I struggle a lot with my past being brought back to my attention, those things about who I was and what I did that I hate and am ashamed of, and that also were troublesome and hurtful to someone else. The only thing I love to think about is when I met Mike 47 years ago, and then met Jesus Christ, and the family that God has given us, our lives together past and present, and how blessed we all are in Christ Jesus. We aren’t perfect, and neither do we have all the things we’d like to have, but we are very BLESSED by God because of all He’s done for us and promises still.
This morning in prayer to my Father God, as once again I’m reminded of something I did that I hate, it came to me that the past is buried and all that matters is today and my future in Christ. Just like Jesus who came into this world to live, who then died, and was buried, and then resurrected to where He continues forever in GLORY – the old me died, all my sins (past/present/future) and faults are buried, and the new me filled with the Spirit of the Lord for a new heart and mind, lives on with God my Father. My past faults, and all the sins I’ll ever commit, were buried when my Savior Jesus Christ forgave me that day in February of 1975 when I repented of all my sins, and I asked Him to forgive me and come live in me.
The Apostle Paul said it well: “Everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For His sake I have discarded everything else (my past with its faults and worldly desires), counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with Him.” (Philippines 3:8) “Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race of my faith, and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.” Philippines 3:13-14
Satan enjoys and also desperately needs to remind us of our past, those things we want to forget, because it’s what he can use, besides that old sin nature, to take us down with. He can only ruin our day and maybe our future by constantly tormenting us with what we want to forget that was to our shame and guilt. We can see all that happens to people that Satan is able to do this to: unforgiveness, self-hate, depression, hopelessness, addictions, criminal activity, insanity, etc.
My Savior, Jesus, stands at the right hand of the Father as my high priest and every time Satan comes to accuse me (and all of the Lord’s disciples) before our Father God, Jesus sprinkles His own blood over it as the reminder that all was forgiven when Jesus hung on the Cross sacrificing His own body and blood as the once and for all sacrifice for all sin. It’s free for anyone by faith and wholehearted repentance.
What makes Satan think he can get my Father God to turn His back on me? I believe it has to do with why Satan will NEVER be forgiven for what he did that got him kicked out of heaven FOREVER. Satan, and all his fallen angels/demons (1/3 that followed him out of heaven) are so DESPERATE to ruin our faith, hope and love for the Lord. their hatred is fierce! That’s all they do, and they never sleep!
Evil workers, enemies of the Cross, they all work continually to keep people from knowing who Jesus Christ is, and all He has planned for those who love and obey Him. This is all they do, day and night, coming at God’s children to tempt, torment and turn us from the truth and following the Lord who loves us with His everlasting love.
SO! Every time I’m reminded of something I did that I hate and that I’m ashamed of, or even something that someone else did to me that hurt me, I say, “It’s buried and forgotten by my God, therefore I move on in all the favor and future I have from God in Christ Jesus my Savior and Lord! There is no more condemnation for those in Christ Jesus! I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.” This is my power over Satan and his demons. This is the power over my own memory and day to day life on earth!
The truth will ALWAYS set me free! God be praised!