GOD IS BIGGER THAN WHAT YOU HAVE COME FROM
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“I, even I, am He who blots out your
transgressions for My own sake; And
I will not remember your sins" —Isaiah 43:25
Is
your past holding you back from moving forward? Perhaps friends and family constantly remind
you of the way that you use to live, or remind you of old habits. Sometimes we even hold our past against
ourselves. I want to encourage you today
that God is bigger than what you have come from, and never allow negative
voices to define who you are.
Once
you have confessed your sins to God, they are all forgiven and forgotten. He does not even bring the past up. And neither should you.
The Bible gives us numerous accounts of people who did not allow
their past to limit their future, and became product members in society. The Apostle Paul is an outstanding example of
someone whose past did not hold them back from accomplishing great things in
the kingdom of God. He was a murder and
a blasphemer who honestly thought that he was doing God a service by killing
the early Christians? God did not hold
his past against him, but contrary to how society or culture would think, his
sins were washed away when he received salvation, and he went on to come the author of over two-thirds of the new
testament besides influencing most of the Christians doctrines that we now
enjoy. Then Saul, still breathing
threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked letters from him to the synagogues
of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women,
he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. As
he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from
heaven. Then he fell to the ground, and
heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you
persecuting Me?” And he said, “Who
are You, Lord?” Then
the Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the
goads.” So he,
trembling and astonished, said, “Lord, what do You want me to do?” Then the Lord said to him, “Arise
and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” And Ananias went his
way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul,
the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that
you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Immediately there fell
from his eyes something like
scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized.
Immediately
he preached the Christ in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God. (Acts 9:1-5,
17, 20).
A woman was caught in the act of adultery, but
Jesus simply told her to go and sin no more (John 8:11). Mary Magdalene, a woman that had seven devils
cast out of here, past did not hold her back from being a follower and supporter
of Jesus’ ministry (Mark 16:9). Remember
the Apostle Peter, he denied Jesus three times, but his past did not forbid him
from being mightily used by God and to preach the first sermon after the Day of
Pentecost.
I encourage you today not to focus on your past history, or even
what you have done yesterday, or even five minutes ago—God is bigger than where
you have come from, and he is waiting for you to simply put your faith and trust
in Him—He will make you what you aught to be.
Prayer—Heavenly Father,
I thank You that You are not holding anything against me. You are a God of love and You love me. Forgive me for holding these things against myself_______________________,
and help me to understand that Your love for me will see me through and that I am
not limited by my past or what people may think about me. You have taken the limits off of me so that I can
soar with You today, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
