Letting Go of
The Lens of the Past

Pastor Ben Diaz
 

“And all of us, as with unveiled face, [because we] continued to behold [in the Word of God] as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are constantly being transfigured into His very own image in ever increasing splendor and from one degree of glory to another; [for this comes] from the Lord [Who is] the Spirit.”
— 2 Corinthians 3:18 AMPC

This week, Pastor Ben reminded us that what we behold, we become. If we want to live in the abundance of God’s Kingdom, we have to become experts in Kingdom principles. Jesus paid a high price for benefits many believers never fully walk in—simply because we don’t know how to receive them.

Instead of just trimming the weeds of worldly thinking, Pastor encouraged us to uproot them. He challenged us to reflect: What do you see in your future—your marriage, health, finances, children? Most of us see through the lens of past experiences—our own or our parents’. And the direction we look is where our lives tend to go.

Without renewing our inner image, we’ll unknowingly repeat the same patterns—broken marriages, early deaths, lack, or sickness—because sin corrupted our spiritual DNA. But the good news? When we were born again, we received Jesus’ DNA. The question is: Do we see ourselves that way?

If you’ve been stuck in trauma, failure, or lack for a long time, your mind and body may not even know how to return to God’s original design for your life. For example, if you’ve been sick so long you can’t picture yourself healed, or if living paycheck to paycheck is all you’ve ever known, it becomes a stronghold.

But God's Word is a mirror. And as 2 Corinthians 3:18 says, when we continue to behold the glory of the Lord in that mirror, we are transformed—bit by bit—into His very own image.

That’s why Philippians 4:8 tells us to think on what is pure, lovely, excellent, and worthy of praise. Because whatever you behold is what you become.

Pastor encouraged us to fight the good fight and drive out the "giants" in our thinking. Why? Because the battles we win, our kids won’t have to fight. If you’ve seen divorce for generations, break the pattern by giving your children a picture of a faithful, lasting marriage. You’re not just changing your future—you’re changing your family line.

He reminded us that Peter walked on water as long as he kept his eyes on Jesus. John, the disciple who saw himself as “the one Jesus loved,” lived the longest and died peacefully. How we see ourselves matters—it shapes our identity, our health, and our provision.

If you’re ready for an upgrade in life, it starts by changing the image you carry on the inside. Align your identity with God's Word—not with past failures or family history. The first two commandments set the stage:

1. Have no other gods before Me.

2. Don’t make any idols.

Let go of the cursed images of your past. Let God rewrite the vision in your heart with His truth, and step into the Kingdom life of abundance Jesus died to give you!

To watch the full message, CLICK HERE.