Surrendering My Faults

As we think about a New Year and a new beginning we all have “Good Intentions”

Could your thoughts of the past keep you from becoming what God whats you to become in the future?

Read Phil 3:1-14

Philippians 3:1–4 NIV

1 Further, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you. 2 Watch out for those dogs, those evildoers, those mutilators of the flesh. 3 For it is we who are the circumcision, we who serve God by his Spirit, who boast in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh—4 though I myself have reasons for such confidence. If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more:

You think you have put in work proving your love and devotion to God. Let me share with you my resume.

Philippians 3:5–6 NIV

5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless.

Philippians 3:7–11 NIV

7 But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. 10 I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.

Vs. 8 - I have lost all things and I consider them garbage.

Vs. 10 - I want to know Christ

Philippians 3:12 NIV

12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.

Vs. 12 - I have not arrived yet. I have not obtained my goal.

I press on -

Core verse: Phil 3:13-14

Philippians 3:13–14 NIV

13 Brothers and sisters, 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, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

But the one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead.

Is there a correlation between forgetting and moving forward.

When we look back we get off course. Mtn biking. Where you look is where you go. (Racing) look to where you want to go not where you don’t want to go.

Vs. 13 Straining - The prize is bigger than the struggle. - Derek Para

What negative thing from your past do you still think way to much about?

Living in the past helps no one.

Surrendering my past so I can have a brighter future.

The next time the devil reminds you of your past… remind him of his future.

Surrendering your past means?

Focusing on the past. Well you know I am a divorcee?

Well you know I used to sell drugs.

Celebrate Recovery: My name is .... I am a grateful believer in Christ who struggles with....

The brilliance with this statement? Their identity is Christ not their past.

Moving from what you were to what you are now.

Don’t let your past define you.

2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV

17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!

Are you a new creation or not?

It is not how you start it is how you finish.