Summary: We need to look back at someone who looked back

Remember Lot’s Wife

“Don’t Look back”

Sermon Scripture: Luke 17:32 (KJV)

Luke 17:32 Remember Lot’s wife.

Don’t look back!

In this scripture Jesus wants us to look back on someone who looked back

This is like many of us today; God has delivered us from the situation but we keep looking back

Sometimes we can look back to see if God really fixed it or if he is really working on it at all. I can assure you that if God has spoken to your heart to move forward then He is also taking care of the situation

Listen. You are delivered right now!

Don’t look back!

Because Lot’s wife was behind him and Lot’s instructions were to not look back then it is highly possible that he didn’t even know that she had been turned into salt

Let’s look at this more closely:

Turning someone into a pillar of salt is probably a very quick and quiet operation. Though I have never seen it done, I could just imagine that the procedure would have to happen so quick that the person would not know what happened.

It is interesting that she was turned into a pillar of salt and not a pile. A pile of salt would have been indistinguishable and may have not been in existence long enough for anyone to ever truly identify what happened to her

Pillar - A vertical structure standing alone and not supporting anything (as a monument or a column of air)

By God turning her into a pillar it was a sort of statue symbolizing the fact that He and only He had laid hands on Lot’s wife. She was probably frozen in the position of looking back so that everyone could identify exactly what her crime was

I have said time after time that God has not gained or lost any power since the beginning of time. He has had and will remain to have all power.

He still has the ability to turn us into pillars of salt in our positions of disobedience to His word the same as he did with Lot’s wife

God insisted that she pay the price for her disobedience

Lot made a personal choice to be saved. All a person had to do was simply chose to be saved and God would have made sure that above all things that they would have been able to flee the scene without harm

Many of us think that if we had been there we would have easily chosen to follow God but let’s look at this again

In today’s society we are allowing so many ungodly things to go forth as if God does not see us or as if he is not judging us

When I turn on the television set now I can almost be assured to see sex and/or violence

Most of the complaints of the sin on TV comes from the people who produce the programs in an attempt to create hype because they know how much we feed from controversy

Most of the people who actually are led to stand up for what is right are quickly bought for a certain price or threatened to have their background revealed

We think that all we have to do is turn the channel and it will be fine. Saints this is exactly the attitude that the people of Sodom and Gomorrah maintained

They thought that they were alright even in their state of undeniable sin

They looked at Lot like a crazy man when he came forth to warn them of God’s wrath. I have been sent here today to let you know that we are placing our lives in the hands of an angry God with our continual sins. He will judge us and he has the same power that he had when he judged Sodom and Gomorrah

Consider yourself warned not just by me but by Jesus in our scripture for today. We need to remember Lot’s wife and consider our sinful ways

I realize that there are some friends, family, lovers, stuff, all kinds of things that are left behind but we can’t look back.

I am the strongest advocate against divorce. I simply hate them

I am in no way saying that if you and/or your spouse are in sin then leave your spouse and never look back

I am saying however that you can continue to move forward and God will deliver them back to you with your forward progress (if it be his will).

However if we allow ourselves to be caught up in the same sinful ways of our loved ones then we too are subject to his wrath. If we look back God will deal with us just as he is dealing with them

Don’t look back to get them. If they disobey let it be from behind. What if Lot’s wife was in front of him when she looked back. Lot would have either made a special effort to stop her or he would have been too sad to continue after such a drastic loss (Genesis 19:26 But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.)

We may wonder why did Lot’s wife ever think to look back but we need to realize that there were some things very important to her that she was leaving behind

Lot’s wife had loved ones that she had to leave behind (Genesis 19:14 And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons in law, which married his daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place; for the LORD will destroy this city. But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law.)

She had all kinds of material stuff that she had to leave behind (Genesis 13:5 And Lot also, which went with Abram, had flocks, and herds, and tents. 6 And the land was not able to bear them, that they might dwell together: for their substance was great, so that they could not dwell together.)

Her husband Lot was rich she could have been wondering how would they make it after leaving all of their worldly possessions behind

CONCLUSION

I wonder if we were ordered to leave everything that we have worked so hard for behind so suddenly right now would we be able to leave it without hesitation or reservation never to look back

It is probably easier for some than it is for others. The more you have to lose the harder it will probably be to leave it all and vice versa

We should consider ourselves extraordinarily blessed because we haven’t been turned over to the hand of an angry God in our state of sin

We have a chance this very moment to turn from our wicked ways and follow God

Don’t look back

One thing for sure you know what is back there but you don’t know what the future may hold

God is an expert he knows what he is doing

You asked for deliverance then walk in your deliverance

No matter what people say you are delivered right now

Don’t look back

Let’s Pray

Dear God I have sinned. Please forgive me. I am now walking with a made up mind that I will not look back. I realize that the road may not be easy but my Lord I prayu that you stay wityh me and give me the encouragement that you know that I need to continue to fight in the midst of my troubles. Thank You Lord and I truly love you with all of my heart, mind and soul. I am praying your blessings not just on me but everyone around me. Lord God please bless that we may be able to move forward on the mighty visions that you have placed before us and help us to do your will in the name of Jesus. Amen

Thank You. May God continue to bless you and keep you. Amen

Your Friend

Minister Juan D. Lane Sr.