Do not allow the past to consume you. You should not allow the past to hold in perpetual captive. You must break loose from the past and face the future ahead of you. No matter how terrible and unpleasant your past may have been, your story story must not end in your past.
Everyone in his or her lifetime is under the strong influence of three determinants events of life: the past, the present and the future. The Three factors of life are interconnected in such a way that each has either positive or negative effects on the subsequent event. They can either make or mar man’s destiny in his lifetime and even after his sojourn on earth. That is why we must be conscious of all our steps in life: our choices, decisions, locations and relationships.
Life is entangled in the web of the past, the present and the future. The ugly past wants to create unfriendly present so that the future will be marred with anxiety and fear of known and unknown. It wants the victim to be haunted through his lifetime and external condemnation.
It is obvious that the past events have significant effects on the present and also the future. However, you may be disconnected from the past if you dare to take steps to do so. Past stands as haunting shadow. Past wants to hold the victim captive throughout his lifetime. Past wants to bring confusion to the present, so that nothing valuable will happen to the victim in the future.
Whatever the burden, yoke and weight of the past on you, if you can lean on Jesus Christ, He will relieve you of the trauma of the past. Matthew 11:28-30, “28Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke on you and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30For my yoke is easy to bear, and my load is not hard to carry.”
Jesus Christ is the key to set you at liberty from your past if only you can cast your burdens on Him. If you run to Him, He will embrace you, take off the burdens of the past and give you a fresh start in Him. Do not allow the past to consume you. You should not allow the past to hold in perpetual captive. You must break loose from the past and face the future ahead of you. No matter how terrible and unpleasant your past may have been, your story story must not end in your past. The only sacrifice you will make is to come to Jesus Christ and everything will become new in Him. 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”
Who are you in past? What deliberate errors have you committed? What deadly efforts have you taken to cover up the evil you have done in the past? What extent have you gone in doing evil in the past? Have you committed abortion? Have you killed in the past? Have you slandered in the past? Have you conspired to bring others down in the past? Have you committed adultery or fornication in the past? Have you involved in illicit business in past? Did you kill to get rich? If you can surrender all to Almighty God, He will give a new identity in Jesus Christ.
Jacob was supplanter. He conned his father to take his brother’s blessing. But he wrestled with angel throughout the night until a new name was given to him. Genesis 32:27-31, “27And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob. 28And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed. 29And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there. 30And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved. 31And as he passed over Penuel the sun rose upon him, and he halted upon his thigh.”
Saul was the persecutor of early church. He put early believers in prison. When he had encounter with Jesus Christ, he became Apostle Paul. He took the gospel of Christ to the Gentiles. He labored for Jesus Christ more than other disciples that worked closely with Jesus Christ Acts 9:3-6, “3And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: 4And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? 5And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. 6And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.” He said in Philippians 3:13-14, “13Brethren, 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, 14I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” Apostle Paul did not allow his past to mar his ordained assignment on earth. He cut off from the ugly memory lane of the past and faced the glorious future ahead of him.
You must also cut yourself off from the ugly memory lane of the past. It will not do you any good. It will only break you to pieces without any remedy. Do not allow the past to swallow up your future. Break yourself from the shackles of the past. Destroy the thoughts of ugly past, take up your broken pieces and move on
ACTIONS YOU MUST TAKE
- You must be determined to let go. Whatever you hold on to will not allow you to receive a new thing. A closed mind will never welcome a new idea. A closed hand cannot receive anything. That is why you must let go for you to have a new beginning.
- You must accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour. If you accept Jesus Christ into your life, He will give you a new identity in Him.
- You must break loose from the past.
- You must make a fresh start.
- Seek counsel from the men of God.
- Seek for divine direction through Holy Spirit.
PRAYER
- Oh Lord, have mercy upon me, forgive me the sins of the past. Do not allow accusers of my life to use any of it against me in the name of Jesus.
- Oh Lord, help me to break loose from the shackles of the past.
- Oh Lord, let the blood of Jesus Christ blot out the memory of the past from my mind Psalm 51:1.
- Oh Lord, give me a new beginning in You in the name of Jesus Christ.
- Oh Lord, by Your mercy and grace I receive unprecedented restorations of whatever I have lost in the past in the name of Jesus Christ.