"Admit It, Quit It, Don't Forget It!" He Is Able Page 069 at http://www.he-is-able.com/page069.html





As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. Psalm 103:12


There is a very popular quote floating around these days: "Admit it, Quit it, Forget it." Phooey! It's when we forget the past that we must repeat it! It's when we forget our mistakes and the lessons that we learned from them that we will make them again. You cannot separate the mistakes from the lessons you have learned. It's a nice sentiment, makes us feel all warm and fuzzy, but we need to "remember" who's trying to make us forget our past--for in forgetting our past, we forget to praise the One Who took our past! And, we are also in danger of repeating our past. Think about it! So many will try to convince you that it is possible to forget the past, those things that have hurt you deeply, the mistakes you have made, the pain that has been inflicted upon you. Yet, when you are unable to forget the past, you come up short, thinking, "There must be something wrong with me, I can't forget it." Or, "I must not be saved. I can still remember my past." It cannot happen, folks! We are human! We are going to remember things, even those things that are unpleasant to us, perhaps at times even more so than the pleasant things. We carry emotional scars, and some of us, physical scars--both are painful reminders of our past. And we're supposed to forget?

HOWEVER, there is a great difference in FORGETTING the past and LETTING GO of the past, and it's the LETTING GO that we must do, but we will still remember portions of it. That's where GRACE comes in. That's when we begin to learn about GRACE. Oh, the wonderful, Amazing Grace of God. The same Amazing Grace that John Newton, writer of that old beloved hymn was talking about. The Bible tells us in II Corinthians 12:9-10: And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong. Now read that again: Did you get it? Did you see it? Through Jesus Christ, when we are weak, He makes us strong. And in Whom am I strong? Jesus Christ.

I want you to understand something very important here, right now: The devil will do everything he can to use your past to try to defeat your future! Read it again! The devil will use things from your past to try to defeat your future! And I've got another news flash for you: he manages to use other Christians, many times, to do it! Well, allow me to clarify that a bit--they claim to be "Christians". I remind you, claiming something does not authenticate it! I'd better be able to do more than "claim" to be a Christian--my life, my walk, my talk--there'd better be some fruit there, or this old tree will be hewn down! I don't care who they are, when someone tries to tear you down by reminding you of your past, you stand on the Promises of God, you stand on the written Word of God and declare your freedom from your past! If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, you have the authority of God's Word to claim salvation for your eternal soul and you don't have to be browbeat by the devil, no matter who or what he uses! When memories of my past, however they come, try to invade my present existence, I fling myself at the feet of my Jesus and thank Him for deliverance from it--that I don't have to be who I used to be any more. That I don't have to act, or do, or say what I did before He made me a new creature in Him! What moments of glory I have realized through praise to my Eternal Everlasting Savior when Satan or Self attempts to recall that from which I have been set free!

Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget NOT all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's. The Lord executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed. He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel. The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever. He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him. For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust. Psalm 103:1-14.
Come on, read it over again, one more time. Can we "forget" the first part of this powerful scripture? What is it doing? It is calling to our remembrance, reminding us, of all that God has brought us through and all that He has delivered us from and all that He will do for our future in Him. It's called "GRACE"! And then I call your attention to how far He says our sins, our transgressions are removed: "As far as the east is from the west." They haven't been "parked just around the corner". I hope each of you know how far the east is from the west--there is GREAT significance in the exact terminology of that statement! (HINT: How far IS the east from the west?) When you find out, it's going to FOREVER endear that scripture to you! It will add a whole new depth to your understanding!

Yes, our sins are gone! Get it? GONE! I would STRONGLY encourage you to learn this scripture, memorize it, imbed it in your heart and mind. It, too, is a part of the WHOLE ARMOUR of God, you know! THEN, when you have those moments when thoughts of your past or people would try to make you stumble over your past, you are thereby protected by the ARMOUR of God, as this scripture fights (and WINS) this battle for you! I stand on this: Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a NEW creature: OLD things are passed away; behold, ALL things are become new. II Corinthians 5:17. It says, ALL things are become new! In Christ, I have been made new. The OLD person is gone. I am a NEW creature in Christ! The only way to let go of the past is through the Grace of God. It is the only way to let go of those things that hurt you, those memories that would try to haunt you or those things that others would try to get you to remember! But please, don't try to convince me that I can forget, because until my memory fails, I won't. I must rely on the mercies of God, made new every morning: This I RECALL (see there? REMEMBERING!) to my mind, therefore have I hope. It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. The LORD is MY portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. Lamentations 3:21-25. NEW and FRESH EVERY MORNING.

Remembering? Yes, Jesus that I would always, always remember how vile I was. How bound I was. How bitter I was. For it is in remembrance of all that, that I can rejoice in my freedom and salvation from it! Thank You, Jesus! All Praise and Honor and Glory to You, I am set free through the blood You shed in my place! I have been made new! Oh that I never forget who I used to be, for it is in that remembrance that I can rejoice in who I now am! I lift Your Name, Jesus! Never ever to long for it again, but my prayer remains that I always remember the past. There is NOTHING worth turning back to. For you see, I press toward the mark for the PRIZE of the HIGH calling of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:14. I lift Your Name, Jesus, for You are worthy of all praise and honor and glory!
(all emphasis on scriptures, such as bold, underline or uppercase, is mine) "Admit It, Quit It, Don't Forget It!" Copyright © 1999 by Patricia Sikes. All Rights Reserved.

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