Forgiveness does not mean the cancellation of all consequences of
wrongdoing. It means the refusal on God's part to let our guilty past affect
His relationship with us. (Author Unknown)
The devil will spend a lifetime condemning anyone who is foolish enough to
listen to him (Ephesians 2:1-6). He seeks to take our recollection of past
wrongdoing and use them as a tool to draw us away from God's grace. Nothing
we do happens once; events repeat themselves over and over again in our mind
and emotions. So how can we cope with the negativity surrounding wrongdoing?
Antony of Egypt said, "Do not trust in your own righteousness; do not grieve
about a sin that is past and gone." Don't afford the devil the privilege of
attacking you with that which God has chosen to forget. The Bible declares
in Isaiah 43:25, "I am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake;
and I will not remember your sins." God chooses not to remember our sins
when
we seek His forgiveness through faith in Christ. God does not remember the
things that He has covered with His grace (Ephesians 2:8-9). Do not worry?
As far God is concerned sin never happened to them who are the beneficiaries
of His grace.
The devil fears the word of God, he can't bite it; it breaks his
teeth (Martin Luther). The devil attacked Jesus in the wilderness. Jesus
overcame his assaults with wisdom from the Bible - he quoted the Scriptures
(Matthew 4:1-11). The devil can't work in the lives of those who protect
themselves with the shield of faith and the sword of the Spirit, the Word of
God (Ephesians 6:16-17). Put God first and leave no room in your life for
anything but the Lord. (Ephesians 4:27;5:18). The devil runs from those who
stand against him (Luke 10:9;James 4:7-8).
We are certain that there is forgiveness, because there is a gospel, and the
very essence of the gospel lies in the proclamation of the pardon of sin
(Charles H. Spurgeon). The tough times of trial and attack never last (1
John 4:4). When you hear accusations from your past echoing in your
mind, "Do not give the devil a way to defeat you". Eph.4:27 (NCV)...."welcome the FRIENDLY VOICE that does not attack and condemn you, but
that honestly gives you hope by reminding you that GOD IS THERE, POWERFUL,
LOVING, CARING". (T.L. Osborn) God has rewritten the pages of your pass
and as a child of God it is: revised and edited. The devils role of
leadership is a past tense event, thank God for delivering you from the
bondage of your pass. "It is always the case that when the Christian looks
back, they are looking at the forgiveness of sins. (Karl Barth)
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