::Free from the Past::

   Have you ever felt like you're the only one with something to hide? That sense of isolation magnifies your feelings of guilt. Satan wants you to feel alone, crippled by a false sense of guilt. Yet the truth is that every person on earth has a "past"-even those we consider "Mother Teresa" types who seemingly never did anything wrong. The book of Genesis describes how we inherited a sinful nature into the entire human race.
-Romans 5:12,17
When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned.

For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ.

   However, we must understand and accept that we are free from the penalty of our past because we trust Christ's sacrifice as the ultimate and final payment for sin.
-Hebrews 7:27
Unlike those other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices every day. They did this for their own sins first and then for the sins of the people. But Jesus did this once for all when he offered himself as the sacrifice for the people’s sins.

   Even so, sometimes the pain of our past comes calling. Many people have an emotional disposition or personality type that lends itself to dwelling on bitter memories. Our adversary, the devil, often misuses this sensitivity to accuse and discourage us.
  He tempts our thoughts with guilt over past deeds. He calls into question the penalty of our past as if it is somehow unpaid-an outstanding dept he convinces us we must pay ourselves. We respond to his perverse persuasion by feeling as if we don't deserve the love of family and friends, much less God's love
After what you've done? Who are you kidding? This is the language of lies-a familiar tongue to anyone who longs to be free from a shameful past.

   Satan tries to slip the chains of guilt back on our shoulders. And sometimes we again pick up those old familiar chains-our guilt feels so comfortable that we revert to it out of habit.
But Christ has set you free! He paid the FULL penalty for our sins. Everything wrong thoughts, word or action-all paid for.

   Don't believe the lie! God set you free;Christ died that you would be free-but you must choose to LIVE that way.
-True Identity Bible

~John 8:36~
So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free.

~Romans 8:1-4~
1 So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.
2 And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death.
3 The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins.
4 He did this so that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us, who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit.

~2 Corinthians 5:17~
This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!

~Galatians 5:1~
So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law.