you – Billy Joel Here is what happens if we can be honest… 1 John 1:9 (NIV) -Own your mistakes without making them your identity. You can’t heal what you won’t face. Bring it into the light—God’s grace is bigger than your guilt. 2. Leave It Fully You can leave it behind. You don’t have to replay your failures in your mind… Isaiah 43:18–19 (NIV) There are some things you need to forget. Stop dwelling on the past, and get ready for the NEW THING! You are not sentenced to your past—you are called into a new future.  The grave is not your permanent address… Leave the grave and live again. 3. Step Into What’s Next God has a NEXT for you. NEXT STEPS! -Believe the Gospel -Repent and be baptized. -Experience the Holy Spirit. -Go do BIG THINGS! Go Change the World  Philippians 3:13–14 (NIV) You have a calling from God! This call is to rise!  Heavenward in Jesus. Don’t just leave the past behind—chase the future God has for you. Every day, take one step closer to the life Jesus rose to give you. You may have been wounded, but you don’t have to live wounded. You can rise into a brand new life. There is a reason we are called Redemption Church. We’re not a community of perfect people—we’re a community of redeemed people. We honestly confess what we were… -We were depressed, weighed down by hopelessness… -We were divorced, broken by betrayal and regret… -We were failures, ashamed of our mistakes… -We were addicted, trapped in cycles we couldn’t break… -We were angry, bitter at life and everyone in it… 1 Corinthians: 6:11 NIV We confess what we were, but we also confess our new identity in Jesus. Get Connected with a group of people who will help you rise. Jesus redeemed us. He gave us joy. He gave us new beginnings. He gave us a future. He set us free. He filled us with peace. Let’s rise together! 1. Believe your past does not define your future. Don’t stay buried under what Jesus already overcame. Trust that He is writing a new story for your life. 2. Take one courageous step toward freedom today. Whether it’s prayer, confession, baptism, or asking for help—move toward the life Jesus has made possible for you. 3. Refuse to walk alone. (CG QR) a community where you can heal, grow, and rise. Find people who will remind you that redemption is real and resurrection is possible. 1j512t