“And Jesus said unto him, No one, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the Kingdom of God” – Lk. 9:62.
‘Looking back from the plough’ (not just ‘going back’) is a negative posture. It is focusing on your negative-past as a believer in Jesus. Now, every believer has a bad-past, being human. You know, the base selfish human nature is not taken away at the new birth, although is dead or “passed away” – 2 Cor.5:17,
“If anyone be in Christ, he is a new creation. Old things have passed away; behold all things are become new.” Note the word “behold” which means ‘to look at or focus on’. In other words, as Jesus’ believer, you are to look at or focus on the new things in you, and not the old bad things in your humanity.
Understand that, to look back on the old dead negative things in you would give ‘life’ to them for them to manifest practically – Rom. 13:14.
Set your mind right
Too many times, God’s people are focused on what is wrong with them, what they do not have and what they cannot do. This will make you unhappy, ungrateful and take strength away from you. So, the devil will always try to get you to look back at the negative tendencies within you.
But God says ‘behold the new’ tendencies which are all of God and which are ahead of you i.e. which you are yet to practically exhibit – 2 Cor. 5:18.
Get your character right
Some of these new positive tendencies you have in Christ are victory, righteousness, health, favour, success, forgiveness, grace, agape love, power, blessings, life, prosperity etc. These are all character-based.
When you look forward at these new positive tendencies then they come alive practically in your daily life. These then form your character. Hallelujah! – Phile. 6,
“That the communication of your faith may become effective by the acknowledging of every good thing in you in Christ Jesus”.
Effective living
Beloved, you do not effectively live out or communicate your faith in Jesus, by partly acknowledging or looking backat your negatives proclivities, and partly looking forward to the yet-to-be-practically-experienced positives traits.
Rather, when you solely focus on the “good things” or traits in you as Jesus’ believer, it would then grow so strong that it would subdue your negatives and weaknesses.
So, you do not have to focus on your negatives to overcome it but to focus on your positives and strengths to overcome your negatives and weaknesses. This is the Kingdom-way.
Ineffective living
The worlds’ idea of focusing partly on your strengths and weaknesses does not fly in the face of the Kingdom-word that, God has perfected you forever through the singular sacrifice of our dearest Jesus on the Cross – Heb. 10:14.
This religious way of the world is not an effective way of dealing with negative tendencies and weaknesses, although it has some merits.
The foundation of character
Beloved, the foundation of a positive Christ-like character in your daily life is important to living out the Kingdom-life on earth now. This is why you must focus on the positives in you to live them out practically. A great character in Christ will anchor all your successes that would come by your gifts and talents; making you fit for Kingdom-life practically.
Dangers of looking back
To look back literally, you will have to turn your back on the great things ahead of you. This is why looking back is disqualifying yourself from enjoying Kingdom-results and Kingdom-life on earth.
Besides, there is no weapon for the back of the believer, as he turns his back – Eph. 6:1-18. So, Satan may get at believers who are looking back or acknowledging, discerning or recognizing the bad things in them i.e. their past bad history. Actually, believers who do that are not acknowledging what Jesus did for them on the Cross.
So, Christ becomes of no effect in their lives – Gal. 5:4. Beloved, looking forward is not denying that there is something negative behind you, but recognizing what our dearest Jesus has done ahead of you i.e. for your future, by clearing your way.
Focus forward
My friend, stop looking over your shoulders because in Christ, your debts are paid, your judgements are taken away, and your enemy is not close but rather cast out of where you are, by our Lord Jesus – Zeph. 3:14-16,
“Sing O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel; be glad and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem. The Lord hath taken away thy judgments, he hath cast out thine enemy: the king of Israel, even the Lord, is in the midst of thee: thou shalt not see evil any more. In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, fear thou not: and to Zion, let not thine hands be slack”.
This Scripture was fulfilled by our Lord Jesus whilst on earth – Jn. 12:31. So, stop looking back at your dead past and focus forward on the bright future for your life, family, job, business,
ministry, church etc.
Do not let your hands be slack i.e. loose passion for your job-of-work. With a diligent hand on the plough and your focus on the great character you have in Christ, you will attract Kingdom results into your practical work, so that you enjoy Kingdom-life.
Praise Him!
