What Do I Do With My Past? Series

1. What a RELIEF. We are not condemned IN CHRIST!

• That’s a great place to be isn’t it? IN CHRIST! Where…

Romans 3:24 – We’ve been justified freely.

Romans 6:11 – I am dead to sin! It doesn’t have the same strength or power over my life any more!

Romans 6:23 – I have eternal life in Christ, the hope of heaven!

Romans 8:39 – I will never be separated from God’s Love!

Romans 12:5 – I’m in a body of believers. We all have Jesus in common!

Romans 15:8 – I have hope in Him.

Romans 15:17 – I have reason to glory in Christ! I have a reason to live, to serve, to live life to the fullest!

1 Corinthians 1:2 – I am sanctified. God is changing my life!

2 Corinthians 5:17 – I’m a new person, old things have passed away!

In Christ my sin has been judged – past, present, future!

Isaiah says…

Isaiah 44:22 (NKJV) 22 I have blotted out, like a thick cloud, your transgressions, And like a cloud, your sins. Return to Me, for I have redeemed you.”

David says…

Psalm 103:10-11 (NKJV) 10 He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor punished us according to our iniquities. 11 For as the heavens are high above the earth, So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him;

It’s glorious!!

Romans 8:1 (NKJV) 1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.

YET there is a constant plaguing shadow in my life… MY PAST!

• It follows me, taunts me, pulls on me, condemns me!

• You have the same problem. Everyone has a past.

• Now you’re past may not be as bad as mine, but I’m certain that each of you has something in it that you wish you could wipe it clean… make it disappear… erase it permanently.

• And that’s where Romans 8:1 explodes into our lives…

• Right now, right here, IN CHRIST, there is NO condemnation!

So then Pastor Ed, what do I do with my past? What do I do with the pasts of those that are in my life? 3 Things… ready.

#1 – FORGET YOUR PAST – Philippians 3:12-14

• OK, now you’re just being too simplistic. Forget my past?

• I don’t think that’s possible. You don’t know what I did.

• Turn over to Philippians 3:12-14

NOTE: We forget it by RELEASING THE PAST and REACHING FOR THE FUTURE! Did you hear that?

• Can’t reach for the future if we’re still hanging on to the past.

• Paul says I forget those things in the past & press on and press toward the goal. JOT NEXT TO IT: ‘run swiftly after’.

• That’s what Paul did, he ran swiftly AWAY from his past and swiftly TOWARD the goal of Jesus Christ!

NOTE: You have to forget the past gang.

• But I can’t Pastor Ed, I just can’t. But in Christ you can…

• I know, I’ve been right where you are. Remember, I have a past.

• I’ve found the only times I can’t forget my past is when I choose to dwell in it and hang around with it…

• I let it drown me in sorrow and grief… you play it over and over again in your mind until it just buries you!

• If it was an argument you think of all the things you should have said or would have said…

• But you can’t say those things, because it’s done.

THE REALITY is that those who choose not to forget, tend to stay in one place their entire lives pitifully unwilling to move forward.

• They tend to whine, complain and be miserable tainting every new and every old relationship they have.

• There are even people in their lives who have forgotten and chose to move beyond it… but the trap of the enemy been set.

APP: Listen… please. I know I’m speaking to some of you right now and you’re thinking, YOU JUST DON’T UNDERSTAND.

• I mean, if you could you jump up in your seat and scream out loud what you’re screaming on the inside.

It’s true, the root of condemnation in the believer’s life is right here: LOOKING BACK.

• You can’t be condemned when you’re looking forward.

• The enemy loves for you to look back into your past, to keep your eyes right there focused on the sin… yours or someone else’s

• Satan knows that if he can get someone to look back into their past, he knows that most of them will stay right there!

NOTE: Sincerely from my heart, are you going to stay in your past?