Isaiah 43:18-19 (NIV)

Isaiah 43:18–19 (NIV) 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 wilderness and streams in the wasteland.”

Here is what Isaiah 43:18–19 (NIV) really teaches, simply and clearly:

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1. God invites us to release the past

“Forget the former things” does not mean denying history or God’s past faithfulness. It means:

• Do not be trapped by past failures, regrets, or even past victories

• Do not let yesterday limit your expectation of God today

➡️ God’s work is not finished just because something once happened.

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2. God is always doing something new

“See, I am doing a new thing!” reveals that:

• God is active, not distant

• His plans are ongoing, not repetitive

• New seasons require new faith, not old assumptions

➡️ Faith includes learning to recognize God’s fresh movement.

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3. Spiritual awareness is required

“Do you not perceive it?” teaches us that:

• God’s new work may begin quietly

• We must stay spiritually alert and open

• Familiar patterns can blind us to new blessings

➡️ Prayer and trust sharpen our spiritual sight.

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4. God creates paths where none seem possible

“I am making a way in the wilderness” means:

• God brings direction in confusion

• He opens doors in impossible situations

• No circumstance is too barren for God

➡️ What looks like a dead end can become a divine pathway.

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5. God brings life where there is dryness

“Streams in the wasteland” symbolizes:

• Renewal in exhaustion

• Hope in despair

• Strength in weakness

➡️ God does not just rescue—He revives.

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Core teaching in one sentence

God calls His people to trust Him beyond the past, recognize His new work, and believe that He can bring life and direction even in the most hopeless situations.