I am really excited to share this message with you today. It is so timely for all of us. This particular message has been brewing inside of me for the past week. I was actually preparing a totally different message for our Spiritual Equipping Broadcast, and this one completely arrested me, and I knew this was the message for the first week of the year.
I’m taking a major risk today by telling you this. I have no idea what your beliefs are or if you adhere to a certain faith or not. But I believe God has a message for you and me today. I hope you will read this message from a position of maturity, and that you will not get your chonies in a wad. Please take what I’m about to share with you as a piece of wisdom, because I really believe this is going to touch you deeply and impact every area of your life in the new year.
This is going to be what you and I both need to hear right now. As you read this and really receive it, you will know it was clearly God who brought this message to you in order to prepare you for what I believe will be your greatest year yet.
I woke up one morning and I heard in my spirit the word "fresh". So I looked up every instance of the word in the Bible. The first passage that stood out to me was Mark 2:21-22. It says, "No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; otherwise the patch pulls away from it, the new from the old, and a worse tear results. No one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the wine will burst the skins, and the wine is lost and the skins as well; but one puts new wine into fresh wineskins."
You’ve heard that age-old saying, "Out with the old, in with the new". But that’s just a saying. This is directly from God! There is actually a warning in this passage. It warns that you cannot take a new patch and put it on an old garment and expect for it to work. If you are trying to mend an old garment, you must use a piece of shrunken cloth. Otherwise, it will result in an even greater tear. Interesting, isn’t it?
I won’t go into great detail on wine and wineskins, but what you have to know is this: They used to use animal skins to keep their wine. (Today we prefer bottles or barrels, but they used animal skins filled with wine.) But they didn’t put new wine into old wineskins, because that would cause the skins to burst. They put new wine into fresh wineskins.
This is a very clear message that you and I need to grasp.
God is bringing something new. He is bringing NEW into your life in 2013. But what we cannot do is we cannot carry the old with us. We cannot embrace the new if we are carrying the old with us. We cannot mix the new and fresh things with the old and worn out things. He wants you to have new wineskins.
We cannot come into the new things with old mindsets and old ways & habits. We must embrace it with new mindsets and new ways.
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2 Corinthians 5:17 is the next passage, and it says this: "Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come."
Did you catch that? If you are in Christ, you are a new creature!
What does it mean to be in Christ? If you confess with your mouth and believe in your heart that Jesus, the only begotten son of God, died on the cross and rose from the dead, ascended to the Father, that He is alive and sitting at the right hand of the Father right now, then you are in Christ.
So if you are in Christ, then you are a new creature! It doesn’t say, "You might be a new creature," or "Someday you may become a new creature," or "You should be a new creature." No, it says you are a new creature! Not someday…NOW! (And NOT the kind of creature Mary pictures every time I say the word "creature"…a green thing with 6 eyes and tentacles… But a new creature in Christ!)
It says the old things have passed away. What are the old things? Old doubts, old fears, past mistakes, past pain, past resentment and bitterness towards your spouse or your kids, the anger you had towards somebody you work or live with, the anger from your childhood, the business mistakes, the financial mistakes. The old things have passed away!
It goes on to say, "Behold, new things have come." Not new things are coming; not new things will come in the future. New things have come! It’s already here!
I really love this passage, and here’s why: I’ve encountered people in my work who are carrying self-hate. It’s almost as though they are beating themselves over the head with a baseball bat, making themselves pay for the mistakes they’ve made. And whenever I encounter someone like this, I will have them repeat this passage over and over again. "Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come."
I have to tell you a story real quick. It was January 2010 in Denver, Colorado. We had a sold-out crowd for First Steps to Success. There was a client there who I just love. She had something happen to her back and she was in a wheelchair. She was in pain and so drugged up, she didn’t even look like the same person. She desperately wanted to be healed. Her husband and daughter told her, "You’ve got to go to First Steps. I know the Lord is going to heal you there." And she did.
So there it was, Saturday night at our Spiritual Equipping Live in the Marketplace. The Lord had told me He was going to heal her, so I brought her up to the stage. I had her repeat some things after me for a little while, and then here’s what came out of her mouth: "I know I’m paying for my sins right now." I’m telling you, I got mad as a hornet. Because there’s only ONE who can pay for our sins, and that isn’t you or me. I knew that was the evil one who was speaking out of her mouth and that she was carrying a spirit of condemnation. She was holding the bat, beating herself up for the mistakes she had made.
I looked at her and I said, Renae, you say this after me: "Therefore if anyone is in Christ – and I am in Christ – then he is a new creature – so I am a new creature! The old things passed away; behold, new things have come!"
Another one I had her repeating was Romans 8:1, which says, "Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus."
Renae got healed that night. She was standing on the stage for 45 minutes before she realized that she was standing on her own, with no pain!
The old things had passed away – the wheelchair, the pain, the mindset of "I’m paying for my sin" and "I deserve this" had passed away. The new things had come for Renae.
My friend, these 2 passages may be something you want to print out and keep in front of you as you head into 2013.
You cannot come into 2013 with your old ways of thinking. It’s old mindsets that keep us stuck. It’s the old mindsets that we carry with us that trip us up, hold us back, and keep us in a rut. The old ways you think about money, your job, your business, your spouse, your family, yourself. The old ways you look at your future have passed away! The new things have come!
This is your chance for a clean slate, a new beginning, a fresh start. So embrace it!
In my next post, I am going to share with you the rest of the message God has given me to begin this brand new year with a fresh new start. Together, we are going to discover the old mindsets and old ways that we have carried with us through the years, and we are going to get a glimpse of what God has in store for us in 2013.
I can’t wait to watch as you run with this. I truly believe this will set you up for outrageous success in the coming year.
Be sure to watch for my next post, where I will share the rest of this powerful message. In the meantime, if this has impacted you in any way, I would love to hear about it. What mindsets will you leave behind this year? What fresh new beginnings do you believe are in store for you in 2013? What insights did you gain today? Please scroll to the bottom of this page and let me know – I will be reading your responses personally, because I love hearing about your success!
Also, if you would like to see your friends and family experience their best year ever as well, go ahead and just send this link to them. You never know who needs this message right now. So just as you have freely received this today, please freely share it! And until next time, God bless!
In great faith,
God spoke this SAME word to me a few weeks before the new year. I had instructions to purge all the “old” out of my life. So I did. This year is a year of NO more lack, poverty and a chance to help the needy.
Dani,
Interesting I would read this today, curios that I received two emails from your site I opened it. Amazing to me, I find the depth of your conviction and the boldness that you present it with in this time. Praise Yah.
I have just begun a class for coaching. My desire to help others has always been core to who I am in Him. I am at a point in life that I have to either, buckle down in the logistics business that I work from home (which at this time is in the tank) and raise it back up to meet the financial needs, while at the same time chaining myself to misery; or start fresh, new.
Always knowing that it is my decision, that He will bless the work of my hands as long as I am ‘in Him’, I look for His guidance, His leading, His Hand. That in all things I will be a blessing to Him who gives us all life.
I have found a much deeper definition of being ‘in Him’ than the theological doctrine you listed. That is where we begin.
So I am writing to say Thank You. I have never written to anyone about my thoughts, feelings, ideas etc. but felt compelled to write to you. I have felt compelled other times to write, but always put it off and then it never happened. I am at this beginning, this fresh and new beginning. Ya-HOO, it’s gonna be an exciting and sometimes frustrating journey, but one that I look forward too.
Blessings to you,
Bethel
Dani , your not going to believe this . I was on facebook commenting on a post one of my friends posted . Her post stated “I feel like its the calm before the storm” so I told her “dont say that I have had enough storms” and she replied back “tell me about it jarl , lets just have a drink over it” I then told her “that usually tends to make things worse , how about we end the winter storms of our life and , even though its freezing outside , let let the summer of our lof shine like its never shined before sound good to you ?” . Right in the middle of me writing the last reply , I recieved this e-mail , but before I read it I finished speaking with my friend . She then said “ok deal and have a shot” haha , so my final comment on the post before I began readind reading this e-mail was “deal , lets make a toast to 10° summer” . I then began reading this e-mail and litterally started balling . I do believe this year is going to be magical and different from any year yet and I think God just confirmed it . Thank you so much Dani for everything , because of you , I am so much closer to God and to becoming the person I know I meant to be . I also stared a business last year and have not done as wee as I would like but even more crazy , I had an appointment earlier this morning that I felt went amazing and also have a couple more appointments next week with people who I think single handedly can explode my business. So to me it really feels like things are falling right into place . Thank you so much Dani , sincerely Karl Carter .
Dani,
Thank you so much for your work. I praise Papa daily for putting me right in the midst of where you are. I think how amazing that my family is right here right now able to glean from your knowledge, wisdom and favor!
Coming home from dynasty, my life is overflowing with potential and hope. My husband has been shocked to see his wife free from torment. I literally have never known such hope and freedom as I have the last 6 weeks. Not only that but my 16 year old son gave his life to Christ during the weekend! The baptisms were so holy and it spoke so deeply to my sons spirit. so blessed!
We came home and reported to my husband about what my son and I had learned. His first move was getting rid of the tv. We have seen and nurtured so many sprouts in 6 weeks. How refreshing to spend my time outside of my head as Hans had said. We are using the wealth formula and happily living even on 65% of our income (gotta have my 5% learning fund!)
You all have blessed my family beyond what I can express. Praising Him and faithfully expectant that the divine acceleration will contiue. Thank you and Hans for your obedience!
Dani, thank you so much for this powerful message. For many years the enemy has convinced me that a punishment from God will come to me as a result of any sin in my life and somehow I had to pay. I thank God for your life. You delivered His word in a very crucial time in my li fe I p ra i s e Him! He i s faithful!!
Thank you Dani,
I receive all that you said! Fresh start and first time obedience that will enable me to fulfill my destiny in life. We are reading Grooming the Next Generation and loving it! Thank you for being obedient in your speaking and writing for Him! I hope to become like you someday, speaking and encouraging others with the truth! The new has come! Blessed and ready to receive what 2013 holds for me.
Dani I saw this on FB and decided to click on the link and read it. First paragraph in I was like…this was meant for me. I needed to hear this…read this. My life has change since I was at my FSTS in L.A. last year. My friend took me to the Spiritual Equipping that Saturday evening. I was so uncomfortable I wanted to run out of the place several times. I can’t explain to you what held me there in my seat. I wanted to run but couldn’t. Prior to that evening I didn’t believe in anything. I had given up my faith a long time ago for reasons I won’t get into right now. By the end of the evening I was one of the people that went up and got a complimentary book you were offering that night. The Book of God! I went back to my room and was completely at a loss for what I had experienced that night and what had happened to me, inside me. Dani I have wanted to tell you this several times but wanted to make sure you heard this message. I watched that evening with wide eyes and open mind. It was one of the most incredible evenings I have experienced in my life. Do you remember that evening? Do you remember what happened that night…wow I still can’t put it into words. It is time Dani and it is this year. I believe I have found my faith again and try and speak to God every day. Dani I am so blessed!
Hi Dani Johnson , thank you so much for that awesome word from The Lord. I received it. It was confirmation .Last month when I was praying to God about some past things in my life, about some people that I trusted really tried to hurt me and my children went through some things that I still wanted justice and The Lord said your past is your past , let it go. I am bringing you into a great future. Even as 2013 came I found myself trying to bring my old ways into this year , borrowing, begging my family to help me and nothing worked this time and The Lord said that is not my plan for you . I am taking you in a new direction. So i am looking forward to getting all the training and wisdom from you that I can so that I can go out and change somebody life.
Thank You
Amanda Robinson
This is the missing piece, and a confirmation for me of the Spirit at work in my life. I no longer have the disposition to agonized over the past, wallow in regrets, etc. There is a audit in my home, Why seek the living among the dead?” So we’ve quit looking at the past, but at the present and future as they unfold, with gratitude. We’ve recently relocated to the west, and opportunity and people we didn’t even know are opening their hearts and hands to us. Truly, we feel blessed, and are definitly going thru our “sprout” cycle. Knowing that being a new creature in Christ is a miracle. Thank you for pointing thY out!
Hi Dani,
Thank you! It is an awesome message. I love the story about Renae and how quickly you picked up on how a spirit of condemnation was vexing her. I definitely have experienced the joy and healing that can come from Christ’s loving sacrifice for us. Thank you for fearlessly sharing your heart and love with so many – with me.
I thank God when I pray for you and your family’s selflessness and example.
HAPPY New Year!
Bree S.
Wow, I so needed to hear this today! It has been on my mind exactly what you shared. I lost my job back in June 2012 due to unfairness in the work place. I had been unhappy and not growing where I was working and thinking of changing locations of where I work, but was afraid, wow.. cannot believe I just said it cause I am usually not that type of person. I am the type that tries anything. Well anyways, I have been trying to be smarter about my next place of employment. Do I open up my own Business ( but have no extra money) Would like to be my own Boss. Or work for someone else. To finally get to my point is this, I have been carrying this grudge that I lost my job, my ego was bruised, pride is in the way! Yes I am a Christian and I AM in CHRIST.. For if GOD is for me WHO than shall be against me.. I am a NEW CREATURE in CHRIST. Therefore I need a NEW MINDSET so I can see what GOD has planned for me. THANK YOU for the reminder.. Please continue to share with all of us! Thanks for all you do.. Keep up the AMAZING WORK that you do!
Hi Dani.
I thank you SO much this message today. I am printing these verses and posting them everywhere. I have been dragging my old junk from year to year and decade to decade all with the feeling that God would never forgive me for my past sins and now I know what I need to do to release this baggage. I have always known that Jesus Christ has already paid for my sins, I guess I just never really knew that it applied to me.
Thank you again and I look forward to seeing you soon.
Wow! This has totally got me fired up for the new year! My name is Brian Fortin and I am looking forward to meeting you in the future Dani. At my current job, I am able to listen to my ipod all day and I have listened to so many of your modules! (First Steps, Prospecting & Closing, Presentation, Insider Secrets to Home Business Success and THEY all rock!) I am looking to join the home business industry and apply ALL that you have taught me. I am so excited to do it with all the systems that you put in place. The thing I am most excited about however is using proven systems that proclaim Christ’s greatness and give Him glory. Thank you for helping me do this in my career, with my family, and my relationship with our Creator. If I am blessed with the opportunity to meet you, I hope to share all the results that will occur within my marriage, family, and business. Thank you for not being afraid to shine His light in all that you do!
Dear Dani,
Thanks for this great message our Lord trully is great . This same
Message came first in the open heavens of RCCG . Father be
Praised for confirming it through you.Thanks for the great message
Will love to have a CD on the first steps to success in Nigeria
Dani,
You have had such a huge impact on my life. I thank God for allowing me the pleasure of knowing you, Hans, and your Kids.
I first met you on a phone call, about 7 years ago. I knew I was supposed to be on that call, because I got to speak with you. You told me exactly what to do to be successful and I did it. Now I own my own Travel Agency which is a part of a Corporation which I own with my husband. My first year was very successful. 2012 was a trial and a test. I have learned from these trials and Tribulations. And this message couldn’t have had a bigger impact on me. I again thank God, that I read this email, and I will do exactly what it instructed me to do. Out with the old, in with the new. a new beginning, a fresh start. I receive that
Cindy,
How hard was it to start your agency? I have a dream to own a business, but I can’t seem to make that jump. Any advice?
Dani,
The Holy Spirit is at work with you. I’m going to confess I have been laying in my bed tossing and turning feeling the urge that my day was incomplete. I checked my email and looked for YOUR email I had seen during the day…. Yes, I was called to read it. I worked with my mother to set new goals for herself. Your email def spoke sense to me and empowering me to take this year to the next level in all areas of my life. Among my personal/business goals I set myself to attend your events. You are a powerful woman who leads by example. I love how God is such a big part of your teachings- without Him we are nothing. Look fwd to First Steps to Success!!!
Blessings, Abilene
Dear Dani, today is my Birthday and your email spoe deep into my heart. I am very aware of how I was creating every experience in my life, thinking the same thought, feeling the same emotions and using very powerful words to be captivated by my own self, but not by my true self where the spirit is. Jesus life, his teachings and the miracles he performed were for all of us to see the ” you can do all I do and even greater!” I want to allow that power, spirit and unlimited love to flow from my very existence in every moment of this year, to condition myself to NEW way of speaking, thinking and acting, to challenge myself with the thought that may feel very foreign first but are fruitful. ” your faith made you whole ” when she believed she was healed. And we all can be. We are all so loved and excepted. Thank you for coming into my life Dani so I can learn from you and grow. I will transform myself with your help. Ania
Hi Dani,
I have been following you and the team for 7 years. I haven’t attended your live seminar to date but i have bought many of your products over the years. It has been awesome watching you and your family grow. I can’t tell you how blessed i have been by being a student and applying the basic principles God has given you. I don’t have enough space to share all the supernatural blessing that we have had as a family. Even during a few trying times I found GOLD nuggets in the situation. Keep up the great work and looking forward in meeting you and the team one day. Remember the name Thax Turner!!
Thank you Dani; I needed that exactly. My wife and i have attended First steps to success and Dynasty and we have had a little breakthrough but atre still stuck in some old ways of thinking and behavoir. I will keep these verses in front of me and i am believing God is breaking old thinking patterns and behavoir. With much love and appreciation Dave@Carla Abrams
Dear Dani,
I’ve needed to read these messages. They are sooo very inspiring.
I am starting the year improving myself, my health, and my financial situration.
I want to leave behind the “old” me with severe procrastinaItion that comes from not believing in myself.
I will be attending First Steps to Success in January, I’m really looking forward to this event. This will be the door opener that I need.
I pray that GOD will touch me as he has touched you and I will be able to give back ten fold!
Sincerely,
Ruthann
Dear Dani
I was travelling on the bus to our Annual Kick Off Confrrence where I have been struggling to
to aspire and decided not to hang up my net (like Peter) but try again. On reading yr mail i realised why I floundered and never reached my full potential. My thinking hindered my progress. I never really saw myself at the top of the ladder and so floundered in mediocrity.
Well thanks to 1 Corinthians 5.17 coupled with yr mail, I have examined my thinking about every area of my life and have begun to see where I can change my thinking and change my life!!! Looking forward to seeing you in the UK!!!
May God continue to bless you and all yr family and businesses
Hi, I love reading your messages Dani they are so inspiring and right on the nail. I thought I would let you know I have been using the war on debt system since August 2012 and to date I have paid off $2500.00 of debt and am about to eliminate another one in about 2 weeks. So your message today is so timely for me because I really feel things are changing for the better as I get rid of all the old stuff and old mindsets. So thank you so much and God bless you and your family.
Untill today I was thinking that this life’s experiences are based on past Karmas,(according to my faith and culture).I will leave old mindset and setback,fears there and come in to Newyear open minded.I will keep God first in my thinking,he will give new ideas,new thinking,new career or business.And I will accept and follow where he will put me in this year 2013.Thank you for such a great message for me.May God bless you and your family.Many happy returns for 2013.
20013 I am FRESH!!!Going to First Step January after 5 years thinking how To get there and I just signed up with TalkFusion.com1286847 is my vehicle to get “new wine skin. Jesus you are my all and I needed a “Fresh”start. Thank you Dani for your e-mail.
20013 I am FRESH!!!Going to First Step January after 5 years thinking how To get there and my vehicle to get “new wine skin. Jesus you are my all and I needed a “Fresh”start. Thank you Dani for your e-mail.
Dear Dani,
Thank you so much for the message about being new in Christ. I have been a Christian for many years, and have been married for many. Some of the “old things” I have been dealing with over the years has been in the form of fears, failures, feeling as if I am not good enough to be successful in life or business, and that something is “wrong” with me. The latter, I have felt because in my interactions with my husband and son, I have been told that I “talk too much/don’t listen enough, and make too much out of simple things.” These statements over time have made me feel as if there really is something wrong with me, because it is said so often by the people who are the closest to me.
I want to be successful in life and business, and it is NOT working! None of my home businesses I have attempted have been fruitful, and feel as if it is my fault because something is not “right” about me. Thank you so very much for reminding that my identity is NOT wrapped up in what others say/think about me, but in what my Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ has told me. I AM New in Him, and I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. Please pray for me that this TRUTH breaks through the barriers in my mind and spirit, so I can live in the TRUTH of what Jesus says. Thank you for your ministry.
Hi Dani! I am new to your website. Our pastor recommended you to me and I just ordered your book. I
just read your two messages for this new year and I am excited to see what God has in store for me in 2013! I tried to print off your messages, but couldn’t. I am a visual learner and I learn and assimilate things if I highlight and take notes on what I read. Are these messages available in hard copy form? I can’t wait for your book to arrive. I am anxious to meet the new me in the coming new year! The old me is tired and beaten down and lacking in self-confidence. I’m ready to re-create myself by applying God’s promises to my life. Thanks for your encouraging messages!
Dani,
This is a seasoned message from a seasoned man of God. I will be sharing this messege in church this sunday. The who of 2012, I have just been feeling hatred, bitterness and resentment in our people in church. But God has brough healing, restoration starting with me by reading this message of fresh start, new things HAVE COME… old things have gone away… I have not read or heard a messege this season that has torched my life than you have… I will proceed to reading part two but believe me you.. you have ministered to my spirit.
Annah John
Dani you have really touched me with your words of wisdom. I thank God for people like you who have obeyed and are bold. What you have walked through and came out the other side better is so encouraging. Thank you again and God bless you!
Hi Dani Johnson
I need to know what do you do when , you have received a word from God that that I am in a new season of his grace and I believe and receive that word and all of Gods promises. But what do you do in between that time and the manifestation? What do you do when you are 2600 dollars behind on bills and you only have 400.00, they threaten to cut the lights off , evict you and everything else? What else do you do beside stand on the word of God. I guess my borrowing season is over cause I couldn’t get a loan from anywhere , and I receive that change and embrace it
Amanda
I just have to say how much I appreciate your biblical approach to change in our lives. Your message confirmed what I believe God has been telling me. In fact, my pastor gave a similar message and used the exact same scripture in Mark regarding new and old cloth/wineskins just this Sunday. It is so powerful when God uses two different sources to get a point across. I am so excited for the changes in this new year and I am ready to release the old and embrace whatever God has in store for me! I just ordered war on debt and am looking forward to being debt free. I would like to attend First Steps to Success, but the next one is during my daughter’s cheer competition. When and where will the next one be?
Hi, I just heard about your story for the 1st time, and I’m really impressed! We all need changes in our lives no matter our age (I’m a 55 yrs.teacher, from PR and a born-again Christian), and your words had an impact on me…Hope I can keep up reading more of your messages and get the most needed motivation I ‘m looking for to make the changes in my life, God Bless You!
Dani, thank you for this message. I have been on a long journey with God with letting old things go. This morning my spiritual mother prayed with me about some unforgiveness I was harboring. I cried and ended up reading this post. It gives me so much hope. May God richly bless your ministry and business. Thank you for stepping out on faith and posting this.