I am not my Past

Topic; I am not my past
Main Text: Genesis 32: 22-32 NKJV "And he arose that night and took his two wives, his two female servants, and his eleven sons, and crossed over the ford of Jabbok.  He took them, sent them over the brook, and sent over what he had. Then Jacob was left alone; and a Man wrestled with him until the breaking of day. Now when He saw that He did not prevail against him, He touched the socket of his hip; and the socket of Jacob’s hip was out of joint as He wrestled with him. And He said, “Let Me go, for the day breaks.”But he said, “I will not let You go unless You bless me!” But he said, “I will not let You go unless You bless me!” He said, “Jacob.”  And He said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel;[a]for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed.” Then Jacob asked, saying, “Tell me Your name, I pray.”And He said, “Why is it that you ask about My name?” And He blessed him there. So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel:[b] “For I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.” Just as he crossed over Penuel[c] the sun rose on him, and he limped on his hip. Therefore to this day the children of Israel do not eat the muscle that shrank, which is on the hip socket, because He touched the socket of Jacob’s hip in the muscle that shrank."

Reference text; Genesis 35:10 NKJV "And God said to him, “Your name is Jacob; your name shall not be called Jacob anymore, but Israel shall be your name.” So He called his name Israel."

Praise God almighty for the privilege to share His word this day with you, He alone deserve all the praise.

The topic says "I am not my past" it's a saying people often say when they realise that  they shouldn't dwell on their past. To start with past is a word used to describe something that is gone, that is no longer in existence.

Satan knowing how to penetrate into the heart of men who allow it, loves to lodge the past occurrence in the mind of man in a very disturbing manner that shifts the focus of such person unto their past forgetting that it no longer exist.

The story of Jacob shared above when He had an encounter with God is the beginning of Him letting go of His past and embracing the new future that Christ gave to Him. Many might wonder why not God instead of Christ as it's an occurrence that  happened in the old testament, JOHN 1:1 says He was there in the beginning the word that manifested as flesh in the new testament.
Jacob as his name implied lived a life of deceit and ran into a lot of deceit after getting his brother's birthright through deceit. When he had that encounter his life became different the scripture says his hip bone socket muscle was touched a transformation that manifested physically as he limped afterwards. 

In the Ref. Text we see where his name was changed from Jacob to Israel, from Jacob the supplanter to Israel the triumphant one with God.  When this change happened in the spiritual a lot of things begin to fall in place in the physical, his past ceased to ruin his future because he reconciled with his brother whom he thought would hate him but because he is now transformed his brother made up with him in love Thank God.

How does this apply to our lives, it applies to us in a lot of ways for example if you have lived a life that you cannot be bold of, either being a prostitute like Rahab in Joshua 2 who later became one of the people in the genealogy of Jesus as recorded in Matthew 1:5. Where you a thief before Luke 23:40-43 at that point on the cross the other thief never thought a future awaits him in eternity but the one who asked that Jesus remembered him got saved. As human being we live a life surrounded by all odds. When situations happen to you people come to you looking surprised like it had never happened before but I tell you there is nothing new that happen this day that has no record in the Bible. Dwelling on your past is like telling God He doesn't exist and only a fool says in his heart that there is no God (Psalms 14:1). I do not know how bad your past was. How you might have or they have written you off I want you to know it's a lie from the pit of hell. I AM NOT MY PAST because it is already dead, it was a way for me to get to my future.  whatever happened in an individual's life is a passage to the glory that lies ahead, it now up to the individual to see it that way and embrace the future rather than sit in the past and languish in regret.

Mistake is not a channel to recede into disgrace or failure, it is a way to learn from your incompetence and become competent.
I understand when one makes a mistake in life there is a fear of it repeating itself lodged somewhere in the heart of the person but if you understand the plans of God for you, you will know that your mistake is part of the experience you need to fulfill purpose.

The past is gone, that is why every new day is referred to as present, while every day that is gone is referred to as past. A reason you need to  redeem the time. However, God is the controller of time you need to make good use of now because time waits for no man it ticks away in seconds but it's revealed in hours, days, years and century.
Looking at Saul of Tarsus who would have imagined that the one who persecuted Christians will now become a sold out soul to Christ in whom the scriptures written by him through the Holy Spirit are one of the prominent scriptures used these days by believers to exhort each other on the ways the Lord wants a believer to live and it reveals the promises of God.

Who told you, because of your edgy past you cannot make it?
Who told you because you had sex out of wedlock and now that you are born again focused and sold out for Christ your future isn't bright?
Who told you because you have suffered a damaging past you cannot fulfill purpose?
Who told you because a so called prophecy that brings fear into you from the past cannot be reversed (Jonah 3 -4)?

Allowing the past to take dominion over you is a way of enabling the fear of unknown to control the bright future God has planned for you. Jeremiah 29:11 " For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope."
If you continue to allow the ill of the past to dwell in you, you can easily truncate your destiny.
I pray that will not be your portion In Jesus name.
In order to get over the gloom of the past, you need to understand the promises of God for you, you need to know that everyday birth opportunities it is now down to you to embrace it.  "A song says yesterday is gone today I'm in need Holy Ghost fire reign in me"

Yesterday's anointing is not as effective as the one you get on a daily basis, another way to show us that the past is not and should not control the present or the future either physically or spiritually. 
To move on from the past it’s a decision you make personally and with God on your side you will walk victoriously into the future.

Remember you have a limited time on earth, so dwelling on the past is wasting vital part of your life that can and should be used to fulfill purpose instead of resting on the lies of the enemy.

I pray for as many struggling with the past that God will endow you with grace to move on to the promised future God has for you in faith in Jesus name.

I decree every spirit of fear that is taking your joy away be exhumed from where its buried out of your body, soul and spirit in Jesus name.

I pray every evil prophecy in the past that is limiting your moving forward be reversed by the one who created you today in Jesus name.

Say boldly I AM NOT MY PAST IN JESUS NAME

Let us pray
Father we bless your name for a blessed day and grace to hear from you in Jesus name

Lord thank you for the word in season sent to me this day hallelujah to you in Jesus name

Lord forgive me in anyway i have written myself off or allowed to be written off due to my past mistakes in Jesus name

Lord please show me that which you want me to learn from my mistakes and let me use the knowledge to your glory in Jesus name

Lord help me to live a life that is impacting to other lives especially through my past mistakes in Jesus name

I refuse to recede in fear and failure henceforth in Jesus name

I am not a candidate of failure in Jesus  name

I decree the promises of God for my life begin to come to manifestation henceforth regardless of my past mistakes in Jesus name

I am a new creature, I am a brand new man old things have passed away I am born again, more than a conqueror that is who I am in Jesus name amen.

Questions

1. What do you think is/are contributing factors to people living more in their past than the present?

2. How can someone get away from their past and tap into the glorious future for them?

3. As a believer how do you think you can encourage someone to move on from their past without judging them or using the holier than thou concept to ridicule them?

4. How can you embrace an individual written off by the world in a way they will know Christ is in control of their life?