Devotionals for the Heart: God can help you overcome the past

Overcoming the Past
A devotional by Mirachelle Canada

“From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”—2 Corinthians 5:16-17 (ESV)

The past can sometimes contain lingering reminders of our mistakes and failures. Perhaps things done in sin that led to regret, or accidents brought on by missteps or miscalculations. God doesn’t want us to live in the past, nor be taunted by the enemy (Satan) from anything in it.

When we receive the gift of salvation provided by Jesus Christ (John 3:16) and accept Him as our Savior, His love transforms us­. He makes us a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). But, because of our worldly flesh, it is often difficult to forget or let go of the past no matter how hard we try. This might also include family and friends in our lives who also have difficulty forgiving our “past selves” or letting go of the past.

In our weakness of flesh, Satan will try to use the sins of our past against us. He tests our strength in Christ by poking at our weaknesses, often by using someone we love or care about to do it. Not long ago a friend of mine, Joe, came to me for prayer because of present day negative and chastising comments he received from family members regarding his past mistakes before Christ changed his life. Through a lot of work and dedication, Joe was healed from his past. Today, he is a very different person. For him the “old passed away”, but not for some of his family members. It was difficult for Joe to experience such an attack, which caused him pain and feelings of anger and resentment.

I reminded Joe that, while the negative comments were hard to take, they were not the truth. The truth is he belongs to Christ, so he is a new creation. He is a son of God! He is loved and covered by God. I prayed with him and told him to keep praying until he felt at peace. Only the power of prayer can overcome what we cannot do ourselves in our fleshly weakness. We cannot overcome the devil or anything else without calling on God, who is our defender in the faith. He will come to our aid and rescue every time.

Next, I encouraged Joe to forgive those who wounded him. What they did was in their own flesh and, as we are one with Christ, we must not regard it (2 Corinthians 5:16). Matthew 6:14 (ESV) also says, “For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.” Forgiveness in Christ has the power to not only set us free, but also those who hurt us. We may not be able to change their fleshly actions or response, but we can rest assured that God takes control of any situation we put back in His hands through forgiveness.

Finally, I encouraged Joe to resist Satan, to pray in the Spirit (Ephesians 6:18), and tell the enemy to take his lies back to the pit where he belongs. We must know who our enemy is! Joe wasn’t fighting his family members, he was fitting against Satan, who wants to destroy him with lies about his past. When we resist the devil, he must flee from us (James 4:7)!

So, if you’re struggling with things from your past, take heart and do not be discouraged! God is with you (1 Chronicles 28:20)! You can be still and know that the Lord will fight for you (Exodus 14:14). His great love can and will sustain you. He will bring you through the storm to the other side because He is in you and “behold, the new has come” (2 Corinthians 5:17). 

Glory be to God!

Let’s Pray: Dear Lord, though I struggle against flesh and blood, I know you fight my battles. You will overcome my flesh because in you I am a new creation. Thank You for overcoming my current circumstances and setting me free from anything the enemy tries to use against me. I am not my past, and any mistakes in it no longer have a hold on me. In you there is always victory over my enemies! In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection: “Battle Belongs” by Phil Wickham. Listen to it here.

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Author Bio:

Mirachelle Canada is a writer, playwright, screenwriter, and theatre director/producer currently residing in Northern Virginia. She earned her Master of Fine Arts in Script & Screenwriting from Regent University and is a member of Act One: Hollywood Film & Television Writing Program, ACFW, ACFW Virginia Chapter (Treasurer), The Jerry Jenkins Writers Guild, and Your Novel Blueprint. 

Mirachelle is passionate about awakening creativity and the gifts of God in everyone. Her first historical fiction novel is set during WWII, inspired by her time studying theatre education in London, England. She loves horses, cats, dogs, and all things peppermint!

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Connect with Mirachelle:
Website: www.mirachellecanada.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mirachellecanada/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/miracan
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mirachellecanada/
Email: mirachelle@mirachellecanada.com