No doubt you have heard "GOODBYE YESTERDAY" scrolling through Instagram reels or TikTok, and you might have even sung it at church. ELEVATION RHYTHM's latest praise anthem is not only a fun song to listen to and worship along, it's also packed with truth about how Jesus changes our lives when we come to Him.
"I have decided/To follow Jesus/The world behind/The cross before/I won't turn back."
Know that you are a new creation in Christ.
"Goodbye yesterday/I'm living in the light of a new day/I won't waste another minute in my old ways/Praise the Lord I've been born again."
"GOODBYE YESTERDAY" is all about living the new life in Christ. It's about being one way before coming to a saving relationship with Jesus and being another way after coming to know Him. The Bible teaches that before any of us comes to faith in Jesus, we are spiritually dead because of our sins against God and we're separated from knowing Him in a personal relationship, and we live according to the old way--our sinful nature that is opposed to God. When you and I hear the good news message (the gospel) that Jesus can forgive our sins, repair our broken relationship with God, and grant us eternal life if we trust in Him to save us from our sins, amazing, supernatural things start to happen in our lives.
Believing the gospel and putting your faith in Jesus leads to life change. Colossians 1:6 (NLT) says it well: "This same Good News that came to you is going out all over the world. It is bearing fruit everywhere by changing lives, just as it changed your lives from the day you first heard and understood the truth about God's wonderful grace."
We are no longer spiritually dead, but we become spiritually alive in Jesus. Our old sinful nature passes away and we become a new creation in Christ; we're given a fresh start spiritually (2 Corinthians 5:17). And God begins to renew us and change us over time, as we get to know Him better and better and become more like Him. As He does this work in our lives, just as ELEVATION RHYTHM and Gracie Binion sing in these lyrics, we stop living in our old, sinful ways, and instead we live according to our new ways--the new life we have in Christ that's pursuing Him and the godly life He empowers us to live.
Praise God that you are a new creation in Christ.
"Goodbye yesterday/The Spirit of the Lord is upon me/I've got resurrection in my veins/Praise the Lord, I've been born again/Again and again and again and again/You rescued me out of the mess I was in/Traded my sorrow for something to sing/I'm dancing on the grave that I once lived in."
All of this incredible transformation is cause for celebration! Understanding the implications of what Jesus does for us once we trust Him for salvation should lead us to exuberant praise. I love this song because it captures this kind of praise really well. Psalm 107:1-2 (NLT) says: "Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. Has the LORD redeemed you? Then speak out! Tell others he has redeemed you from your enemies."
When God transforms our lives, we should respond with thanksgiving to Him and telling others about what He's done for us so they can come to know Him and praise Him too!
Final Thoughts
Here are some takeaways. Let "GOODBYE YESTERDAY" prompt you to meditate on what Scripture says about how our lives change once we are saved by Jesus. I recommend you start by reading these passages in the Bible: Ephesians 2, Ephesians 4, Colossians 1, Colossians 3, and Romans 8. Secondly, let this song guide you into expressing thanks and praise to God for saving you from your sins and giving you new life through Jesus. And if you've not yet trusted Jesus to save you from your sins and surrendered your life to Him, I hope these lyrics paint for you a beautiful picture of what He can do in your life once you do make that choice and help lead you to that decision.
Buy "GOODBYE YESTERDAY" on Apple Music or stream it on Spotify. Read the full lyrics of "GOODBYE YESTERDAY" here.
NRT contributor Jasmin Patterson is a lifelong fan of Christian music who is passionate about helping others connect with Christ. She lives in Kansas City where she serves in college ministry and runs a blog to help seekers and believers discover and live biblical Christianity.
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