CHAPTER 9 God Can Do It Again Key Truth The key to staying encouraged so you can see God open new doors and turn negative situations around is to never forget what He has done. If you want to reach your Promised Land, look back and see the hand of God on your life. G od performed miracle after miracle for the Israelites. He sent plagues on their enemies and supernaturally brought them out of slavery. When they came to a dead end at the Red Sea, with Pharaoh and his army chasing them, it looked like their lives were all over, but the water parted and they went through the sea on dry ground. He led them by the cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night. But in spite of all of this, they never made it into the Prom- ised Land. Psalm 78 tells why. It says, “They forgot what God had done. They didn’t remember the amazing miracles He had shown them and their ancestors.” Are you forgetting what God has done for you? Have you let what once was a miracle become ordinary? It doesn’t excite you anymore. You don’t thank God for it. Look back over your life and remember that God brought you to where you are, through big things and small things. You'll know that if God did it for you once, He can do it for you again.You may get discouraged and think, “I don’t see how I'll ever get out of this problem. I'll never get out of debt. I'll never get well.” But when that negative thinking happens, go back and remember the Red Seas that God has parted for you. Remember the enemies He’s delivered you from. Remember the battles He's fought, and the restoration, the vindication, and the favor He's shown. Look back and see the hand of God on your life. He has opened doors that should have never opened for you and helped you accom- plish things you never could have accomplished on your own. He's brought you out of difficulties that you thought you'd never survive. He's protected, promoted, and given you opportunity. In the Old Testament, we read a lot about the staffs that people carried around with them. They weren't just walking sticks or something to keep wild animals away. They were more significant than that. They etched records of important events and dates on their walking staffs. Their walking staffs provided a record of their history with God. When Moses parted the Red Sea, what did he do? He held up his staff. He was saying, “God, we thank You for all You've done in the past. We remember that You've delivered us time and time again.” He was remembering the great things God had done. When David went out to face Goliath, he didn’t just take his slingshot. The Scripture says he took his staff. On that staff, no doubt, he had etched, “On this date I killed a lion with my bare hands, On this date I killed a bear.” David took his staff to remind him that God had helped him in the past. That gave him the final boost. His attitude was, “God, You did it for me back then, so I know You can do it for me now.” Read the victories etched on your staff and go forth to con- quer.Consider This The Scripture says, “We should never forget what God has done in our lives, and we should tell our children and our grandchildren.” We should pass down stories of the goodness of God. If you had a staff, what victories would you have etched on it that you should tell your children and grandchildren?What the Scriptures Say wt Hear this, .. . all who live in the land. Has anything like this ever happened in your days or in the days of your ancestors? Tell it to your children, and let your children tell it to their children, and their children to the next generation. Joel 1:2-3 Then I thought, “To this I will appeal: the years when the Most High stretched out his right hand. I will remember the deeds of the Lorp; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago. I will consider all your works and meditate on all your mighty deeds” Psalm 77:10-12Thoughts for Today aera mene Sometimes a person has to go back, really back—to have a sense, an understanding of all that’s gone to make them— before they can go forward. Paule Marshall We have forgotten the gracious Hand that preserved us in peace and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us; and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own. Abraham LincolnA Prayer for Today Father, thank You for all the amazing things You've done in my life, for the victories You've helped me win, for the restoration, the vindication, and the favor You've shown, Help me to remember the doors You've opened for me and for the times You've protected, promoted, and given me opportunities. I believe that no matter what I face today that You can do the miracles again for me now just as You've done in the past.