That’s what Luke 17:32 says… “Remember Lot’s wife .” Short and simple.  Let’s go on a journey with Abraham and Lot.Gen. 12:5Here, when Abraham was still referred to as “Abram”, he took his wife and his nephew – Lot to Canaan when God commanded him to get out of his country. Note that Abraham could have decided not to take Lot with him, because God didn’t say take you and Lot, but he took Lot with him, anyway.Gen. 13:1Abraham when he was leaving Egypt with Sarah still took Lot with him too. Here, Abraham’s living conditions were better as he was “… very rich in cattle, in silver and in gold.”Gen. 13:5Lot, by reason of being with Abraham the whole time, also had some things to his name like flocks, herds and tents. Because of Abraham, he had more properties to his name, his territory had been enlarged. God blessed Abraham, hence he was blessed too. He was blessed so much that the land was not able to bear them both; they could no longer live together (vs. 6).Gen. 13:7-11Then came the fight over land issues. So much substance, so little space. Abraham had to suggest that Lot go his own way; and guess what! he did just that, even greedily took the land that looked juicier.Gen. 14:11-16This, here, is where Lot – after he had departed to his juicier land – was taken captive. Guess who went and fought to set him free again?! Abraham! He didn’t just bring back Lot, his goods, his women and his people too!Gen. 18:20-33One would think Lot had learnt his lesson, that departing from Abraham never did him any good, but NO he still went and got stuck in the city of grievous sins – Sodom and Gomorrah! Now, it was time for God to destroy that city but HhhhhhhHe didn’t wanna do it without telling Abraham first – not because God cared so much about Lot, but God sure did care so much about Abraham, so that care just had to extend to Lot – after all, they were brethren.Abraham once again fights for Lot, intercedes on his behalf, bargained with God because of him. And yeah, he won that debate; for as we know Lot and his family were not destroyed along with Sodom and Gomorrah – once again, all because of Abraham!Gen. 19:16-17Lot and his family were rescued and brought out from Sodom and Gomorrah before the city was destroyed to safety.Gen. 19:26BUT HIS WIFE LOOKED BACK… AND SHE BECAME A PILLAR OF SALT!After Sodom and Gomorrah and his wife becoming a pillar of salt, good things were not exactly Lot’s portion anymore. Matter of fact, his daughters got him drunk, slept with him and had children by him – perfect definition for DISASTER!Let’s talk about looking back and why, as this year is coming to an end, we must remember Lot’s wife.God placed Abraham in Lot’s life and the moment he separated himself from Abraham things started to go wrong for him, maybe not immediately but eventually they did! You DO NOT break away or separate yourself from God and the people he has placed in your life to lift you up and turn you into somebody. If Lot had looked back at what Abraham had done for him, how he’d become a man of substance because of Abraham, maybe he would not have went his own way. When you fail to look back at what God has done for you, the devil tricks you that you’re actually good without him. Hence, your destruction approaches. It is not by your power or strength that you are where you are – it is by the grace of God and the people he has put in your life. Lot forgot what Abraham and the God of Abraham had done for him. He failed to look back when he should have.Even after Abraham and his men had gone out to fight for his freedom, that should have told him he isn’t better off without Abraham; that should have made him want to run back to be under the protective wings of the God of Abraham – but no, he made another terrible wrong turn. But still Abraham interceded on his behalf not to be destroyed with Sodom and Gomorrah. Stubborn Lot never looked back even then! How many times have you had the chance to look back in appreciation for what God has done for you, and the people He has used like your pastor, parents, relatives, colleagues? How many times have you failed to appreciate? Never joke with the people that pray with and for you, whatever you have that they don’t is absolutely irrelevant; nothing can replace prayers!Then the end came for Lot and his family. Do you know why the angels told him not to look back? Because he had ample opportunity in the past to look back, in appreciation, gratitude and thanksgiving BUT he never did… so what was the point in looking back now?! Don’t bother, Lot; it’s too late to look back now! When you fail to look back at how unfruitful you were, and God placed you so high now that you have plenty substance; when you fail to look all the way back to how he kept you all year round till now, you lose track of His faithfulness and graciousness AND then one day, it becomes too late to look back! May that not be your portion in Jesus’ name!II Sam. 7:18-22Now that should be your reaction when you look back, that “Who am I, O Lord Jehovah, and what is my house, that thou hast brought me thus far? … Wherefore thou art great, O Jehovah God: for there is none like thee, neither is there any God besides thee…”Joshua 1:3-93 Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, to you have I given it, as I spake unto Moses.4 From the wilderness, and this Lebanon, even unto the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your border.5 There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee; I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.6 Be strong and of good courage; for thou shalt cause this people to inherit the land which I sware unto their fathers to give them.7 Only be strong and very courageous, to observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest have good success whithersoever thou goest.8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth, but thou shalt meditate thereon day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.9 Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of good courage; be not affrighted, neither be thou dismayed: for Jehovah thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goestJoshua 3:14-1714 And it came to pass, when the people removed from their tents, to pass over the Jordan, the priests that bare the ark of the covenant being before the people;15 and when they that bare the ark were come unto the Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bare the ark were dipped in the brink of the water (for the Jordan overfloweth all its banks all the time of harvest,)16 that the waters which came down from above stood, and rose up in one heap, a great way off, at Adam, the city that is beside Zarethan; and those that went down toward the sea of the Arabah, even the Salt Sea, were wholly cut off: and the people passed over right against Jericho.17 And the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of Jehovah stood firm on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan; and all Israel passed over on dry ground, until all the nation were passed clean over the Jordan. Let us pray:* This year, there shall be no rejection in your life in Jesus’ name!* There shall be no opposition against you this year in the mighty name of Jesus!* In this year, 2014, every rival you come across that threatens your progress will part way for you in Jesus’ name!* In 2014, you will see wonders in your life; you will do wonders; you will be wonders in Jesus’ name! AMEN! However, according to Joshua 1:6-9, there are conditions to be met before we can claim all these promises:1.      Be strong & courageous: Even in the face of opposition, we must be strong. Even if you are beaten, you must not look beaten. Do not let the devil rejoice. Be strong in your faith, prayers and in your confessions. Phil. 1:28,29 – Don’t be afraid, don’t give in, don’t give up; even when things seem to go a little downward, don’t look down, look up because your help comes from above, not below!2.      Form a new addiction… to the word of God. Joshua 6:7,8 tells us that good success comes from meditating and observing the word of God day and night!As we strive to meet these conditions, may He continue to take obstacles out of our ways this year in Jesus’ nameClick here for more sermons from Pastor David Olatona.