Episode 417 - Show Notes
- One of the big things that keeps Christians from living in the freedom Jesus provides is our past…our old life. There is history, from which, we have a hard time letting go.
- The truth is, we all have a “past.” There are sins, mistakes, poor choices, and failures in our story. The guilt and shame of our past can keep us from the life Jesus has for us. Through the power of God, we put the past behind us and walk forward in God’s freedom. Our biggest sins are not too big for God’s grace.
- Obviously, Paul is not telling us to literally not remember anything. Certainly, we should remember who we were before Christ found us. We should remember the times we have seen God’s faithfulness demonstrated. We need to remember the mistakes we've made so that we can avoid them in the future.
- Paul is also not telling us that we don't have to fulfill the responsibilities of the past. If we have wronged someone we should try to make it right. If we have stolen from someone we should make restitution. If we have a problem with someone we should seek to be reconciled.
- When Paul talks about forgetting he is telling us that we can’t and must not live in the past. What happened in the past is past and we must keep going forward. His past does not define him. He will not let the past keep him from what God has ahead of him.
- How we deal with the painful times of the past will determine how we live in the present. We must learn from the pain and then move on. What God has forgiven should never be taken as a burden again.
- Satan wants to keep you focused on your past, your mistakes, and your failures in an attempt to keep you from moving forward in Christ.
- But Satan does not get the final word in your life. I love Romans 5:20 which says, “But where sin increased, grace increased all the more.” Your sinful past does not disqualify you from God’s grace. It makes you a candidate.”
“But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:13-14 NIV)
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