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