Title: Envision: God is Doing Something New!
Sermon by Pastor Bob Johnson / May 31, 2026
Text: Isaiah 43:18-19
Introduction:
God’s message to Israel (and to us) is “God’s plan is bigger than your past.”
So, let’s dig into Isaiah 43:18-19.
God Gives an Instruction “Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old.”
There is a difference between remembering what God did (gratitude) and dwelling on it (stagnation). When we dwell on the past, we imply that God’s best days are behind Him.
What do you need to stop dwelling on today? A past mistake? A season of life that has ended? A version of yourself that no longer exists?
God Makes a Statement “Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth.”
Israel expected another Exodus-style deliverance. God says: “I’m doing something different, something new—and greater.”
Think about it! God loves making things new.
Ezekiel 36:26 – “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you…”
Lamentations 3:22-23 – His mercies are new every morning
Psalm 40:3 – A new song
John 13:34 – A new command
Hebrews 8:13 – A new covenant
2 Corinthians 5:17 – “A new creation”
Revelation 21:5 – “I make all things new”
“One of the enemies of the next thing God wants to do in your life could be the last thing He did.”
What new thing is God doing in your heart?
How has God been speaking to you about your service and involvement here at First Baptist? What has He been preparing you for? Which ministry do you need to pursue and commit to? How will you step up and be a part of what God is doing? Ask God to help you envision what that might be.
God Asks a Question “shall ye not know it?”
When God brings the “new thing,” our immediate reaction is often discomfort or resistance because we are too used to the old or the norm. When God asks, “Will you not perceive it?” He is challenging us to endure the temporary discomfort of a new season.
Shift your prayers from “God, change my circumstances” to “God, open my eyes to perceive what you are already sprouting in my life.”
God Declares a Promise “I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.”
You cannot step into verse 19 until you obey verse 18. The “new thing” requires letting go of the “former thing.”
Throughout Isaiah you read about the Deliverer – Jesus Christ.
Isaiah 7:14 – “Behold, a virgin shall conceive…”
Isaiah 9:6–7 – “For unto us a child is born…”
Isaiah 11:1–10 – The Branch from Jesse
Isaiah 42:1–4 – The Servant of the Lord
Isaiah 49:5–6 – A light to the Gentiles
Isaiah 53 – Jesus as the suffering Savior
Isaiah 59:20 – Jesus as the Redeemer
Isaiah 61:1–3 – Jesus as the anointed one who brings deliverance
We all need a redeemer. Someone to deliver us from our sin.
What is the “former thing” you need to drop at the altar today?
Where is the place in your life where you need to look for a sprout of new life?
Three Life Principles from Isaiah 43:18–19
Don’t Let Your Past Define Your Future
Philippians 3:13 – “Forgetting what lies behind”
God is bigger than your past mistakes or victories
Expect God to Work in Unexpected Ways
Isaiah 55:8–9 – His ways are higher
Look for God’s Work with Spiritual Awareness
John 5:17 – God is always working
Do not let your past understanding limit God’s future work. God’s plan is bigger than your past.