What Are You Remembering—God’s Power or Your Pain?
Everyone carries stories. Stories about the highs, the heartbreaks, the miracles, and the mistakes. Some of them make us laugh, some of them make us cry, and some still carry a weight we can’t quite explain. But the most powerful stories aren’t just the ones that shaped us—they’re the ones that remind us of who God is.
When God brought Israel across the Jordan River in Joshua 4, He didn’t just part the waters. He instructed them to pull stones from the riverbed and build a memorial—something tangible that would prompt future generations to ask, “What do these stones mean?” The answer would always point back to one truth: God made a way when there was no way.
That story wasn’t just about remembering the past. It was about anchoring faith for the future.
But here’s the real challenge: What are you memorializing in your heart? Are you building monuments to the pain and lies of your past, or are you raising up reminders of God's promises and power?
Most of us don’t even realize how often our inner narrative is steeped in negativity. As Proverbs 23:7 says, “As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.” If your thoughts are stuck in regret, failure, or fear, your life will reflect it. But if you let Jesus into those stories—especially the painful ones—He can turn old wounds into testimonies of healing. He can transform your inner monologue from “I’ll never be enough” to “Look what the Lord has done.”
God doesn’t call us to forget our stories. He calls us to invite Him into them.
When we remember well—when we speak of His faithfulness, healing, and provision—we’re not just recalling the past. We’re reviving our present faith, revealing His power to others, and resisting the enemy’s lies. Scripture tells us that when the surrounding nations heard what God had done for Israel, “their hearts melted in fear” (Joshua 5:1). Your story, spoken in faith, can silence every whisper of defeat from the enemy. Your memory is a weapon.
So what are you remembering today? What memorial are you building in your heart?
Let it be one that reminds your children, your friends, your community—and your own soul—that Jesus is still at work. He’s still the God who parts rivers, heals bodies, restores relationships, and provides when there seems to be no way. He’s still the God who is writing a greater story with your life.
Let your memories preach when your feelings won’t. Let your testimony become your praise.
And when you face the next river, the next giant, the next impossible moment—you’ll have the stones of remembrance to hold onto. You’ll know: If God did it before, He can do it again.
What kinds of stories or “memorials” have you built in your heart—are they rooted in God’s faithfulness or in past pain? How do they shape your daily choices?
Joshua 4 describes the Israelites creating a physical memorial so future generations would ask, “What do these stones mean?” What’s one story of God’s faithfulness in your life that you want others to know?
Proverbs 23:7 says, “As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.” How does your internal narrative line up with God’s truth? What negative thoughts need to be surrendered to Jesus?
Have you ever experienced breakthrough or healing when you shared your testimony out loud? How did that moment affect your faith—and possibly the faith of those who heard it?
The sermon reminds us that “your memory is a weapon.” What’s one way you can use your testimony this week to encourage someone, resist fear, or declare God’s power?