Daily Devotional

THE SINS OF THE PAST ARE DEAD AND BURIED

February 21

lessed Children of God's Light, do you sometimes have trouble getting over guilt about the sins of your past? Look at the key phrase "sins of your past." The word "past" should tell you something. God considers what you have done in the past as something that has passed. This means that you are the only one left digging up the past and using it against yourself. This is called self-condemnation. Why won't you let go of it? It is a form of your sinning against yourself by locking yourself in to the recent or distant past by continually condemning yourself about it. Part of the problem is that you have a poor concept of the offering and power of the bloodshed and life given by the Lord Jesus for you on the cross. His death on the cross and the shedding of His blood were payment enough for the sins of the whole world. If you still condemn yourself and live a life of continual guilt over the past, then you rob the Lord Jesus of the beauty and intense love that He poured out at Calvary for the exact purpose of relieving you of the responsibility of all your past sins. This is a wonderful thing that He has done and sometimes my children smear the beauty of it by accepting condemnation and guilt over sin that was long ago resolved by repentance. Child, your Father heard you the first time that you asked Him to forgive you. At that instance He applied the precious blood to your sins and they ceased to exist, never to be remembered against you again forever! This is wonderful news for you and your loved ones! Don't fall for an old trick of the devil! He wants you to be so angry at yourself for the destruction caused by your past sins that you will feel guilty and try to repay for the sin and damage. It can't be done! If it could be done there would be no reason for the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus at Calvary. Now, straighten up and ask forgiveness from your Father for self-torture about your past. Say this to your Father: "Lord, I have beaten myself up for the last time over my past sins. In the name of Jesus, I am not guilty any more. He (Jesus) paid my debt in full on the cross. I am going to shut the door on this condemnation, and when the Evil One comes again with his guilt trip I will point to the cross and say, He did it there for me, I am free from this bondage of slavery to guilt and condemnation in the name of Jesus!" Praise God! Praise God!

Prayer

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Father, I am so glad that I serve you and not some pagan idol. You have a wonderful warm, merciful forgiving heart, and you reached out to me in my past even when I did not deserve it. You say, "There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 8:1) What a blessing this is! What joy! I give you thanks again in the name of the Lord Jesus, amen!