By Pastor Johnie Akers
Isaiah 43:18–19, “Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.”
The beginning of a new year often invites reflection. We look back on joys, losses, victories, and regrets. While reflection has its place, God’s message through Isaiah reminds us that we are not meant to live anchored to the past. “Remember ye not the former things” is not a denial of history, but a call to refuse captivity to it. God knows that clinging too tightly to yesterday—whether its failures or even its successes—can blind us to what He desires to do next.
God declares, “Behold, I will do a new thing.” This is a divine announcement of hope. The God who parted the Red Sea and delivered Israel from bondage is not limited to former miracles. He is ever-creative, ever-active, and ever-faithful. As the new year unfolds, God is already at work ahead of us, preparing fresh opportunities, renewed strength, and unexpected breakthroughs.
Often, however, the “new thing” begins quietly. God asks, “Now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it?” This challenges us to cultivate spiritual awareness. New beginnings may not always arrive with grand signs; sometimes they appear as small shifts—new desires, fresh perspectives, or subtle doors opening. We must remain attentive and receptive, trusting that God’s timing is perfect.
Perhaps you enter this year feeling like you are in a wilderness season—uncertain, dry, or weary. The promise continues: “I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.” God does not wait for ideal conditions to move. He creates pathways where none seem possible and sends refreshing grace into barren places. What feels empty to us is fertile ground for His power.
As we step into this new year, let us release the weight of the past and embrace the promise of God’s new work. Let us walk forward with faith, expectancy, and obedience. The same God who was faithful yesterday is doing something new today—and He invites us to behold it.
May this year be one where we recognize His hand, follow His way, and rejoice in the new thing He is bringing forth.
To establish the people of Central Appalachia in the principles of the Kingdom of God, and thereby releasing them to rise above all cultural, historical, economic, and generational limitations so they may live abundantly within their privileges and covenant as sons and daughters of God.