2019 new year eve sermon by bishop t d jakes

Bishop T.D. Jakes is a renowned Christian pastor and author, and I've found a transcript of his New Year's Eve sermon from 2019. Here it is:

Title: "The Power of Now: Living in the Moment"

Text: Isaiah 43:18-19, 2 Corinthians 5:17

Message:

Dear friends, as we stand here on the threshold of a new year, I want to talk to you about the power of now. You see, the Bible says, "Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?" (Isaiah 43:18-19).

Now, I know some of you may be thinking, "Bishop, I'm not sure I'm ready for a new year. I'm still trying to figure out last year." But let me tell you, the power of now is not about dwelling on the past or worrying about the future. It's about living in the moment.

You see, when we live in the past, we become stuck. We become stuck in our memories, our regrets, our what-ifs. And when we live in the future, we become anxious. We become anxious about what's going to happen, what's going to go wrong, what's going to go right. But when we live in the moment, we become free.

The Bible says, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!" (2 Corinthians 5:17). When we come to Christ, we become a new creation. We become a new person. And that new person is not defined by their past or their future. That new person is defined by their present.

So, as we enter this new year, I want to encourage you to live in the power of now. Don't dwell on the past. Don't worry about the future. Just live in the moment. Because in the moment, you have the power to choose. You have the power to forgive. You have the power to heal. You have the power to be made new.

And I want to leave you with a challenge today. I want to challenge you to take a moment, right now, to let go of the past. Let go of the regrets, the what-ifs, the if-onlys. Let go of the anxiety about the future. Let go of the fear of what's going to happen.

And then, I want to challenge you to take a moment to look around you. Look at the people around you. Look at the world around you. And I want you to say, "I am grateful for this moment. I am grateful for this life. I am grateful for this opportunity to start anew."

And finally, I want to challenge you to take a moment to look within yourself. Look at your heart. Look at your soul. And I want you to say, "I am a new creation. I am a new person. I am made new in Christ."

So, as we enter this new year, I want to encourage you to live in the power of now. Live in the moment. Choose to be free. Choose to be new. Choose to be made new in Christ.

Conclusion:

Dear friends, as we stand here on the threshold of a new year, I want to leave you with a blessing. May you be blessed to live in the power of now. May you be blessed to let go of the past and the future. May you be blessed to live in the moment, free and new in Christ.

And as we go our separate ways tonight, I want to leave you with a final thought. The power of now is not just about living in the moment. It's about living in the presence of God. It's about living in the presence of His love, His mercy, and His grace.

So, as you go out into this new year, I want to encourage you to stay in the presence of God. Stay in His presence, and you will find the power of now. You will find the power to live in the moment, free and new in Christ.

Thank you, and God bless you.