Your past is unavoidably part of your life.
It may be painful, in many ways. Your past—that space of time, before you came to Christ.
It’s landscape is littered with mistakes, recalled emotions, hurts, misdeeds and misdirections.
And sadly, many of us live with past memories of some sort of abuse.
The sins and circumstances of your past seem to confront you at the worst of times—usually when you are weakened spiritually, physically or emotionally.
“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:” (1 Peter 5:8)
Your enemy lies in wait for opportunities to steal the joy of your salvation—by accusing you for sins which are now forgiven and forgotten.
In his craftiness, he offers half-truths about the same old accounts of your past actions. But he carefully omits that one important fact:
You have been set free of all charges.
“And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:
If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven;” (Colossians 1:21-23a)
Most of us really do understand this truth of God’s Word. But recalling your past can be painful, even if it’s presented in a sketchy or inaccurate way.
If the enemy can succeed in causing you to believe that you are still guilty, and still responsible for past, sinful actions—after you’ve been set free by the power of Christ’s own blood—he knows that he can keep you imprisoned within your own backward thinking.
And where there is past abuse, the enemy loves to steal victories by reintroducing feelings of fear, sadness, anger and hatred. In that moment, you may feel like a victim all over again.
These tactics of the enemy can make it difficult to believe that you have a new destiny in God. You might believe you’re saved, but feel like you’re not really worthy to say much, believe for much, or do much.
A Christian heart believes the truth: the past is under the Blood of Jesus—cleansed, forgiven and forgotten.
But those voices in the mind try to convince—even insist, at times—that you are the same old person now, as you were back then.
As the past is repeatedly brought up, it saps spiritual strength. It distracts, disarms and traps—making a soldier ineffective for the Kingdom of God.
Is there any freedom from all of this? What can we do with a regretful past?
Your past is a real place in time, with real memories of real events. Some are painful to recall. Some are buried underneath a thin veneer of forgetfulness. And some you may cautiously laugh about, at the safe distance of time gone by.
You should never feel as though you must ignore your past days, or deny their existence.
In many ways, your past was the catalyst that moved you along through the pain, sorrow and disappointment—and brought you to your real turning point—where you fell upon that Rock of Salvation, were forgiven and cleansed from all of your unrighteousness, and raised up to new life in Christ Jesus.
“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28)
Sin and sorrow are byproducts of our fallen nature. They are often destructive and deceiving. But God, in His own wondrous plans and purposes, uses our past difficulties to turn us toward Himself. He allows those destructive elements to teach us lessons, that we may not otherwise receive.
Our pain and disappointments show us what a wicked and unjust task master that sin really is. It’s no wonder we come looking for a loving God.
“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)
Now you are made free in Christ Jesus. You have been translated out of the kingdom of darkness, and into the Kingdom of God’s light and love. You are now a new creation, in Christ Jesus.
This is the great news of the Gospel. This is freedom from Sin. This is your new beginning—the separation from the old life—no longer a slave to Sin.
But God’s purposes go far beyond just setting you free. He has new directions for you, and new destinations.
Who could have known this better than the apostle Paul? A living testimony during the time of first century Christianity, Paul proved to be a dynamic force for Christ—compelling in his teachings, and uncompromised in his Christian faith.
But he wasn’t always this faithful follower of Christ. Paul had a past, and it was one of disruption and destruction. In fact, Paul’s regretful past is set apart in the Book of Acts, as he is referred to by his other name—Saul.
Saul was a Jewish zealot opposing that new sect called “Christians,” which would soon become the New Testament church. Young and well-schooled in all matters of Judaism, he quickly headed up the mounting persecution against Christ’s followers.
In Chapter 2 of Acts, the church is born. By Chapter 7, Stephen is stoned, with Saul’s approval and presence—and the persecution of the church begins.
And by Chapter 9, Saul is on a rampage, breathing out threats and violence against the church. He’s calculating—requesting legal documents in order to carry out his plans of bringing this new sect to its knees.
He seemed to have been born for such a position. And because of Saul, many believers would be thrown into prison. Families and homes would be torn apart. Some precious believers would die.
But little did he know that his life had already been promised to another.
If you’re familiar with the account, you’ll remember how Jesus Himself confronted Saul from Heaven with a blinding light, as he traveled on the road to Damascus. Saul was halted, right in his tracks, before he could harm any more of Christ’s servants.
His crossroads would intersect with the cross of Jesus Christ. His mark on history was completely turned on its head, as it was shared with the new and controversial sect called, “Christians.”
The Damascus road proves to be the crossroads of light and darkness for Saul. His own strength, power, and determination ended abruptly with light and truth. His natural sight, with which he viewed his world, was quickly taken—and replaced with the darkness of his own misdirected soul.
It was at this point when Saul was forced to consider the Lord, who had now called him into a counter-purpose. Little did he know—while being brought up under the finest Jewish teachers of the Law—that there was another purpose to be birthed from his past life.
God had a much greater purpose in mind. Doesn’t He always?
His life is such a touching reminder of God’s mercies. Saul soon became better known as Paul, the Apostle—who experienced and recorded much of the New Testament.
But as we read his letters, what we can’t know—and can’t really see—is Paul’s own pain.
Little could Paul conceive that he would suffer—right along with the same believers he persecuted before. How he must have experienced such moments of regret, as he remembered those precious brothers and sisters he once tormented! He was constantly reminded of how brothers and sisters of the faith had greatly suffered and died—because of his own former life.
But there’s no doubt that he was comforted—because the Comforter was with him every turn of the way. With his yesterdays behind him, his new future was totally in God’s hands, and every new day was a gift from the Lord of Heaven and earth.
Paul understood that God no longer held any of his prior sins against him. But we can imagine the deep and painful regrets of his past. As he realized that he would need to bear up under the pain of his former life, the Holy Spirit led Paul into a position which would produce new freedom in his life.
A freedom that every one of us, who struggle with past regret, should seek to find.
He writes,
“Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.
Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:12-14)
Let’s examine Paul’s revelation:
- Paul chooses to leave the past behind. He essentially says, “I press on so that I can take hold of that (purpose), of which I was also taken hold of by Christ Jesus.
- He continues to express, “I am not saying I’m there yet, but this I do: forgetting those things which are behind…” (choosing to move memories from one position to another: from the realm of the enemy’s accusations, to the kingdom of God’s realm of forgiveness and rest)
- Then Paul describes the next step: “I press toward the mark (goal), for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”
Paul certainly understood what it meant to be turned in a new direction. He experienced that power of forgiveness—to literally have his eyes opened, and to be made free in God.
But he also found new freedom in learning to leave the former things behind, and fix his attention ahead on the prize—the high calling of God in Christ Jesus—instead of the past.
In doing so, he caught hold of his new direction in God’s purposes. It transformed him into the man he was truly destined to be.
Paul doesn’t pretend to have already reached it—it is, after all, the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Does any believer attain to this completely, in his lifetime? We won’t reach its highest heights until eternity. But what matters is that we press toward it.
Paul doesn’t stay where he was, within the confines of his past—full of painful regret and accusation. He knows he can’t camp out in yesterday. Each day is a new beginning, with the promise of a bright future in God.
He presses forward.
He knows that he can’t just sit idly by, hoping everything will work out. He actively presses in to God—believing that as he does, the perfect will of God will emerge, come to light, and even become attainable.
He no longer concerns himself with a past he cannot change. Instead, his attention is on a focal point—which enables him to stay on course—the correct course toward his high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
He has his eyes on the prize.
Remember the enemy’s tactics. He knows that you have a regrettable past, and he plans to remind you of that, with every opportunity he can find. His strategy is to degrade and discourage you, so that you stop pressing forward.
But you don’t need to put up with his barrage of accusations. The key is to gain strength in God’s truth, so that you are able to resist the ongoing attacks of the enemy.
The Bible shows us a 4 step process for getting rid of the accuser:
“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.” (James 4:7-8)
- Step 1: Submit to God—and, in humility, reach out to the Lord for your defense.
- Step 2: Resist the devil—by standing on God’s truth, and refusing to agree with the accusations of the enemy. When you do this, the enemy is exposed, and flees.
- Step 3: Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Run to meet Him—your help has arrived.
- Step 4: Cleanse your hands (the things you do), and your heart (what you think and believe.) No more double minded doubting.
If you resist the devil, and submit to God as you pursue Him—trusting that He is your defense—you are able to press forward.
As you press forward, you need to maintain your ground—the ground that God has purchased for you.
Your ground is a position God places you in, as you press forward into the opportunities and purposes that He has prepared for you.
It’s a position of confidence, where you freely and openly profess God’s faithfulness—even boast in Him—as a child of the King. It’s also a position of power, where you exercise your authority in God—given to you by Christ Jesus.
Your declaration of what God has already done for you is a weapon that you should always use, should anyone (whether demon or human) ever question the ground you stand upon. Just refer them to the One who paid for it—and holds the deed to it:
“Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men.” (1 Corinthians 7:23)
The Lord Jesus Christ has purchased and owns you—the present, future and former you. Your past is no longer your own—He has redeemed it, as well.
Leave the past behind. Take your ground, and choose the new direction—the God direction—where your hope lies. Pursue God, and He will lead you.
Believe for your future—fight for it.
“Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”
“Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.” (Ephesians 6:11-12,16)
Your faith is a shield against those hurtful accusations which come flying toward you. Just as you would hold on to a shield, hold on to your faith. Stand strong behind the protection of the One who knows the truth about who you are, today—and not who you used to be.
The enemy’s arrows are no match for a strong shield of faith in Jesus Christ.
“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” (Romans 8:1)
Upon His cross of suffering, Christ Jesus took all of your condemnation, and placed it upon Himself. Therefore, the enemy’s accusations about you are no longer true.
Think about that.
You are no longer held by your past, and it no longer belongs to you. All of those accusations from your past are forgiven and forgotten.
So live in your present. Take responsibility for today—own it, and embrace it. But as you do, be sure to give it back to the One who has purchased it for you.
“For I know the thoughts (plans) that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end (outcome).” (Jeremiah 29:11, parentheses mine)
This very day you live is His. Your future days all belong to Him. And your past—every moment of it—is now His to hold.
Because He died for you—all of you, and everything about you. And as you repent of your sin, He defends you before the Father.
As He stands with you, all the Father sees standing before Him is the sacrificial Lamb of God.
This is the wondrous grace you have through Christ Jesus—to defeat the power of sin in your life, and overcome any accusations that may follow. He paid for it all—for all time.
He holds you right now—this very day. He’s in complete control of your future to come.
And as for your past, just remember: He’s got your back.
As you leave your past far behind you, and run toward your finish line, you’ll be able to declare just like the apostle Paul:
“I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:
Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.” (2 Timothy 4:7-8)
So where is freedom from your past? It can be found in Almighty God, through Jesus Christ—both now and forevermore.
Rest in His freedom. Reach for His freedom. And let Him begin you, each and every new day.
After all, you’ve got places to go—and He’s got places to take you.
Enjoy the journey.
