Quit Living in the Past
Has your life really changed that much since becoming a Christian or rededicating your life to Christ? I’m not talking about how you may read the Bible more when you used to never read it at all. I’m talking about your lifestyle. Has your lifestyle changed? Is it plain to old friends when they see you that you are different? I am telling you today, that if you can answer this honestly and truthfully and say there really isn’t much difference in me today than the way I was before I accepted Jesus into my life then I am strongly urging you to re-evaluate your spiritual life.
That’s right, I am telling you that if you look at yourself and don’t see much difference then something is wrong! You need to ask yourself, “what exactly am I doing?” “Am I living my life for God or for myself?” When God called you to himself He didn’t call you to just “recognize” Him as Lord. He called you to turn from your old life and follow him just as his apostles did. They left everything behind to follow him, and so should we. If you are caught up in bad habits and old addictions then this is your wake up call, get rid of them! Rid yourself of everything in your life that sets itself up against God. Know that while these things are in your life they are hindering your relationship with God and preventing you from receiving all that God has for you. This is why so many Christians, like everyone else, feels like they are stuck in a rut and can’t seem to get out. Out from debt, out from drugs, out from alcohol, out from pornography, out from depression, out from having no energy, the list goes on and on.
Think of it this way, if you are no different today than you were before accepting Christ, then what makes you any different than those who don’t believe in God? Is it the fact that you do believe and they don’t? James 2:19 says, “You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that–and shudder.” The enemy realizes that if he can get us to live in our past, then the only thing we will produce are excuses. He understands that if he can keep us from looking in the Light of God’s Word, he can keep us from being the success that God has called us to be! God doesn’t use people who have a perfect past, because there are no perfect people. He uses people who rise above and beyond their past to follow Him.
To get beyond your past, you must understand that God has changed your identity. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” You are no longer the person of the past, you are a new person in Christ, and now you should only identify with the things of God. Your past mistakes have been forgiven by the blood of Jesus and God has wiped your slate clean. God forgave you of all your sins, now you must forgive yourself and go one step further and forget the past.
Be the Blessing
