I can not change the past. But I can live for Jesus today. I will do my best for Him. Every good thing I do is only because of Christ’s goodness to me. My best achievements are gifts I offer Christ my King. They do not earn salvation. Only trusting in the efficacy of His precious shed blood does that. The 3 wise men offered gold-frankincense & myrrh to The Savior. In humble worship, I also offer my best gift as an offerring to Jesus, that is my life today! Praise His Name! God give me strength to do Your will this day.

I believe Paul’s Thorn In the Flesh may have been his past. The Lord allowed it stay in his life to keep him humble. He had to live with the awful things that he had done to persecute Christians, before his conversion. Perhaps the past is also my thorn in the flesh. There are things that I must continue to face, as long as I live, even in the light, love and liberation of the freedom of the Son of God. Don’t worry… I walk in the light, love, joy and peace of the Holy Spirit. 

Perhaps we will not agree in this matter. But perhaps you will see what I mean, if Let me share a little bit more of my heart. We can benefit from each other’s insight.

Here is why I say this. It is abundantly plain from scriptural testimony that Paul was keenly aware of his past . When Paul remembered things that he had done in the past. I do not believe it was always the enemy that brought these thoughts to him but also, his own honest and sincere conscience.

He was past the point of the Enemy being able to entangle him in this way. But since he mentioned the Deeds of his past, he obviously did honestly think about them and confront the effects of them from time to time..

I know how to follow the voice of the Savior. I do not follow the voice of another. And , like Paul, I do not accept the darts of the enemy. So I really do not live in the past. But there is an honest Reckoning that I do. Paul also did this Reckoning. He said that he died daily. It was to his flesh and to his past that he died daily. So that the Savior might be magnified in his life.

My heart is quite clear this matter. The past has no hold over me. But from time to time I do have to confront the consequences of previous mistakes. And that is not a preoccupation with the past. But an honest willingness to face and make amends, whenever possible. The true child of God knows there is therefore now no condemnation Romans 8:2. But the child of God must ever accept the role of The Holy Spirit’s conviction to deeper and deeper levels of dedication and love for our Saviour. And this often involves unmasking each and every motive of our heart.

Some of these old flesh ways are challenging to overcome. Paul described the struggle in the words “that which I would do, I do not do, & that which I would not do, I do.” It is quite uncomfortable to lay at the feet, of Jesus the Frailty of this mortal frame. But none the less that is where I must go again and again and again for help in overcoming this flesh condition and living in the spiritual victory that Christ promises. Some believers are too eager talk about how they have it all together and not admit their own frailties or inadequacies. ( Maybe that is not you). But I find it is this very willingness to tell my Lord and Savior that I need Him as desperately today, as the day that I first laid my life before Him, that assures me that my heart is in His hands.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not on some sort of guilt trip. Whom the Son sets free is free indeed. I am certainly free. But I eagerly look to give to the Savior those things that help me be more like Jesus. And though it is difficult to admit, sometimes the old man has more influence over me than I would like to admit. But admit them to Jesus I must , while at the same time not let the enemy use them to accuse me, because I am free and forgiven in Christ.

But the power of the Savior’s love is manifested when I can freely admit even today’s frailties. It is made real in real that I can find that wonderful grace and mercy of forgiveness afresh, for today.! It is a daily impartation of His love, grace and mercy that I need and that He promises. Just like I needed Him in the beginning, I need Him today.

There is no lack of certainty in my mind that He is the Almighty. And there is no lack of certainty in my mind that He alone could and did pay the price for me at Calvary. Yet, part of that freedom (for me) is a willingness to honestly and daily visit that cross, to make sure that I’m not trusting self, more than God’s will and purpose.

I guess it is similar to what I an incarcerated man or woman must feel. They know that they are free in Christ if they have accepted the truth of Jesus and His sacrifice on the cross for them to be forgiven and free. Yet they must still daily face the consequences daily, of what the past did to them.

I guess that’s all I’m saying; is that the past over and over and over again pops up its ugly head and I must face it. And God uses this, to keep my heart centered on a true love for Jesus. He uses the times that I must face things from my past, to remind me how much I have to be grateful for today.

The Holy Spirit deals with each one of us that love Jesus, as sons and daughters of the Father. So it’s the same Spirit and yet He deals with us very individually according to what we need, to be transformed into the image of Jesus.

Perhaps this is a revelation just for me. I sure am glad that he’s placed precious believers like you, along the path of my life, to help me make sure to keep my eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of my faith. But maybe, just maybe sometimes when you feel like it’s the enemy bringing the past to your mind, it could be the gentle nudge of the Lord that there is something inside that you need to yield to him. And to submit to him in a deeper way.

Don’t receive condemnation from the Accuser. According to
John 8:36 If the Son makes u free-ye shall B free indeed! AND don’t resist The Holy Spirit’s work of conviction. Jn 16:8. “And He-when He comes will convict the world concerning sin & righteousness & judgment;” #Slamism

You do not need to live in your past but you do need to face it! So help you God! Slam-