1 Cor 13:1-13, 1 John 4:8-10, John 3:16, Matthew 24:12, Philippians 4:8, Romans 5:8, Heb 12:5-6

Men and brethren, sometimes life is full of darkness and loneliness. Things don’t go as planned. Expectations are disappointed. Relationships become broken. People let us down. There are moments of agony and pain that life brings along as we journey into destiny and actualization. We experience emotions with crushed expectations, loss, disappointment and the agony of wondering why God would let this happen to us at all. The bible says “And Jabez was more honourable than his brethren: and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, because I bare him with sorrow. And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested.” 1 Chronicles 4:9-10. Tell God today, Father, separate me by your mighty power from every past confessions that might be rising against me now in Jesus name.

The scriptures above gave us a picture of a man who was honourable in the present with a bitter past but requested for a brighter future. He refused to allow his past dictate his present and to command his future. Right where you are, how do you cope with your present knowing that your past carries a basket of humiliation and frustrations and harassment? How do you prepare for a future when you have not yet come out of the pit that you fell into in the past, or maybe you were pushed into the valley by your own Haman (Esther 3:2) and he is still standing to make sure any time your head comes out, he will strike again? Esther 5:14 What do you when those who mocked and ridiculed you in the past are waiting in your present to see how you will land in the future? What do you do when the witch or wizard in your father’s house that killed your loved ones in the past is waiting in the present to do worse than before? Even when you had left your family, has chased you abroad; they are still nursing a grudge against you for no just cause. Esther 5:9. Ask God today to have mercy and set you free. 

What do you do when people at your working place had gone at length in the past and levelled wrong accusations that are unimaginable against you to get you sacked because they don’t want to see you in the present doing well and prospering. John 10:10 Does Jesus know that you will have a child that will be used by satan to torture, to harass and to torment you, does he know that there will be demon that won’t let your marriage function? How do you cope when the shadows of your past is standing on your future? Do you choose the right attitude in your present even in the face of unpleasant circumstances because your attitude is the archive of your past, the speaker of your present and the prophet of your future? How does your attitude reflect in your actions? Are you living in the four categories of the Past below because your past can present four choices to you: ‘You can Forget your Past – Unless your past is passed away, you may soon become the past. Philippians 3:12-14. Your past is designed to keep you there; but if you press forward, God has already prepared your future.

If you choose to, because life is a kingdom of choices, you can block all memory of the past from your mind.

Number One: You can Misuse Your past – You can twist the past for your benefit…gain sympathy, make people feel sorry for you, and use it as a somewhat personal advantage. The people who choose this option are usually as phony as their story.

Number Two: You can ignore your Past – You can pretend your past never happened. You man make up your own version of your past and live in a false reality. With the people I’ve seen do this it seems you never really know the true person behind this use of the past.

Number Three: You can Excuse your Past – You can blame every bad decision you’ll ever make on your past. After all, it was “his” fault”, right? I’ve known people with this excuse who never own up to responsibility…and they always have a reason for not doing so.

Number Four: You can Use your Past – In my humble opinion, as one with a somewhat broken past, the best way to deal with your past is to use it for a greater good. Your story can become His-story to benefit others. Many believers are going through many challenges, trials, and frustrations because the past is still in the present. Some people cannot move on in relationships, jobs, or family because there is something in the past that is keeping them tied to the present. The truth is that future relationships will experience difficulty if you do not deal with the issues of the past rightly. Many of the fights you have with your spouse right now are probably tied to something in the past that you are allowing to affect the present relationship. How do we move from a place where tomorrow is not a slave to yesterday?

Nicholas Ellen of the Biblical Counselling Coalition describes four helpful principles

“Number One: In order to deal with the past, you must not be consumed with desires from past experiences Numbers 11:1-6. You must begin to adjust your desires to fit your situation. Accept that God may not allow you to have what you want right now at the level you desire it. Seek to enjoy what God is allowing you to have while obeying God in the responsibilities He has given you. Accept His sufficiency above your preoccupation with protecting yourself and providing for yourself. You must place these desires in their proper place. They must not master you 1 Corinthians 6:12.

Number Two: In order to deal with the past, you must view God according to His present character instead of your past experience (Genesis 50:15-20). Your view of God shapes your decisions concerning every problem you encounter. If you truly embrace the facts that God is in control, He knows the best course of action to bring about His glory and your greatest good, and God always has your best interest at heart, it could change your perspective of the past. (Romans 8:28). (Romans 5:1-5, Romans 8:28-30, James 1:1-5, John 15:1-11).

Number Three. In order to deal with the past, you must confess and repent of present sinful attitudes, words, and actions toward past experiences (Proverbs 28:13-14). Look at the sinful belief system you have developed towards God and others as a result of the past and acknowledge it to God while turning away from it and replacing it with the right belief system (Romans 12:2-3). You must identify your present ungodly ways of speaking, which developed from the past experience, and turn away from it (Ephesians 4:29). If there is sarcasm, criticism, or just plain old negativism in relation to your conversations about the past, confess it, and replace it with thanksgiving and praise for God and His plan (1Thessalonians 5:18).

Number Four: In order to deal with the past, you must pursue the prize of being with and knowing Jesus Christ (Philippians 3:7-14). You must consider the treasure of this life as nothing compared to knowing Christ. What you want from the past cannot compare to what Christ will provide in the future. The pain you have been running from cannot compare to the pleasure you can run to with Christ Jesus in the present. Wanting someone from the past to treat you right can’t compare to God treating you right forever in paradise. Consumed with wishing the way things could have been if the person would not have done what he or she did will not compare to what it will be like in Heaven with Christ Jesus. You must set your mind on things above instead of things below (Colossians 3:1-4).

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might Eph 6:10…..the man who stands fighting with the strength of the Lord cannot be limited by his past. May God arise and set you free by fire from every negative attachment from your foundation, speaking against your destiny this season in Jesus name.

Before I share testimonies and the concluding prayer. Please ignore fake profiles of Uma Ukpai Breakthrough Prayer.. We dont have Ophanages.