As I was meditating on Seed Thoughts this month, these verses came to mind: Isaiah 43:18–19 (NIV) “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now
it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.”
One of the enemy’s strategies to keep us depressed and defeated is to remind us of past failures, mistakes, and wrong decisions. I enjoy listening to people talk more than I like to talk. You can learn a lot from their conversations. I often hear them talk about their past rather than the present or future.
For some, the past holds painful memories. Oftentimes, present decisions are based on painful experiences. The Bible talks much about letting go of the past. God does not want us cluttered with the junk of yesterday. Forgetting our past releases us to embrace our future.
The Apostle Paul says in Philippians 3:13–14 (NKJV) “Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”
Forgetting is a choice. No one can do it for us. It was necessary for Paul to release his past identity as Saul, a persecutor of Christians, to advance in the ministry God called him to. When we accept Christ as our Savior, we obtain a new identity. We no longer identify with the devil but with Jesus. We change teams. We are now on God’s side, which is the winning team. I know we all like to win, and what better team could we belong to than God’s?
Saul imprisoned many Christians because of their beliefs. But Paul received grace and mercy for his past deeds. When you ask for God’s forgiveness, He declares, “I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; and I will not remember your sins. Put Me in remembrance; let us contend together; state your case, that you may be acquitted” Isaiah 43:25–26 (NKJV).
Leave the past behind and begin living a life filled with new possibilities!Lynette Hagin
My father-in-law often said, “It’s not in good taste to remind God of something He has forgotten. If He has forgotten it, you need to forget it too.” God removes and forgets our sins. He wants us to put Him in remembrance of His Word rather than our past mistakes
and sins.
Your past is not God’s future for you. He has a bright future in store for you if you will accept and believe it. Jeremiah 29:11–14 (NLT) says, “ ‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ says the Lord. ‘They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. I will be found by you,’ says the Lord. ‘I will end your captivity and restore your fortunes. I will gather you out of the nations where I sent you and will bring you home again to your own land.’ ”
God has great plans for you and is doing a new thing in your life. He wants to take you out of your comfort zone and stretch you with new and greater assignments. He is making a way where there seems to be no way. I believe you will experience breakthroughs in areas that you had given up on if you will allow God to do a new thing in you. How do you get God’s direction? You must commune with the Lord daily. Don’t let fear keep you from achieving all that God has for you.
It frightened me when God began stretching me into new things. I knew the assignments were beyond my ability. I asked for a verse to stand on. It became my favorite verse that I often quote: “I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me [I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me; I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency]” (Phil. 4:13 (AMPC).
Leave the past behind and begin living a life filled with new possibilities! Most of all, walk in the strength of God’s promises.
Author
Lynette Hagin
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