Forgetting What is Behind

• Forgetting What is Behind
• Philippians 3:13-14


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• Philippians 3:13-14

• 13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
• Forgetting the past …
• Choosing how to look at what has happened in the past … in a helpful way
• Letting go of our past ... Move on and live in the present
• Unhealthy Ways of Looking at the Past …
• Worldly sorrow – 2 Cor. 7:8-10
• Despair – Matt. 27:3-5
• Godly sorrow is good …
• 2 Corinthians7:10 - For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.
• Sorrow of the world leading to despair …
• Matt 27:3-5 Then Judas, His betrayer, seeing that He had been condemned, was remorseful and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, 4 saying, "I have sinned by betraying innocent blood."And they said, "What is that to us? You see to it!" 5 Then he threw down the pieces of silver in the temple and departed, and went and hanged himself.
• We can benefit from regrets …
• 1 Cor 15:9-10 For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.
• Do my memories help me or hurt me? …
• Does this help me in doing my part of the Lord’s work?
• Good or bad, choose to use the past to best live in the present and for the future …
• Letting go …
• Don’t let the past occupy so much of my time that it keeps us from today’s work …
• Remember Lot’s wife..
• Whatever her reasons for looking back, it kept her from looking at what the Lord had in mind for them…
• Even good memories need to not control us ..
• Eccl 7:10 Do not say, "Why were the former days better than these?"For you do not inquire wisely concerning this.
• Israel in Egypt held by the past …
• Even in bondage, they could not see the future plans God had for them…
• Kept longing to go back to Egypt …
• Set your minds on things above ...
• Col 3:1-2 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.
• Set your minds on things above ...
• 1 Peter 1:13-14 Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ …
• Forgetting What is Behind
• Philippians 3:13-14
• Letting go of the past …