Praise the Lord, Hallelujah I'm Free

Brethren, I count not myself 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 3:13-14

It's hard to fully walk into the purpose that God has laid before you when you are still holding on to your past. You keep dwelling on your past mistakes, hurts, habits and then you on top of it you have people throwing your past in your face when you try to move forward. You are broken because of your past and you're entangled in bondage. You feel so guilty that it's impossible for you to move forward. I'm here to tell you that it's time to LET IT GO. I know it sounds easier said than done but it is time to reclaim your freedom. It can be done!

Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage - Ephesians 5:1

We need to gain a full understanding of God's love for us. It's hard to get over your past and your hurts when you don't understand God's love and forgiveness towards you. We've painted this picture somehow that because of our past, God doesn't love us or he is disappointed and has turned his face away. I felt like that all through my college years. I felt God was disappointed in me and that he did not like me. I felt separated from him. But what I didn't understand was that my sins were making me feel separated from God. (Let's get that straight). All God want you to do is repent, get up, and keep it moving.  I didn't have the full understanding of God's grace and mercy as well as his love and forgiveness. God woke me up every morning to reach towards the purpose that he has instilled inside of me and although I didn't see it then, He knew exactly what He was doing. God could have cut it off a long time ago but he chose not to. That's love and the following scripture is a definite showing of God's love towards us:

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life" - John 3:16

God loved us that much that He sent his son, Jesus, to die on the cross to conquer sin. He conquered your present, future, as well as your PAST sins. He nailed them to the cross never to be remembered again. So why is it that we are still holding on to past mistakes and going on this guilt trip causing us not to fully walk into our purpose?

Therefore now there is no condemnation to those who are in Christ - Romans 8:1

Stop beating yourself up! Jesus did not die on the cross for us to still be living in bondage. Because you are covered by the blood of Christ, you are not being held guilty. He has already overcome the world for us. You ever heard the Donnie McClurkin song, "We Fall Down"? He also says in the lyrics that we also GET UP. Don't stay down because you have fallen and made a mistake. Repent of your sins and GET UP. God's forgiveness falls on you when you repent. It's easy to feel guilty when it feels like people or even ourselves are keeping a track record of your mess ups. We have to remember that people keep track records, God doesn't. He said he won't remember our sins from the east to the west and that they are cast down in the deepest of the sea. That is why it is important to break the bondage that people hold over us. We're afraid to do what God has called us to do because we fear of being judged by our past.

I started to see a drastic change on my Instagram page. My posts went from entertaining the world to entertaining Christ. I used my page to start spreading the gospel and encouraging those who may be going through. Now you know somebody is sitting back judging and talking about "How she gonna be on here talking about Jesus when I know for a fact that she used to be this way, wear this, or she used to do this, etc.."  I don't care if your past was yesterday or 2 years ago, once God has cleansed and forgiven you, it is over. The bible says those who are in Christ are a new creature. Old things are passed away and behold all things are become new. Don't have people thinking that you can't change or that God can't use you because of your past. God can use ANYBODY and know he will get the glory out of it. There are several examples in the bible where God has used people that may not have had the best past or track record.

1.) Rahab was a prostitute but God still used as simply an "inn keeper"

2.) Moses was a murderer but God used him to lead him people to the promise land

3.) Noah was a drunk but God still used him to build an arc

God used all of these people despite what their past looked like. Get out of what people think or will think about you and do what God has called you to do. You were born with a purpose to make an impact.

For do I persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? For if I yet pleased men, I should not be a servant of Christ. - Galatians 1:10

WAYS TO OVERCOME YOUR PAST

• READ THE WORD: You have to come to the realization of who you are in Christ. Not who you are to other people, or to the world, or to anything else, but to Christ. You have to understand God's love for you. God loves you UNCONDITIONALLY, not matter what you may have done or even what you think about yourself. We are not perfect and yes we are still going to make mistakes but you have to understand that there are no boundaries to God's love. Look for different scriptures that demonstrates God's love and grace and mercy and get them planted deep in your heart.

• CAPTURE THOSE NEGATIVE THOUGHTS: You have to shut those negative, condemning thoughts about your past down before they even seep into the chambers of your heart. 2 Corinthians 1-:5 says, "Casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. If you're thinking that you're nothing because of your past, come back with greater is He that is in me, than he that is in the world. You have to have a "clap back." The enemy is after your mind. He wants you to feel bad about yourself and think that God will not use you. You have to renew your mind daily with the word of God.

• PRAY: Give all of your thoughts to God. Be honest with Him and express how you are feeling. He will let your know exactly how He feels about you and you'll start to feel His love all over again.

Bro and sis, your past is OVER. Let it go. You have to remember what and why Jesus did what he did on the cross. It was all in God's plan to send His only son to die on the cross for our sins and He did it because HE LOVES YOU. HE SAVED YOU. Nothing you have done or could do can separate you from the love of God. If your past has been holding you back from all you could be in Christ, lay it at his feet and GET UP. You got work to do. God has implanted it in you. Walk boldly and fully into the purpose that God has placed on your life for his kingdom. 









Acknowledge. Fix. Keep it Moving..