Whenever Rahab is mentioned in Scripture, it is usually recorded that she was a harlot. That was her reputation. That was her lifestyle. That’s how she earned her income. But there is a bigger picture to her life. Whenever we think of her, we should remember that she was a woman who received divine deliverance. God made sure to let us know where she had come from, as this sends a powerful message to each of us—that no matter what our history might be, God can use us. Although she was a harlot and a resident of the pagan city of Jericho, Rahab believed God and so she became an agent of deliverance.

When Rahab met the spies from Israel, she extracted a promise from them. Because she believed in the God of Israel, she showed her faith by protecting them from the authorities of Jericho. In return, they promised that God would not only deliver Rahab and her family spiritually but also from the circumstances of their lives.

When the walls of Jericho came falling down, there was a piece of the wall that remained standing, which is where Rahab’s home had been. All her family was saved because of her faith in God. God not only delivered her—He delivered her whole extended family.

God not only delivered her—He delivered her whole extended family.

When we walk by faith, we will not only experience God’s deliverance and the deliverance of those we love, we will become a tool that God can use to expand His ministry of deliverance.

Rahab ended up marrying a leader of Israel. She went from being a prostitute to a respected wife. But her story gets even better. For when you look at the genealogy of the ancestors of Jesus in Matthew 1, there you’ll find her name. And you can even find her listed in the eleventh chapter of Hebrews, in the Hall of Faith.

God is so good at delivering people.

God is so good at delivering people. He can take a bad reputation and turn it into an awesome résumé. Your bad yesterday doesn’t mean you can’t have a heroic today and tomorrow. You have the opportunity to be defined by the rest of your life, not by the earlier chapters of it. So, if you’ve made mistakes and errors, and maybe even developed a bad reputation because of the poor choices and wrong directions you’ve taken in your life, pay attention to the lessons of Rahab. When she exercised faith, it wasn’t just with words. She lived it out, walked it out, and thereby met God on a whole new level.

Rahab’s experience with God at a much deeper level changed her family life. It restored her usefulness to God. It transformed her position in society, and it established a new legacy. She’ll forever be known as a woman who made the Hall of Faith.

She’ll forever be known as a woman who made the Hall of Faith.

Right now, you have a decision to make. Are you going to let yesterday define your today and tomorrow? Or will you, though you may remember the bad things you did in the past, be able to say: “That’s not who I am today. And if you don’t believe me, ask God. Because He sees me in the way that He defines me. And that’s all that matters.”

Let God define who you are and let Him show you that He can deliver you from your past . . . and into a greater and more glorious future.

Check out more from Dr. Tony Evans @tonyevans.org