It's Trying To Come Back | Jerry Flowers | Sermon Notes — Hello Pastor

Sermon Notes

It's Trying To Come Back

Time of Celebration Ministries Church • Aug 9, 2026 • 47 min

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Take this message with you through a journey of Scripture, reflection, and prayer.

Summary

In this message, Pastor Jerry Flowers teaches on how believers can resist the pull when old mindsets, habits, or relationships try to drag them back into past bondage. Drawing from Israel's exit in Exodus and Jesus' wilderness temptation, he explains that temptation does not equal ownership, and spiritual warfare often intensifies right after God's confirmation. Believers are encouraged to recognize that they are under new ownership in Christ and to find deep satisfaction in God's presence rather than returning to familiar traps.

Themes

Freedom in ChristSpiritual WarfareDiscerning TemptationNavigating TransitionIdentity and Ownership

Pastor's Points

1.

Why old patterns attempt to come back: 1. To see if they still have a grip on you. 2. To see if they still have access to your services. 3. Because you are close to a breakthrough or promise. 4. To limit access to your growth. 5. Because parasites live off a host.

2.

How to resist the pull of the past: 1. Make peace with your past. 2. Close the door to access. 3. Starve the familiar. 4. Strengthen your why. 5. Stay in His presence.

Key Points

1.
Experiencing temptation from your past does not mean you are still trapped by it or that your deliverance was fake; temptation simply proves that you have exited the enemy's domain.
2.
Confrontation frequently follows divine confirmation, so spiritual opposition is not proof that you missed God's direction, but often confirms the authority and significance of your calling.
3.
The enemy does not pursue you because he values or misses you; he pursues you because he values what your spiritual bondage produces.
4.
Transitions heighten spiritual warfare because the vulnerable space between leaving your past and stepping into your promise attracts fierce enemy pushback.
5.
Ownership and temptation are distinct: past sins and old patterns may attempt to grab you, but through Jesus Christ, your spiritual management has changed and sin no longer owns you.
6.
Nostalgia can distort spiritual perception by causing believers to remember the comfortable meals of Egypt while forgetting the cruel whip of Pharaoh.
7.
Counterfeits and God-given promises often arrive in the same season, requiring believers to operate in discernment rather than preference.

Sermon Moments

“Pharaoh remembered Israel, but he no longer owned them.”

“Ownership and temptation are not the same thing. Just because something is tempting you, that does not mean it owns you.”

“Whenever God brings you out, the enemy's first strategy is not an attack—it's to see if you find your past still attractive.”

“Nostalgia has a way of causing us to edit history—rehearsing the meals of Egypt while overlooking the whip of Pharaoh.”

“Every confrontation is not evidence that your confirmation was false. In fact, sometimes the confrontation is confirmation that your confirmation has significance.”

“Pharaoh did not pursue Israel when they were comfortable; he pursued them when they were free.”

“Transition will always feel like death to the version of you that can't go where God is calling you.”

“Counterfeits and God-sents usually arrive in the same season.”

This Week

Make a peace treaty with your past, refusing to allow old sins or former identity to fuel shame over who God is calling you to be.

Close the door on familiar temptations and set clear boundaries to restrict access to old habits, environments, or toxic relationships.

Starve the familiar by deliberately withdrawing your attention, emotional energy, and time from things that pull you backward.

Strengthen your "why" by anchoring yourself in God's promises and higher purpose when temptation presents a temporary shortcut.

Spend daily time abiding in God's presence and Word to find deep spiritual satisfaction that willpower alone cannot supply.

Reframe spiritual opposition and confrontation as confirmation that God is doing something significant in your life rather than a sign of failure.

Practice spiritual discernment when temptation arises by asking what it promises and evaluating how Jesus provides far better.

Remember This

Temptation from your past does not mean you are still trapped by it; it is proof that you have exited the enemy's domain and are under new management in Christ.

A Challenge for You

Encourage yourself by remembering that the presence of temptation is proof you are no longer indulging in your past, and place your trust in Jesus, who is far better than any temporary pleasure the world offers.

These are personal sermon notes shared to help you remember the message — not a replacement for Scripture, your church, or your pastors.