Fresh Wine Skins

I have always laughed at the phrase, "You can't teach an old dog new tricks." I have found it funny because I never thought I would get there. A young heart is always ready to adapt to change and conquer the world. Well, this last year, while turning 40, I have come to a full understanding of this idiom. I realize there have been a lot of things that I do in life because it's the way I have always done them. When I consider changing my ways, stubbornness reveals it's ugly head and causes my mind to slam on the breaks. 

The Lord spoke to me, recently, about several areas of my life where I have been stuck. Traditionalism has moved in and decided to camp out in each of these areas. I would not consider these areas of sin, but it has caused me to accept the status quo because of routine and comfort. The problem with this is that it will stunt any growth or put out any fire.

As I was reading Matthew 9, in the account of Jesus' answer about fasting, the Lord spoke to me about wine skins as it relates to capacity. I realized my ability to grow is directly connected to my capacity and willingness. We cannot put new ideas into old mind-sets. We cannot get new results with old behaviors. It is so easy to get caught up doing something over and over because it's the way it has always been done. Traditionalism leads to routine which leads to stagnant lethargy. If you allow a plant to go too long without fresh water, you'll begin to see the life taken from that plant. If you try putting new wine into an old wine skin, the skin cracks and breaks because of it's limited capacity. In our lives, if we slide into traditionalism, we will quickly have stale relationships, leadership, witness, prayer lives, intimacy with Christ and we will fee stuck in every area of life.

As I sat before the Lord and considered this and prayed, I also pray for you reading this, that if you find yourself in a place of stagnancy, simply ask the Lord for fresh wine skins. Jesus is the wine. He wants to take you to new places. He wants to give you fresh revelation. He wants to expand your prayer life. He wants to deepen your walk with Him. He wants to take you and your spouse new places together. He wants to empower you to be a stronger mom or dad or grandparent. He wants to embolden your leadership in the work place.

In closing, in this New Year, if you find yourself hanging onto the old as I have, let's ask God to do a new thing. Isaiah 43:18 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? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland." At the beginning of this year, the Lord gave me this verse. Now I can see why!

Lord, give us fresh wine skins to accommodate the new wine that You pour into us. Point out and reveal any hindrances that are keeping us from reaching new heights with You. We ask for increased capacity, In Jesus Name.