APRIL THEME – “SEEING THE RESURRECTION FROM GOD’S PERSPECTIVE”
BEATS FROM YOUR PASTOR’S HEART
Resurrection Power Breaks Old Patterns
2 Corinthians 5:17 — “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”
Many believers rejoice in forgiveness, yet quietly wrestle with repetition. They know their sins are covered, but they still feel caught in the same cycles, the same reactions, and the same habits that have followed them for years. The truth is, the resurrection of Jesus Christ did not just forgive your past—it broke its authority. You are not stuck because you cannot change; you are only stuck if you continue to agree with what God has already broken. Patterns feel automatic, but they were learned—and anything learned can be unlearned through the power of Christ. Resurrection life is not just about eternity; it is about transformation now.
Old Patterns Lose Their Authority
Before Christ, sin had dominion. It was not just something you did—it was something that ruled you. But when Jesus rose from the grave, He broke the authority of sin over your life. What once controlled you no longer has the right to control you. What once defined you no longer has the right to name you. What once trapped you no longer has the right to keep you. Old patterns may still show up, but they no longer carry authority unless you hand it back to them. Many believers are not bound because sin is stronger—they are bound because they keep surrendering to something that has already been defeated. You are not fighting for victory; you are living from victory.
Change Begins with Seeing Differently
Real change does not begin with trying harder—it begins with seeing differently. As long as you view yourself through the lens of your past, you will continue to live out what you believe about yourself. If you see yourself as someone who always struggles, someone who always falls, or someone who can never quite get free, then your life will follow that belief. But when you begin to see yourself as God sees you—as new, redeemed, and empowered—everything begins to shift. You do not become new by changing behavior; you change behavior because you finally believe that you are new. Identity shapes action. What you believe about who you are will determine how you live.
Agreement Determines Direction
Every pattern in your life is sustained by agreement. What you agree with, you empower. What you tolerate, you continue. What you believe, you become. When an old pattern rises, it will sound familiar and convincing. It will try to tell you that nothing has changed, that this is just who you are, and that you will always return to this place. But that voice is not truth—it is a lie looking for agreement. Resurrection power gives you a new response. You can say, “That is not who I am anymore.” You can reject the lie and choose the truth. The moment you stop agreeing with the old, you begin stepping into the new.
Think of a well-worn path through a field. If you walk the same route every day, eventually a clear trail forms. It becomes easy, automatic, and familiar. Now imagine choosing a different direction. At first, it feels uncomfortable. There is no path, no ease, no familiarity. The old path is still there, calling you back. That is how patterns work. The old way feels natural because it has been practiced, but it is not your future. Every time you choose a new step, you are forming a new path. Every time you refuse the old, it begins to fade. You are not stuck—you are simply used to walking the same way.
The resurrection does not just give you hope for someday—it gives you power for today. You are not who you were. You are not bound to what you have done. You are not trapped in cycles that Christ has already broken. Old things are passed away. All things are become new. The question is not whether change is possible; the question is whether you will agree with what God has already done and begin to live like it is true.
Warfare Prayer
Father, in the name of Jesus, I come against every old pattern that has tried to take root in my life. Every cycle of sin, every habit of the flesh, every mindset that does not align with Your truth—I renounce it right now. I declare that I am a new creation in Christ. Old things are passed away, and I will not agree with what You have already broken. Strengthen me to walk in this new identity. Remind me in every moment who I am in You. Let resurrection power shape my thoughts, my choices, and my actions. I reject every lie that says I cannot change, and I receive the truth that I am made new. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Daily Challenge
This week, be intentional. When an old pattern rises, do not entertain it—answer it. Speak it out loud: “That is not who I am anymore—I choose new.” Then take one step in a different direction. If it is anger, choose patience. If it is fear, choose faith. If it is temptation, walk away immediately. You are not trying to become new—you are learning to live like you already are.
TUESDAY’S PRAYER REQUESTS
Kim McClain’s Daughter, Amanda
Jillian Gray – Surgery Today
Nancy Riley
Ellen Boyd
Mary Williams
Theresa Bain
Wes Knight – Much Improved
Ellen Boyd – Fractured Shoulder – Sling For 6 Weeks Then Rehab
Ann Stanley
Britany Smith ~ Breast Cancer
Mateen – Kim McClain’s Sister
Mike And Paula Ferris And Family
Phillip Roach – Surgery Went Well
Amy Garner’s Dad
Andrea Nix– Friend of the Shelnutt’s
Angela Bryan’s Sisters
Annette Ford
Brando Echarte
Carol Lawhead – Riverside in Conyers
Christopher Kelley
Danny Jarrard
Darlene Kelley – Cancer Treatment
Darlene Wiggins
Debbie Foskey
Deon Lotter
Don And Carol Franklin – Mae’s Cousins
Don Franklin’s Son, David
Doris Loyd
Dr. and Mrs. Davis
Ed Adkins – Friend of Brian Edwards
Ed Franklin’s Son In Law – Heart Surgery
Eric Magnusson’s Mother
Eric Ward
Friend of Linda Hodge
Gayle Sparks
Gloria Young
Jake Jenkins
James Burnette
Jean Partee
Jean Partee’s Sister
Jessica Headrick
John McClain’s Mother
Joni Oberhage
June Cronan
June Cronan’s Sister
June Davis
Kailey Bateman
Kim McClain’s Mother
Kim’s Sisters – Ann & Brenda & Mateen
Lillianna Magnusson’s Mom
Linda Mays
Lonzo Christian
Lori Blount’s Mother
Mary Williamson – Dana Jackson’s Mom
Mrs. Franklin
Nancy Brown
Nora Allison
Paul Bateman
Ron And Johnnie Barry – Friends Of Ashton & Glenda Bateman
Rose Fuller – Pruitt-Monroe Nursing Home, Forsyth GA
Roy Roach
Sandra Mitchell
Scott Lanier
Scotty Nix
Stephanie Seivers – Friend of the Shelnutt’s
Steve Michaels
Tammy Shelnutt
Tom Witcher