No Turning Back

April 10, 2021

Remember Lot’s wife.

~Luke 17:32~

I love that three simple words can speak such volume. A message that goes for all of us today. Jesus was explaining to His disciples how important it is to follow Him all the way to the very end. He used Sodom as an example of how it will be in the Day when He returns. "Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed."

(Luke 17:30)

Just as in the days of Sodom, folks will be carrying on with their normal everyday lives and God will have His last word. Jesus is giving us that ability to have a way out, just as Lot and his wife had because of God's mercy towards Abraham. The covenant He made with Abraham was serious to Him; "After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.” (Genesis 15:1)

God does not back out on His word. He favored Abraham and with Lot being his nephew He spared his family from destruction. As God rained fire upon Sodom and Gomorrah, Lot and his family were officially instructed not to look back. What did Lot's wife do? "But his wife looked back behind him, and she became a pillar of salt."

(Genesis 19:26)

She felt a sense of desire to turn back to what she was losing. She disobeyed God. Jesus mentions her because we can learn such a powerful lesson from what she did. There are many things we could look back on that will only cause damage to ourselves.

When we vow to follow Jesus, we accept His covenant to keep us secure in His Presence. We are not to rely on the world or trust in things that lead us into ungodliness.

"And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God."

(Romans 12:2)

We make a commitment to walk ahead with Jesus wherever He may go and die to our old man, our past, our way of living before we knew Jesus. When He was crucified we were crucified with Him; it is up to us whether we wish to accept that freedom all the way through or whether we turn back. Some reasons why most people turn back, including Lot's wife, are due to being afraid how others may view us, how much we are giving up to become holy or we are too comfortable in our own sin and don't wish to fully give them up. "That you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts." (Ephesians 4:22)

It is our decision to make just as it was for Lot and his family. His wife was the one who became disobedient. Just as Jesus explains in the Day He returns; "Two men will be in the field: the one will be taken and the other left.”

(Luke 17:36)

Lot and his wife were beside eachother and his wife, in a sense, was left right there as a pillar of salt and Lot was taken to safety. If we remain obedient and we keep looking forward to Christ, we too will be taken to safety while those who turn back will be left in their own disobedience and doubt. Jesus is reminding us about Lot's wife as a warning of what is to come and how not to respond to His blessings. When we question whether we are making the right decision going forward in Christ, we will be left as a pillar of salt as we try to preserve our own wants and desires.

"Whoever seeks to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it."

(Luke 17:33)

I highly urge us all to keep pushing ahead following Christ and leaving our past life behind to its own destruction. Wherever the Lord is taking us we must continue going, in pure obedience. Jesus warned us and taught us through His word and we should truely take it in and listen.

"Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow."

(Mark 4:3)

We must grasp His word with all seriousness and follow Him, not letting ourselves be choked by the cares of this world.

If there is something in your past you keep going back to and dwelling on, if there is something you can't bear to give up for your personal holiness, if there is somewhere you wish to stay in fear of who will think you are strange or if there is doubt or question in your heart whether Jesus will fulfill all He has started in you; Jesus is saying "Remember Lot's Wife." He loves us all and He does not wish that any should perish. When we seek to save ourselves we will lose ourselves. Just as Paul stated to the Philippians; "For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain." (Philippians 1:21)

The only way to true life and freedom is to follow Jesus. Let us take His advice and not turn back to what we came from moving ahead with who we are in Christ Jesus now, a new creation on to a new promised land. For we do not know the day or hour He comes so we must be on guard every day, trusting in the Lord so we do not become as Lot's wife.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, thank you for being so merciful yet just. I know You are sovereign, holy and Your warnings are pure. I receive understanding of Your teachings and I pray to never become like Lot's wife. Show me if there are any areas in my life I may be turning back to. Help me to look ahead each day to where You are taking me. I want my trust to remain solely on You. I know You want what is best for me and I long to get to the promised land and be with You for eternity. I declare the enemy cannot tempt me today to turn back or look to save my own life in any way. I use the authority of Christ within me to pull down any stronghold that is chaining me in any type of bondage. I give praise to You Jesus for always making sure Your children know truth and are warned of the effects of not living according to it. May Your Name be glorified today through me and allow the "Sodom of this era" to witness the light shining through me that can only come from You. I pray and receive blessings and strength in the Name of Yeshua, my King. Amen.