New Year's Resolution-Forgetting the Past

Introduction

Good morning and welcome back!

I hope that everyone had a good Christmas holiday celebration and was able to spend some time with family and friends.

This morning we are going to start looking forward to 2022 and talk about New Year’s Resolutions.

And specifically we are going to be discussing the topic of “Forgetting the Past,” taken from Philippians 3:13-14.

And I know when I say that for most of us we think, “easier said than done” when thinking about “Forgetting the Past.”

But I want us to keep in mind that it is not so much about forgetting as it is about not dwelling.

And isn’t that what we like to do when we make our New Year’s Resolutions?

We want something new—a fresh start.

We think about all the things we want to do different in the New Year that we didn't do so well in the Old Year.

Things like:

Lose weight

Pay off those credit cards

Save money

Spend more time with family. 

Or how about:

Read my Bible more.

Pray more.

Come to church more.

Get involved in church more.

 And all of these are good things and there is certainly nothing wrong with them, but they all require one thing.

They all require that you look back at the past. 

Look back at how you have done in the year past.

Which means that they all require a great deal of reflection.

And again, reflection in itself is not necessarily a bad thing either, but it is a dangerous thing. 

Because what happens many times in our time of reflection turns into a time of dwelling. 

Instead of reflecting on the things that we did well and didn't do so well in the previous year, Satan will bring those things up.

They begin to torment us, haunt us, and constantly hinder us. 

This is because instead of reflecting and acknowledging our failures, and MOVING ON we stay stuck in that pattern.

We get into that "woe's me" state where we start believing those lies of Satan.

When he says, "you're not good enough" or "look at how poorly you've done with _____," we believe it. 

Instead of putting Satan in his place, we do the exact opposite of what Paul tells us in Ephesians . . .

Ephesians 4:27–28 NIV84

and do not give the devil a foothold. He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need.

Notice that Paul says we are not to "give the devil a foothold," or in other words, we are not to give him any standing or any authority in our lives.

But Paul doesn't finish there. 

He also goes a step further and tell us to not let him that stole, steal no more . . .

So, think about it, what has the devil stole from you? 

Your joy

Your peace

Your love

We need to think about that and we also need to remember that we have a choice and we can choose to let him continue to steal from us or we can choose not to.

Instead of giving place to the devil and letting him steal from you, "must work, doing something useful with our hands, so that we may have something to share with those in need.”

In other words, doing the work of the ministry that God has called you to, so you can be of value to those who are in need of what you provide!

Paul continues in the next verse to say . . .

Ephesians 4:29 NIV84

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

And you may be saying, "this doesn't apply to me," and "just because I'm discouraged, I don't let anybody else know about it." 

Are you so sure of that?

Luke 6:45 NIV84

The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.

Whatever is in your heart is going to flow out of your mouth. 

That is what is going to show on the outside.

So don't fall victim to this trap of getting stuck in yesterday.

So, does that mean you should never think about the past, never consider anything that came in the past? 

Never make a resolution?

No, you don't just dwell there.

Which brings us to our passage this morning in Philippians 3, starting in verse 13, Paul writes . . .

Scripture Focus

Philippians 3:13–14 NIV84

Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Reflection in Perspective

So, if we are to to forget the former things, as Paul puts it, then what should we reflect on?

What should we be remembering?

What should we be thinking about?

Well, there are a couple of things.

First, we need to remember who God is.

Isaiah 46:8–9 NIV84

“Remember this, fix it in mind, take it to heart, you rebels. Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me.

Second, we need to remember our reflection on the past, whether it was good, bad, or ugly, serves a greater purpose.

Romans 15:4 NIV84

For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

So, the purpose is to teach us about God, teach us about Christ.

To teach us so we don't make the same mistakes over again!

That is it though, that is where it ends.

To show us a roadmap to the future, but WE ARE TO NEVER TO DWELL ON IT, NEVER TO HOLD IT OVER OUR HEAD. 

By continuously dwelling on the past, we are never able to mature as Christians.

We are never able to grow and develop.

We are stunted where we are and we never have the ability to even help others in their walk.

After We Reflect

The problem is though, we have good memories.

It is very difficult for us to forget things.

Particularly the things we have done that we are not so proud of.

And one of the biggest reasons why we have such a hard time forgetting is because the devil is always right there reminding us of our failures and our mistakes.

But we have to be able to move forward if we want to be healthy Christians.

And if we want to be able to help others be healthy as well.

So, once we’ve reflected and learned what we need to learn, where do we go from there?

Well, Isaiah 43, gives us a clue . . .

Isaiah 43:18–19 NIV84

“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.

Pretty straight-forward if you ask me.

Forget about it!  Don’t dwell on it!

In other words, God has told us to forget about it, and if we trust God then we should trust His word.

We should move on and move forward because God already has.

Our yesterday does not determine tomorrow. 

Today determines today and what  choice you make today will determine the path today.

Each day is brand new and God will make a brand new path!

God wants to do a new thing in us each and every day!

Something fresh, something new, something exciting.

2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV84

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

God wants to blaze a path through the wilderness with us! 

All we have to do is trust in Him!

Put our faith in Him and let Him guide our paths.

Proverbs 3:5–6 NIV84

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

Paul’s Answer To Us All

Which is exactly why Paul tells us this . . .

Philippians 3:13–14 NIV84

Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Paul acknowledges that he hasn't "apprehended"  or attained the prize yet. 

He knows that until he crosses into glory, stands in the presence of the Lord, that he's not finished.

But, he chooses not to dwell on the things of the past.

He doesn't dwell on his past mistakes, failures, flops.

Because there is no point in doing so.

Scholars say that Paul wrote Philippians about (30) years after he was saved, so there was a lot of water under the bridge.

Paul, no doubt had learned from his failures and mistakes, but he didn't stay there. 

He didn't dwell there.

He didn't let his past determine his future.

He didn't let those things paralyze him and make him ineffective. 

He wasn't afraid to fail.

We have a lot of people who just won’t try because they are afraid they will fail.

You will never succeed at anything if you don’t try.

Paul also realized that the things in the past couldn't be changed, there was nothing he could do about it.

He couldn't jump in a time machine and go back and "fix it." 

Instead, he (1) acknowledged it, (2)  considered it, and (3) FORGOT ABOUT IT. 

He was able to forget it because he also realized that God had already forgotten it . . .

Psalm 103:11–12 NIV84

For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

That freed Paul, that liberated him and he was then able to reach forth unto those things which are before . . . .press(ing) toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus!

Altar/Challenge

What about us?

Can we forget about the past? 

Consider it no more?

Are we dwelling in it? 

Stuck there?

Folks, it is time to get "un-stuck."

It's time to hand it off to God and forget about it.

Let God cast it into the sea of forgetfulness.

Let Him get rid of it.

Every person in here today have a high calling of God for your life.

He has something for you.

Something more than wallowing and dwelling in the past.

We all want to make New Year's resolutions. 

Why don't you make yours to step into that High calling of God? 

Press forward and forget about the past.

It's your choice, walk in victory or stay where you are at.

What will your choice be?

Let’s pray . . .