Get That Monkey Off Your Back

I. Don’t Carry The Pervious Years, Into The New Year.

We all have this problem every New Year.

We carry everything from all the pervious years, into the New Year.

I call this carrying a Monkey on your Back.

The Bible gives us several scriptures about not holding on to the past.

Isaiah 43:18–19 KJV 1900

Remember ye not the former things, Neither consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing; Now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, And rivers in the desert.

Philippians 3:13–14 KJV 1900

Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Hebrews 12:1–2 KJV 1900

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Why do we carry this monkey on our backs, from the pervious years?

Why can’t we get rid of it?

All it does is to weigh us down, and wears us out.

II. The Reasons We Keep Our Monkey On Our Backs.

People can’t get over their past.

Feel Ashamed

Feel Guilt

Feel Anger

Feel like a Failure

So, they carry these things (Monkey) on their backs from year to year.

They think there is no forgiveness for what they have done.

They can’t forgive other for doing them wrong.

III. It All Comes Down To Responsibility and Forgiveness.

You have to take responsibility for the things you have done.

If you can take responsibility for your actions.

You can’t get forgiveness.

You have to take Responsibility.

You have to be Able to Forgive Yourself First.

You have to be Willing to Ask God to Forgive You.

God Will Forgive You!

1 John 1:9 KJV 1900

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Isaiah 43:25 KJV 1900

I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, And will not remember thy sins.

Psalm 103:12 KJV 1900

As far as the east is from the west, So far hath he removed our transgressions from us.

Why far as the East to the West?

If God Forgives us, we should be able to forgive ourselves.

We have to forgive those who wronged us.

Matthew 6:14–15 KJV 1900

For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

We need to ask forgiveness from the ones we wronged.

James 5:16 KJV 1900

Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

Ephesians 4:31–32 KJV 1900

Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.

IV. Get The Monkey Off Your Back, And Start The New Year Off Right!

If you don’t know the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Savior.

That’s the first step.

You can’t get forgiveness from God, if you don’t know Him.

Hebrews 12:7–8 KJV 1900

If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.

If you don’t know Him, He will not treat you as a child of His.

Once you accept His Son, as your Savior.

You are a Child of God.

A whole New Life Starts.

2 Corinthians 5:17 KJV 1900

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

If you do know Jesus Christ as your personal savior.

Get right with Him!

Repent!

Get forgiveness!

Start The New Year Off On The Right Foot, The Right Start, Serving God.

Don’t carry the Monkey of Your Past into a New Year!