[:no]8 – Hvordan skal man forholde seg til fortiden? (av Don Dickerman)[:en]8. Dealing with the past (by Don Dickerman)[:]

[:no]8 – Hvordan skal man forholde seg til fortiden? (av Don Dickerman)

 

1. Det er vanlig med problemer!

2. Panikk er destruktivt!

3. Forsett å være sammen med andre!

4. Formålet med å rense seg ( Tilgivelse er et must)!

5. Guds nærvær i det som skjer (stol på at Gud vil «tale din sak»)!

6. Takk Gud istedet for å klage!

7. Gå videre til tross for alt det vanskelige du har opplevd!

Minnet ditt er en av de svært fantastisk fine delene som til sammen danner din komplekse person. Det fungerer som et nyhetssystem for hjernen. Det er som en historiebok for hjernen. Det er en tenkebank som inneholder millioner, kanskje billioner biter av informasjon. Det lagrer følelser og inntrykk, erfaringer, synsinntrykk, hørselsinntrykk og følelsesinntrykk.

Det er fantastisk at minnet vårt kan huske så mange ting, bare på impulsen av at vi ønsker å tenke på en tidligere hending. Vi er i stand til å tenke over den hendingen og til å huske enda flere detaljer dersom vi ønsker…Men dessverre er det slik at minnet vårt kan tjene oss eller gjøre oss til slaver – et valg som hvert individ gjør. Det er slik fordi det i ethvert menneskes minnebank finnes både positive og negative hendinger. Jeg kan huske det jeg ønsker. Jeg kan gjøre dem til dominerende deler av mitt minne ved å tenke på dem oftere enn andre minner.

Det er mengder av mennesker som føler at de ikke kan overleve skadene de har opplevd i fortiden. De tror at det er ting de aldri kan komme over. De tenker på dem og snakker om dem konstant, noe som ser ut til å styrke de negative følelsene. De sier at det er noen de aldri kan tilgi for en skade eller noe fryktelig som de har gjort mot dem. Mange av disse «mørke» hendelsene kommer fra ungdommen vår da vi var lett sårbare. En sorg som knuste oss og som vi føler vi aldri kan gi slipp på. Mange føler at de aldri kan tilgi noen som behandlet dem så stygt. Disse «mørke» minnene forårsaker at en vokser opp mistilpasset.

Sår som ligger under overflaten kan komme fra arbeidsplassen eller fra venner. Kanskje du ble lurt eller noen gjorde deg urett slik at du føler det er rett at du holder fast på sinne og utilgivelighet. «Mørke» minner kan være fra smertelig erfaringer i ditt ekteskap eller fra det motsatte kjønn. Kilden til smertelige minner er uendelig stor.

Men det grunnleggende er dette, det er ikke det som skjedde med deg, det er hvordan du reagerte på det som skjedde. Du kan bli ydmyket, løyet mot, bedratt, forrådt, du kan ha opplevd kroppslig skade og du kan fremdeles komme over det. Ditt svar på problemet bestemmer hvor stort problemet vil bli.

Det er vanlig med problemer

1 Kor 10,13: «Dere har ikke møtt noen overmenneskelig fristelse. Og Gud er trofast, han vil ikke la dere bli fristet over evne. Nei, når dere blir fristet, vil han vise en utvei, slik at dere kan holde ut. «

Problemene du har opplevd i livet er ikke forskjellige fra hva andre har opplevd. Det vil si, andre har også hatt bitre og ubehagelige opplevelser. Skjønt de kan være svært forskjellige i innhold fra dine, kanskje heller ikke så store som dine. Enhver har hatt problemer som har etterlatt seg sår og smertelige minner. Du må hele tiden holde fast på at du ikke har blitt bestemt for lidelse og at problemer er vanlige i denne verden.

I fengselstjenesten møter vi ekstreme tilfeller av «smertelige minner», men problemet er ikke de smertelige minnene, men det er måten den enkelte valgte å takle problemet. Noen har brukt minnene om det vonde som ble gjort mot dem til å rettferdiggjøre gale handlinger.

Det som er viktig er at du må forstå at kriser er normalt, problemer er normalt, ubehagelige minner fra fortiden finnes hos alle…ikke bare hos deg. Hvordan du behandler fortiden vil avhenge ganske mye av hvordan du handlet da du var i problemet. Kriser er normale i vekstprosessen, for at vi skal bli modne.

I Guds plan er fluktruten ikke å «flykte fra» , men å «flykte til». Det første skrittet når du tar tak i fortiden er å godta at det er vanlig å ha problemer. De kommer til alle og er en vanlig del av livet. Hva du gjør med problemene vil bestemme hva de gjør med deg til slutt. Dessverre, for mange, så er det gårsdagen som kontrollerer dagen i dag…og for noen dager som kommer. Ikke gå i fellen ved å tro at fortiden din er Problemet. Din respons på fortiden er problemet.

Panikk er destruktivt.

Smertelige minner kan forårsake panikk når minnene synes å ikke forsvinne.

I vårt åndelige liv, forblinder panikken øynene slik at vi ikke tar imot Guds Ord. Panikken fører til en depressiv ånd, ødelegger bønnelivet, svekker troen og hemmer mottakelsen av Guds svar. Når minner bringer panikk til din ånd, så kan du være sikker på at det er fra fienden av din sjel. Panikk og depresjon er bror og søster. Ofte kommer panikk fra fortidens smerter når du vekkes tidlig om morgenen, du er ikke i stand til å sove, full av frykt, og du søker mentalt etter svar, men forgjeves. Du blir fristet til å slutte…ja, å avslutte livet, tanker om selvmord og total fortvilelse overvelder deg.

David kalte dette «redsler i natten». Noen ganger er søvnløshet et svært virkelig angrep fra fienden på sjelen vår. Disse redslene er fra en demonisk skapning eller mørkets nærvær som vil forsøke å skremme deg. Den vil legge en tanke i sinnet ditt som vil hindre deg fra å sove, eller den vil tale motløse tanker til deg når du er søvnig. Tanker som du begynner å godta og tro på. Psykologer som spesialiserer i søvnvansker gjenkjenner «redsler i natten» som et virkelig fenomen. Men de vet ikke hva som forårsaker det og de vet ikke hvordan det kan helbredes.

Ordspråkene 14,30 sier :«Et friskt hjerte gir kroppen liv, ... » David sa (Sal 91,5.9): » Du skal ikke frykte for redsler i natten, for piler som flyr om dagen,…Du, Herre, er min tilflukt. Den høyeste har du gjort til din bolig. «

Når du føler panikk over at minner fra fortiden overmanner deg eller all annen form for panikk, så sett på lovsangsmusikk. Sett på opplesning fra Bibelen eller lovpris Gud med din ånd….ikke sett på TV en, ikke fyll sinnet ditt med søppel laget av mennesker som ikke er helliggjort Dette er tidspunktet for å fornye sinnet ditt med å bli vasket med Ordets vann. «Studier viser at TV øker depresjon og ensomhet, selv om de som ser på tror at det vil minske deres følelse av depresjon og ensomhet.» (Ed Cole)

Ikke få panikk. Vær produktiv. Panikk er et redskap Satan bruker, og han bruker den til å oppnå tap og ødeleggelse. Når disse følelsene kommer, så ta avstand fra dem i Jesu Navn! Nekt å overgi deg til disse negative og depressive tankerne som kommer som gamle smertelige minner. Lær å ta avstand fra dem som det de er – redskaper som Satan ønsker å ødelegge deg med.

Fortsett å være sammen med andre

Ikke slutt med å være sammen med andre eller med Gud. Ikke isoler deg fra andre.

Ensomhet og isolasjon vil bare virke ødeleggende på tankene dine. Bevar balansen ved å fortsette og ha et normalt forhold til andre selv om du føler at fortiden tynger deg ned.

Ikke gi djevelen rom. Gudfryktige råd er en av måtene Gud bruker for å tale til oss. Dersom du søker råd, så vær sikker på at du søker det fra gudfryktige mennesker. Ikke nødvendigvis en betalt rådgiver, men dersom du mener at du trenger å snakke med noen om det du føler, så snakk med noen som kjenner Gud og som vil gi deg gudfryktige råd. Gode råd er ikke det samme som gudfryktige råd. Evangeliet er Gode nyheter, ikke gode råd. Alle vil forsøke å gi gode råd, men dersom det ikke er gudfryktige råd forvirrer det bare og skygger over sinnet. Ofte vil det gjøre at du tar gale beslutninger.

Fortell Gud om din situasjon – ikke mennesker.

Utenfor konfidensielle møter med gudfryktige mennesker du stoler på, så vær positiv når du snakker. Ingen trenger å vite det negative i din situasjon. Selv om du går gjennom følelsesmessig opprør eller lider av mental fortvilelse, så trenger ingen andre å kjenne til detaljene. Vi bedrar oss selv, og fienden av våre sjeler tar fordel av det når vi tror at vi må dele alt….det er bare ikke sant.

Dine barn trenger ikke vite om ditt sinne og dine bekymringer. Ikke formidle til dine barn, små eller store, hvor fattigslig du føler deg. For deg er det en krise som går over, for dem kan det blir en livsvarig smerte som de må slite med. At du har kunnskap om en situasjon fører med seg ansvar. Dine barn trenger ikke å ha ansvar for det du går gjennom. Det du deler med dine barn er det som du ønsker at de skal tenke på og bli, fordi det er det som vil skje. Ikke overfør plagen over din smertefulle historie til andre. Fortell det til Gud – ikke til mennesker, og spesielt ikke til dine barn. Ikke skam deg over å si til Gud det som er sant og å fortelle Ham alt det som du føler i hjertet ditt. Kvitt deg med alle negative følelser ved å øse ut ditt hjerte for Gud. Den negative bekjennelsen og de negative følelsene må bli kommunisert og de må bli kommunisert til Gud. Han kan helbrede dem.

Du er forpliktet på det du bekjenner.

Si det igjen. Forklar. Du er forpliktet på det som du bekjenner. Det som du bekjenner, det du sier er det du tror. Negativ bekjennelse gir deg negative følelser og en negativ livsstil. Den åpner opp for Satan og lukker igjen for Gud.

Bekjenn de positive løftene i Guds Ord. Tro at de vil materialisere seg i livet ditt, at de vil bli en realitet i ditt eget liv og at du vil overgi deg selv til dem. Bygg tro. Ikke tillat at negative bekjennelser vil ødelegge din bygning. Bygg din tro gjennom bønn, Guds Ord, gudfryktig råd, gudfryktige bøker, cder, lovsangsmusikk og en lovsangsholdning i hjertet ditt. Hør: Tro tiltrekker seg det positive, frykt tiltrekker seg det negative. Gi Gud det negative. Nekt å dvele ved det. Når du føler at du ønsker å klage om noen, om en urett eller et traume som ble forårsaket av en annen person, så ta det opp med Herren ute på en fjelltopp i ørkenen….ikke bring klagene dine til en annen person, og ikke tillat dem å bo inne i deg. Bekjenn synd, bekjenn dine og det som andre har gjort mot deg. Be om å bli renset. Godta det som samvittigheten din overbeviser deg om. Ikke dekk over. Den Hellige Ånd er sannhet. Når du blir overbevist om synd, så bekjenn det.

Baser din samtale på din tillit til Gud, ikke på dine følelser. Husk dette, Gud bygger alltid på det positive – aldri på det negative. Gud vil bruke dine egne ord for å skape et nytt liv for deg. Gud bor i lovsangene til sitt folk…ikke i anklagen og kritikken. Han bor i vår lovsang. Begynn å føre en positiv kommunikasjon, hold fast på det positive.

Tenk deg selv i et rom med to dører. En dør er alltid åpen, den andre er alltid lukket…ved ditt valg. Ved den ene døren står Gud, ved den andre står Satan….bare du kan åpne døren. Når den ene åpnes så lukkes den andre.

Formålet med å rense seg (tilgivelse er et must).

Herren Jesus er vårt eksempel for å «åpne» og «lukke». Tilgivelse åpner og utilgivelighet lukker.

Herren Jesus Kristus er mønsteret for å gå og komme, gå inn i og gå ut av, åpne og lukke. For du ikke dette til å stemme? Å komme fra fortiden, men la fortiden ligge der..Jesu Kristi tilgivelse fra korset åpnet himmelen for alle. Tilgivelse åpner. Utilgivelighet ville ha lukket oss alle ute fra noen sinne å komme til himmelen. Memorer denne sannheten: Tilgivelse åpner, utilgivelighet lukker.

Livet er basert på relasjoner, så å åpne og lukke dørene i relasjonene er grunnleggende viktig. Det er alltid et valg. Du kan lukke din ånd og du vil lide. Du kan velge å åpne din ånd og tilgi, det er et valg. Når du gjør det valget så har du åpnet himmelen slik at den kan smile over din relasjon. Utilgivelighet vil ødelegge vennskap, assosiasjoner og muligheter. Det er en syre som til slutt vil ødelegge sin egen container. Dette er et grunnleggende viktig område når du tar tak i din fortid. Dersom du velger å ikke tilgi, så velger du at din smertefulle fortid vil ødelegge deg.

Ekteskapet er et eksempel på hvordan tilgivelse lukker en relasjon. Å gå inn i ekteskapet betyr å forlate livet som enslig og sin familie. Dersom en mann tar med seg sin måte å leve på som enslig inn i ekteskapet, så vil han ødelegge det. Når to personer gifter seg, så forlater de et område av livet og går inn i et annet. Dersom kvinnen tar med seg sine «foreldre» inn i ekteskapet, så vil hun ødelegge det. Det er et nytt og forskjellig forhold. Vær snill og les det følgende utsagnet av Ed Cole nøye: «Ektefeller som ikke tilgir sine foreldre vil til slutt finne at deres utilgivelighet ødelegger ekteskapet.» Det spiller ingen rolle hvor ubehagelig opplevelsen var eller hvor berettiget en føler for å ikke tilgi. Dersom du velger utilgivelighet så vil du ødelegge relasjonen din. Å holde fast på nag og la fordommer ødelegge intimiteten er ikke en måte å leve på! Utilgivelighetens ånd bli overført fra en persons ånd til andre og lukker dem ute.

Tilgivelse er en gave. Den kan aldri fortjenes. Den kan bare bli gitt slik som Gud gir sin tilgivelse til oss. Vær så snill, ikke så frøene fra fortiden inn i relasjonens åker. Du vil ødelegge den. Når du tar vare på utilgivelighet mot andre, så vil det vise seg i så og si alle områder av livet ditt. Den lukker deg ute fra tjeneste. Du vil aldri være i stand til å tjene en som du bærer nag til. Først må du tilgi.

Mediter på disse ordene fra Voltaire. «Livet er sydd sammen med torner, og jeg vet ingen annen løsning enn gå raskt gjennom dem. Jo lenger vi dveler ved våre ulykker, jo større blir deres kraft til å skade oss.»

La det ligge! Matt 6,14: «For dersom dere tilgir menneskene de misgjerningene de har gjort, skal også deres himmelske Far tilgi dere.»

Guds beskyttende omsorg når noe skjer (stol på at Gud vil «tale din sak».

Rom 12,19: «Ta ikke hevn, mine kjære, men overlat vreden til Gud. For det står skrevet: Hevnen hører meg til, jeg skal gjengjelde, sier Herren.»

Stol på at Gud vil gi deg din rett dersom du føler du trenger å erfare det. Dersom du føler du at du har blitt urettmessig behandlet, så ikke gjengjeld ondt med ondt. Den bibelske måten å gjøre noe med det som ligger i fortiden er å be for de som behandlet deg dårlig. Overgi resten til Gud. Du kan ALDRI, ALDRI, ALDRI, ALDRI forandre noe som skjedde i fortiden. Men den kan forandre deg!

En del av problemet med å hanskes med fortiden og smerten som følger med er at du vet du aldri kan gå tilbake og omgjøre det. Fortiden vil alltid være der. Alle har det slik. Noen ganger føler du at livet er urettferdig. Livet er ikke urettferdig – slik er livet i en syndig verden. Ikke klag over livet – takk for det istedet. Ikke dvel over feilgrep du har gjort i fortiden eller sår som andre har forårsaket. Gud har alltid hatt kontrollen og hadde kontroll da den ubehagelige smerte kom for første gang. Stol på ham og gå videre. Han vil fri deg fra det onde. Det er ikke din sak, det er Hans.

Dersom du føler at du ikke kan bli tilfreds inntil personen som gjorde urett mot deg blir straffet, så har du er større problem. Hvorfor vil du at en annen skal føle smerte når du vet hvor smertefullt det er? Kaller du det rettferdighet? Ønsker du virkelig rettferdighet? Har du noensinne gjort noe galt mot noen? Jeg tror ikke det er rettferdighet vi roper om når vi har det vondt, vi ønsker bare at fortidens smerte skal gå vekk. Av en eller annen grunn tror vi at vi vil få det bedre dersom overtrederen blir straffet. Det virker ikke på den måten. Dersom den følelsen bor i deg, så må du huske at hevnen hører Gud til. Hevn er ikke din venn. Den er helt motsatt. Den er en stor fiende og et redskap for Satan som han kan bruke for å gjøre ytterligere skade. Stol på at Gud vil ta seg av din sak. La Han ta del i alle dine omstendigheter, fortid, nåtid og framtid.!

Takk Gud i i stedet for å klage.

Sal 67,6-7: «Folkene skal prise deg, Gud, alle folk skal prise deg! 7 Jorden har gitt sin grøde, Gud, vår Gud, velsigner oss.»

Du har sikkert hørt denne frasen mange ganger: BØNN FORANDRER TING…. og det gjør den sannelig. Men du skal også vite at mange ganger når du ber så viker ikke fienden en tomme selv om du har bedt i dager og måneder. Fortet blir værende selv om du har holdt ved i bønn. I tider med stort stress, er ofte bønn ikke nok. Jesu sa engang: «Dette slag går ikke ut uten ved bønn og faste.» Noen ganger trengs det bønn og ….!

For fortidens høyborg, for et grep av uvilje, for en ambolt av sinne….så trengs det bønn og LOVSANG. Lovsang er en uttalelse foran Gud og Satan. Etter din bønn, så lovpris Gud med TAKK. Sal 107,22 :»De skal slakte takkoffer og fortelle om hans gjerninger med jubel.»

Lovsynge når hjertet blør og er revet i stykker? Lovsynge når trykket er så stort? Lovsynge når du går gjennom dødsskyggens dal? Burde jeg ikke gråte i stedet? Vel, det er slik vi gjør av naturen og de må ikke nedtrykkes, men erstattes. Erstatt dem med lovsang. TAKKOFFERET…….Gi ham Lovsangens offer.

Du kan lovsynge deg selv ut av alt! Selv smerten fra fortiden. Kanskje du blir trøtt av å høre dette, men dersom du fortsetter å høre så vil det synke inn til slutt. Det er er valg DU må ta. DU må bestemme om du vil bli fri fra fortiden. DU MÅ GJØRE VALGET. Dersom du ønsker helbredelse, så er det noen ting DU må gjøre. Tilgivelse og lovprisning er ikke noe du kan velge, de er absolutt påkrevet.

Lovprisning har en underfull oppløftende kraft. 1. Samuelsbok forteller om en gang kong Saul ble plaget av en ond ånd. «Da David spilte på harpen, så forlot den onde ånden Saul og han ble frisk.» Hvilken forunderlig måte å bli fri fra fienden når han angriper med mental plage….LOVPRISNING.

Lovpris Gud, lovpris de menneskene du elsker. Fordøm eller kritiser aldri. De er som bomeranger for ånden. Martin Luther sa: «Når jeg ikke kan be, så synger jeg alltid.»

Det du fokuserer på vil til slutt fortære deg. Fokuser på Gud. Bare kast et blikk på problemet og omstendighetene,, men fokuser på Jesus.

I 2. Krønikerbok står det en beretning om Josjafat. Han ble fortalt at det kom en svær hær mot ham fra andre siden av sjøen. Han innså til fulle vanskeligheten og han gikk til Herren med problemet som var FOR STORT FOR HAM. «Vi har ingen makt mot denne stor hæren……og vi vet heller ikke hva vi skal gjøre: men våre øyne er på Deg.» Kampen ble vunnet gjennom lovprisning. Det kom en melding til Jehosaphat med en av de unge mennene: «Kampen er ikke din, men Guds…..dere trenger ikke å kjempe….ikke frykt, eller vær mismodig.» Han satte sangere til å gå foran armeen. De skulle synge: «Lovsyng Herren for Hans miskunn varer evindelig.» Uten et eneste synlig tegn på seier sang de lovprisning rett i ansiktet på fienden. Pris Gud rett i ansiktet på fienden.!

Da de begynte å synge og lovprise, sendte Herren bakholdsangrep mot Ammons, Moabs og fjellet Seirs barn…..og de ble slått. To av armeene begynte å sloss mot den tredje og da de hadde ødelagt dem, så begynte de å kjempe mot hverandre helt til dalen var fylt med døde kropper og «ingen slapp unna. Lovprisning gir ikke bare seier, men stor belønning. «I tre dager samlet Josjafat og hans folk sammen byttet, så mye var det.» De hadde fått rikdommer og belønning som de aldri hadde drømt om…og «den ondes vei ble snudd opp ned for ham.»

Det var to sanger i denne store krigen. En lovsang før og en sang om utfrielse etterpå. Husk, dersom du VELGER å ta tak i din smerte og din fortid på Guds måte…så er kampen Herrens og du kan få oppleve både seier og belønning ved å prise ham. Pave John sa: «Ikke vær opptatt med det du har forsøkt og misslyktes i, men det som er mulig for deg å gjøre.» Går videre!

Gå videre til tross for alt det vanskelige du har opplevd!

Sal 40,3 «Han dro meg opp av fordervelsens grav, opp av den dype gjørmen. Han satte mine føtter på fjell og gjorde skrittene faste.»

Fortiden er et hull …og et forferdelig hull. Det følgende verset sier: Sal 40,4 «Han la en ny sang i min munn, en lovsang til vår Gud. Mange skal se det og frykte og sette sin lit til Herren. » David var vel kjent med ulykke. Han kjente til en smertelig fortid. Saul behandlet ham ikke bra. Når noen hater deg så mye at han ønsker å drepe deg, så vil jeg si at det kvalifiserer til et smertefullt minne. Når Guds profet minner deg på at du har begått hor og mord og din synd er synlig for alle, så kvalifiserer det for mental plaging. Når dine barn nekter å tjene Herren og forsøker å ta alt det Gud har gitt deg, så må det kvalifisere til bekymring. Det var en tid da David var «svært bekymret» i begynnelsen av sitt liv. Han ledet sine menn i kamp og kom tilbake bare for å finne seg selv midt i «ulykken». Folket snakket om å steine ham. De gråt til de ikke hadde krefter til å gråte mer. Konene deres, barna, det de eide hadde blitt tatt til fange. David «spurte Herren om han skulle forfølge flokken. Skal jeg ta dem?» Det enkle svaret til denne enkle bønnen var: «Forfølg dem for du skal ta dem igjen. Og du skal ta tilbake alt.» 1 Sam. 30. Et av de mest utfordrende ordene i hele skriften finner vi i denne situasjonen: «…men David oppmuntret seg selv i Herren.»

Oppmuntre deg selv i Herren. Ikke vent på andre, kanskje de aldri vil komme, de har nok med sine egne problemer. Antakelig, dersom du venter på andre, så vil de kanskje ikke oppmuntre deg. De vil kanskje kritisere og fordømme deg. Oppmuntre deg selv i Herren. Ansvaret for å bli helbredet og hel ligger i DINE hender. I ulykken – oppmuntre deg selv i Herren og press på. Ta autoritet over ditt eget liv eller så vil noen andre gjøre det. Ta valget om å bli helbredet. Smerten over fortiden er bare smerte fordi du tillater den å være det. Press på i morgen, press på i dag. Glem gårsdagen. John Hagee sier: » Les mine lepper, gårsdagen er forbi.» Handle i dag, planlegg for i morgen, du har ikke noe annet. Press på i dag. Se framover. Press på i dag. Kvitt deg med fortiden – press framover i dag.

John Ireland: » Jeg ønsker ingen reise tilbake over tidens ocean. Jeg vil for alltid presse framover. Jeg tror at Gud akter å gjøre nåtiden bedre enn fortiden, og framtiden bedre enn nåtiden.»

Dealing with the past – 8

4/18/2016 Dealing With The Past

Dealing With The Past

In this message, Don Kill discuss the folloKing in dealing Kith your past:

Problems Are Common

2. Panic is Counter-Productive

Persist in Communication

4. Purpose in Cleansing (Forgiveness is a must) 5. Providence in Circumstances (Trust God to Vindicate) 6. Praise Instead of Complaining 7. Pursue in Calamity

Your memory is one of the very remarkable parts of your complex being. It serves as a news system for the brain, it is like the brains history book. It is a think bank containing millions, perhaps billions of memoranda. It stores feelings and impressions, experiences, things seen, things heard and things felt.

It is amazing that our memory can recall so many things, just at the impulse of desiring to recall a past event. We are able to dwell on that happening and bring to our memory even more details by Killing to…unfortunately, the memory can serve us or enslave us. A choice that each individual makes. For in each persons memory bank is both positive and negative events. I can recall whichever I choose. I can make them dominant parts of my memory by dtAelling on them more often than others.

There are multitudes of people tAho feel they can never survive the hurts of the past. They think there are things they can never get over. They think and speak of them constantly, Mich tends to reenforce the negative feelings. They say there is someone they can never forgive for a hurt or horror brought into their life. Many of these «dark» memories come out of our youth, when e Kere delicate and impressionable. A sorrowthat so crushed us vte feel we can never turn it loose. Many feel they can never forgive someone who mistreated them. These «dark» memories cause an individual to growup maladjusted.

Lingering bruises may come from the vtork place or Kith associates. Perhaps you feel you Aere cheated or wronged in a Kay that you feel justified in holding to anger and unforgiveness. «Dark» memories from painful experiences in your marriage or relationship wth the opposite sex. The source of painful memories is limitless.

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4/18/2016

Dealing With The Past

The bottom line is, It is not what happened to you, it is how you responded to what happened! You can be humiliated, lied against, deceived, betrayed, can even suffer bodily harm and still you can get over it. Your response to the problem, determines the magnitude of the problem.

Problems Are Common

«There has no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who WIl not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able,’ but WU with the temptation also make a way of escape that you may be able to bear it.» I Corinthians 10:13 The problems you have experienced in life are no different than what others have experienced. That is, others have had bitter, unpleasant experiences as tell. Though they may be very different in nature than yours, perhaps not as severe as yours. Everyone has had problems that have left scars and painful memories. You must continually be aware that you have not been singled out for sufferihg, and that in this world problems are normal. In prison ministry we meet the extreme cases of «painful pasts» but the problem is not the painful past, it is the way the individual chose to deal Kith the problem. Some have sought to justify their wrong actions because of wong done to them in the past.

You must know you must come to grips with the FACT that crisis is normal, problems are common, unpleasant memories of the past are in everyones life…not just yours. How you handle the past WII depend pretty much on howyou handled yourself while you were in the problem. Crisis is normal to the growth process, it is necessary for maturity to happen. In God’s program the vvay of escape if not «escaping from» but «escaping to»… The first step in dealing with the past is acknowledging that PROBLEMS ARE COMMON. They borne to everyone and are a necessary part of life. What you do with the problems WU determine their ultimate effect on you. Unfortunately, for many, yesterdays control todays…and for some, tomorrows. Don’t fall in the trap of thinking your past is the Problem. Your Response to your Past is the Problem.

Panic is Counter-Productive

Painful memories can cause panic when the memories seemingly won’t go away. In spiritual life panic blinds the eyes to being receptive to God’s Word, it depresses the spirit, robs the prayer life, impairs faith and it inhibits the receipt of God’s answers. When memories bring panic to your spirit you can be sure that it is from the enemy of your soul. Panic and depression are brother and sister. Often panic from the pain of the past comes when you are awakened in the early morning hours, unable to sleep, fearful, mentally searching for answers but in vain. You are tempted to quit…even-to quit from life, thoughts of suicide and total despair overwhelm you.

David called this the «terror by night». Sometimes sleeplessness is a very real attack of the enemy of our soul. This terror is from a demonic being or presence of darkness that will try to scare you. It will put a thought into your mind that will jar you from sleep, or speak discouraging thoughts to you in your drowsiness that you begin to accept and believe. Psychologists who specialize in sleep disorders recognize «night terror» as a real phenomenon. But they don’t knowwhat causes it and they don’t knowthe cure.

The Proverbs says, «A relaxed attitude lengthens a man’s life.» David said, «You shall

4/18/2016 Dealing With The Past

sc_

not be afraid of the terror by night, nor the arrom that flies by day…because you have made the Lord, ,inho is my refuge, even the Most High, your habitation, no evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your dwelling.»

When you feel overcome by Panic of memories from the past, or panic in any form. Turn on some praise music, tapes of Bible reading, praise God from your spirit…do not turn on the television, don’t pollute your mind further with junk from unsanctified minds and talents. This is the time to renewyour mind with the washing of the water of the Word! «Studies showthat television causes greater depression and loneliness, even though those watching it believe it WU relax their depression and loneliness.» (Ed Cole).

Don’t panic. Keep productive. Panic is a tool of Satan and he uses it to bring about defeat and destruction. When these feeling approach you rebuke them in the Name of Jesus! Absolutely refuse to submit to the negative thoughts and depressive feelings that come as old painful memories are aroused. Learn to reject them and identify them as from Satan with intentions of destroying you!

Persist in Communication

,Don’t stop communicating with people or with God. Don’t cut yourself off by isolating yourself!

Loneliness and isolation will only pervert your thinking. Keep your balance by continuing to interact normally even though you feel weighted down with your past. Don’t give place to the devil. Godly counsel is one of the way’s God has of speaking to us. If you seek counsel or advice, make sure you are seeking it from godly people. Not necessarily a paid Counselor, but if you feel the need to talk about what you are feeling, make certain you speak to people who know God intimately and will give you godly counsel. Good advice is not the same as godly counsel. The gospel is the Good news, not good advice. Everyone is willing to pass along good advice, but when it/s not godly counsel it only confuses the issues and clouds the mind! Often it will cause you to make a wrong decision!

Tell God about your situation – not men!

Outside of confidential meetings with trusted, godly people, keep your conversation positive! No one needs to knowthe negatives of your situation. Though you may be going through emotional turmoil or suffering mental anguish, no one else needs to knowthe details. We deceive ourselves, and the enemy of our souls takes the advantage, when we think we must share everything…that’s just not true.

Your children do not need to knowof your anger, tension and anxiety. Do not communicate to your children, small or grown, the poverty attitude of your feelings. While for you it/S a passing crisis, it can become a lifetime of pain for them to overcome. With knowledge of a situation comes responsibility. Your children do not need to be responsible for the knowledge of what you are going through! What you share with your children is what you should want them to dwell upon and become, because that is what will happen. Don’t pass the plague of your painful past on to others. Tell it to God – not men, especially not your children. Don’t be ashamed to tell God the truth and to tell Him everything that your heart ifs feeling. Get rid of all the negative feeling by pouring your heart out in confession. The negative confession and the negative feelings must be communicated and

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they must be communicated to God. He can heal them. You are committed to Mat you confess.

64

Say again, Explain. You are committed to what you confess. What you confess, what you say is Mat you believe, Mat you believe is what you MI do. Negative confession produces negative feelings and a negative lifestyle. It opens to Satan, closes to God. Confess the positive promises of God’s Word. Believe them to materialize in your life, to become reality in your owl life and you null commit yourself to them. Build faith. Don’t allownegative confessions to destroy your building. Build your faith through Prayer, God’s Word, godly counsel, godly books, tapes, praise music and an attitude of praise from your heart. Listen: Faith attracts the positive, fear attracts the negative. Give God the negatives. Refuse to dwell on them. When you feel inclined to complain about someone, about an injustice or trauma that was apparently caused by another person take it up with the Lord out on a mountain top or in the desert…don’t take your murmurings to another person, and don’t allowthem to live inside of you! Confess sin, confess your and Mat others have sinned against you, asked to be cleansed! Admit Mat your conscience convicts you about; don’t cover it up. The Holy Spirit WII be truthful, when you are convicted, confess it!

Base your conversation on your trust in God, not your trust in your feelings. Remember this, God always builds on a positive, never on a negative. God WII use your 0W7 fiords to create a new life for you. God inhabits the praise of His people…not the complaints and criticisms. He inhabits our praise. Begin to make positive communication, persist in communication that is positive.

Before we begin the next session, look at the diagram. Picture yourself in a mom with two doors one door is always open, the other is always closed.,by your choice. At one door stands God, at the other stands Satan.. ,only you can on the door. When one is open the other is closed!

Purpose in Cleansing

The Lord Jesus is our pattern for «opening» and «closing». Forgiveness opens-unforgiveness closes!

tr. et The Lord Jesus Christ is the pattern forgoing and coming, entering and leaving, opening and closing. This does not make sense to you? Coming from the past, leaving the past… The forgiveness of Jesus Christ from the cross opened heaven for everyone. Forgiveness opens. Unforgiveness would have barred us all from ever entering heaven. Memorize this simple truth: Forgiveness opens, unforgiveness closes.

Life is lived based on relationships, sa opening or closing the doors of relationship is vital. It is also always a choice. You can keep your spirit closed and you WI! suffer. You can choose to open your spirit and forgive, that is a choice. When you make that choice you have opened heaven to smile on your relationship. Unforgiveness WII shut dOiAll friendships, associations and opportunities. It is an acid that ultimately destroys it’s OW7 container. This is a vital area in dealing with your past and there WI! be a session devoted totally to forgiveness. Suffice it to say now if you choose to not forgive you are choosing to have your painful past destroy you.

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4/18/2016 Dealing With The Past Oe Marriage is an example of howunforgiveness closes a relationship. Entering marriage means leaving the single life and family. If a man takes his single ways into marriage, he will ruin the marriage. When two people marry they are leaving one area of life and entering another. If the oman takes her «parents» into the marriage she Kill ruin the marriage. It is a newand different relationship. Please read carefully the following comment from Ed Cole: «Spouses who do not forgive their parents eventually find their unforgiveness spoiling their marriage.» It does not matter howunpleasant the experience nor howjustified one may feel in not forgiving, if you choose to be unforgiving you iill ruin your relationship. Holding grudges and letting prejudices spoil intimacy is no Key to live! The spirit of unforgiveness is communicated from one person’s spirit to others and it closes them off! Forgiveness is a gift. It can never be earned. it can only be given as is God’s forgiveness to us. Please, please, do not sowthe seeds of the past in the fields of relationship. You will ruin the relationship. When you harbor unforgiveness toward others it showup in virtually every area of your life. It closes you off to ministry. You 411 never be able to minister to the one for Mom you hold a grudge. First, you must forgive. Meditate on these words from VOLTAIRE. «Life is thickly sow with thorns, and / know no other remedy than to pass quickly through them. The longer we dwell on our misfortunes, the greater is theirpower to harm us.»

Admit it and quit it! Drop it and stop it! Move out, move on, move up! MOVE. «IF YOU FORGIVE OTHERS THEIR TRESPASSES, YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER WILL ALSO FORGIVE YOU YOURS.» Luke 6:14

Providence in Circumstances

«Vengeance is mine; I 411 repay, saith the Lord.»

Trust God to vindicate you, if you feel you must knowvindication. If you feel you have been dealt Wth unjustly don’t return evil for evil. Rather, the scriptural Key to deal Kith this area of your past is to pray for those who mistreat you. Leave the rest to God. You can NEVER, NEVER, NEVER, NEVER undo the past. But it can undo you! Part of the problem of dealing Kith the past and the pain of it is that you know you can never go back and do it over. You are stuck 4th the events of yesterday. Everyone is. Sometimes you feel that life is unfair, it/s not unfair it is just life in a sinful world. Don’t complain about life, be thankful for it. Don’t dm!’ on past failures or bruises that others caused. God has always been in control and was in control when the unpleasant pain first came. Trust it to Him and go on. He will vindicate for wrong doing. It’s not your job, it’s His. If you feel you can never be satisfied until the person who wronged you is punished then YOU have a bigger problem. Why do you vivant someone else to hurt Men you know howpainful it is? You call it justice? Do you really went justice. Have you ever wronged anyone? Justice is not what I think we cry for when we are hurt, vie just Kent the pain of the past to go aKey. SomehowKe feel that if the perpetrator is punished we Kill feel better. That’s not the way it Korks. However, if that feeling dwells in you, you must remember Vengeance belongs to God. Revenge is not our friend! It is, instead, a great enemy and tool for Satan.to use for further destruction. Trust God to vindicate you. See Him involved in all of your circumstances, past; present and future.!

4/18/2016 Dealing With The Past Praise Instead of Complaining

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«Let all the people praise Thee, 0 God; let all the people praise Thee. Then shall the earth yield her increase and God, even our 0 Wel God shall bless us.» Psalms 67:5,6 Many times you have heard or seen the phrase, PRAYER CHANGES THINGS…and for sure it does. Do you also know that many times when you pray the enemy does not yield one inch of ground though you have prayed for days and months. The stronghold remains though you have persisted in prayer. In times of great pressure, often prayer alone is not enough. Jesus once said, «This kind cometh out but by prayer and fasting» Sometimes it requires prayer and…!

For the stronghold of the past, the grip of a grudge, the anvil of anger…it requires prayer and PRAISE! Praise is a statement to God and Satan. After you pray praise God with THANKSGIVING. «And let them sacrifice the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing.» Psalms 107:22 Praise when the heart is bleeding and tom? Praise when the pressure is so great? Praise when walking through the valley of the shadowof death? Should I not weep instead? Well, those are our natural feelings and they must not only be suppressed. they must be replaced! Replace them Wth praise. The SACRIFICE of thanksgiving,..sacrifice is an offering to God. Give Him the sacrifice of PRAISE.

You can praise your wey out of anything! Even the pain of the past. While you may growtAeary of hearing this, perhaps in much hearing it will sink home. It is a choice YOU must make. YOU must decide if you went to be free from the past. YOU MUST MAKE THE CHOICE. If you want healing there are some things YOU must do. Forgiveness and PRAISE are not options, they are absolutes! • Praise has wonderful lifting power. I Samuels records a time when King Saul was tormented by an evil spirit. «When David played on his harp the evil spirit left Saul and he vies lf.» What a wonderful Key to get rid of the enemy when he attacks with mental torment…PRAISE.

Praise God, praise the people you love. Never condemn or criticize, they are like boomerangs to the spirit. Martin Luther said, «When I cannot pray. I always sing!» What you focus upon WII ultimately consume you. Focus on God. Try the GLANCE AND GAZE PRINCIPLE…only glance at the problem, the circumstances, gaze upon Jesus! In 2 Chronicles there is the account of Jehosaphat. He vies told there was a great multitude coming against him from beyond the sea. He fully realized the difficulty and he went to the k Lord with the problem that was TOO GREAT FOR HIM. «We have no might against this great company.. .neither know vie what to do: but our eyes are upon Thee.» The battle was won through praise. Word came to Jehosaphat through one of the young men: «The battle is not yours but God’s.. .ye shall not need to fight… fear not, nor be dismayed.» He appointed singers to go before the army singing, «Praise the Lord for His mercy endureth forever.» Without one visible sign of victory they sang praise right in the face of the enemy! Praise God right in the face of the enemy!

«When they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir…and they were smitten. Two of the opposing • armies began to fight the third, when they had demolished them, they turned on each other until the valley vies filled with dead bodies of the enemy and «none escaped». Not only did the PRAISE bring victory but great reward. «Jehposaphat and his people…were three days in http://www.doncickennan.netfid68.htni 6/7

4/18/2016 Dealing 1/14111 The Past

gathering the spoil, it was so much. They had added riches and reward they never dreamed of arid «…the way of the wicked .es turned upside down.»

There were tieto songs in this great battle. A song of praise before and a song of deliverance afterwards! Remember, if you CHOOSE to deal with your pain and your past God’s vt,ey…The Battle is the Lord’s and you can knowboth victory and reward by praising Him. Pope John said, «Concern yourself not with what you have tried and failed in, but Mat it is possible for you to do. Move on!

Pursue in Calamity

«God brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.» Psalms 40:2 The past is a pit…and a horrible pitl The following verse says, «…and put a newsong in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and trust in the Lord.» David certainly knewcalamity. He knewa painful past. Saul did not treat him very mil! When someone hates you enough to try to kill you, I’d say that qualifies as a painful memory. When you are reminded by God’s prophet that you have committed adultery and murder and your sin is open before all of heaven, that qualifies as mental torment. When your children refuse to serve the Lord and seek all that God has given you, that must qualify as troubling thoughts. There 140S a time when David was «greatly distressed» in his early life. He led his men in battle and returned to find himself in the midst of «calamity». The people spake of stoning him. They wept till they had no power to weep. Their wives, their children, their belongings had been taken captive. David «inquired at the Lord saying, ‘Shall I pursue after this troop. Shall! overtake them?» The simple answer to his simple prayer was: «Pursue: for thou shalt surely overtake them, and without fail recover all.» (1 Samuel 30) One of the most challenging words in all of scripture is found in this situation. «.„but David encouraged himself in the Lord.»

Encourage yourself in the Lord. Don’t it for others, it may never come, they have problems of their OW. Likely, if you wait others won’t encourage you anyway, they may criticize and condemn you. Encourage yourself in the Lord. The responsibility for recovery and healing lies in YOUR hands, In calamity-encourage yourself in the Lord-PURSUE! You take charge of your life or someone else WI!. You make the choice to be healed. The pain of the past is only pain because you allowit to be. PURSUE tomorrow PURSUE today. Forget yesterday. John Hagee says; «READ MY LIPS, YESTERDAY IS GONE.» Go for today, plan for tomorrow, you don’t have anything else! PURSUE THE PRESENT. FACE FORWARD. PURSUE THE PRESENT! PURGE THE PAST-PURSUE THE PRESENT! .:11k1

«I seek no backward voyage across the sea of time. I will ever press forward. I believe God intends the present to be better than the past, and the future to be better than the present,» John Ireland [:en]

8 – Dealing with the past

In this message, Don will discuss the following in dealing with your past:

1. Problems Are Common

2. Panic is Counter-Productive

3. Persist in Communication

4. Purpose in Cleansing (Forgiveness is a must)

5. Providence in Circumstances (Trust God to Vindicate)

6. Praise Instead of Complaining

7. Pursue in Calamity

Your memory is one of the very remarkable parts of your complex being. It serves as a news system for the brain, it is like the brains history book. It is a think bank containing millions, perhaps billions of memoranda. It stores feelings and impressions, experiences, things seen, things heard and things felt.

It is amazing that our memory can recall so many things, just at the impulse of desiring to recall a past event. We are able to dwell on that happening and bring to our memory even more details by Killing to…unfortunately, the memory can serve us or enslave us. A choice that each individual makes. For in each persons memory bank is both positive and negative events. I can recall whichever I choose. I can make them dominant parts of my memory by dwelling on them more often than others.

There are multitudes of people who feel they can never survive the hurts of the past. They think there are things they can never get over. They think and speak of them constantly, which tends to reenforce the negative feelings. They say there is someone they can never forgive for a hurt or horror brought into their life. Many of these «dark» memories come out of our youth, when we were delicate and impressionable. A sorrow that so crushed us we feel we can never turn it loose. Many feel they can never forgive someone who mistreated them. These «dark» memories cause an individual to grow up maladjusted.

Lingering bruises may come from the work place or with associates. Perhaps you feel you were cheated or wronged in a way that you feel justified in holding to anger and unforgiveness. «Dark» memories from painful experiences in your marriage or relationship with the opposite sex. The source of painful memories is limitless.

The bottom line is, It is not what happened to you, it is how you responded to what happened! You can be humiliated, lied against, deceived, betrayed, can even suffer bodily harm and still you can get over it. Your response to the problem, determines the magnitude of the problem.

Problems Are Common

«There has no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able,’ but will with the temptation also make a way of escape that you may be able to bear it.» I Corinthians 10:13 The problems you have experienced in life are no different than what others have experienced. That is, others have had bitter, unpleasant experiences as tell. Though they may be very different in nature than yours, perhaps not as severe as yours. Everyone has had problems that have left scars and painful memories. You must continually be aware that you have not been singled out for suffering, and that in this world problems are normal. In prison ministry we meet the extreme cases of «painful pasts» but the problem is not the painful past, it is the way the individual chose to deal with the problem. Some have sought to justify their wrong actions because of wong done to them in the past.

You must know you must come to grips with the FACT that crisis is normal, problems are common, unpleasant memories of the past are in everyones life…not just yours. How you handle the past wiII depend pretty much on how you handled yourself while you were in the problem. Crisis is normal to the growth process, it is necessary for maturity to happen.

In God’s program the way of escape if not «escaping from» but «escaping to»… The first step in dealing with the past is acknowledging that PROBLEMS ARE COMMON. They come to everyone and are a necessary part of life. What you do with the problems will determine their ultimate effect on you. Unfortunately, for many, yesterdays control todays…and for some, tomorrows. Don’t fall in the trap of thinking your past is the Problem. Your Response to your Past is the Problem.

Panic is Counter-Productive

Painful memories can cause panic when the memories seemingly won’t go away. In spiritual life panic blinds the eyes to being receptive to God’s Word, it depresses the spirit, robs the prayer life, impairs faith and it inhibits the receipt of God’s answers. When memories bring panic to your spirit you can be sure that it is from the enemy of your soul. Panic and depression are brother and sister. Often panic from the pain of the past comes when you are awakened in the early morning hours, unable to sleep, fearful, mentally searching for answers but in vain. You are tempted to quit…even-to quit from life, thoughts of suicide and total despair overwhelm you.

David called this the «terror by night». Sometimes sleeplessness is a very real attack of the enemy of our soul. This terror is from a demonic being or presence of darkness that will try to scare you. It will put a thought into your mind that will jar you from sleep, or speak discouraging thoughts to you in your drowsiness that you begin to accept and believe. Psychologists who specialize in sleep disorders recognize «night terror» as a real phenomenon. But they don’t knowwhat causes it and they don’t knowthe cure.

The Proverbs says, «A relaxed attitude lengthens a man’s life.» David said, «You shall

not be afraid of the terror by night, nor the arrom that flies by day…because you have made the Lord, ,inho is my refuge, even the Most High, your habitation, no evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your dwelling.»

When you feel overcome by Panic of memories from the past, or panic in any form. Turn on some praise music, tapes of Bible reading, praise God from your spirit…do not turn on the television, don’t pollute your mind further with junk from unsanctified minds and talents. This is the time to renew your mind with the washing of the water of the Word! «Studies show that television causes greater depression and loneliness, even though those watching it believe it will relax their depression and loneliness.» (Ed Cole).

Don’t panic. Keep productive. Panic is a tool of Satan and he uses it to bring about defeat and destruction. When these feeling approach you rebuke them in the Name of Jesus! Absolutely refuse to submit to the negative thoughts and depressive feelings that come as old painful memories are aroused. Learn to reject them and identify them as from Satan with intentions of destroying you!

Persist in Communication

,Don’t stop communicating with people or with God. Don’t cut yourself off by isolating yourself!

Loneliness and isolation will only pervert your thinking. Keep your balance by continuing to interact normally even though you feel weighted down with your past. Don’t give place to the devil. Godly counsel is one of the way’s God has of speaking to us. If you seek counsel or advice, make sure you are seeking it from godly people. Not necessarily a paid Counselor, but if you feel the need to talk about what you are feeling, make certain you speak to people who know God intimately and will give you godly counsel. Good advice is not the same as godly counsel. The gospel is the Good news, not good advice. Everyone is willing to pass along good advice, but when it/s not godly counsel it only confuses the issues and clouds the mind! Often it will cause you to make a wrong decision!

Tell God about your situation – not men!

Outside of confidential meetings with trusted, godly people, keep your conversation positive! No one needs to know the negatives of your situation. Though you may be going through emotional turmoil or suffering mental anguish, no one else needs to knowthe details. We deceive ourselves, and the enemy of our souls takes the advantage, when we think we must share everything…that’s just not true.

Your children do not need to know of your anger, tension and anxiety. Do not communicate to your children, small or grown, the poverty attitude of your feelings. While for you it is a passing crisis, it can become a lifetime of pain for them to overcome. With knowledge of a situation comes responsibility. Your children do not need to be responsible for the knowledge of what you are going through! What you share with your children is what you should want them to dwell upon and become, because that is what will happen. Don’t pass the plague of your painful past on to others. Tell it to God – not men, especially not your children. Don’t be ashamed to tell God the truth and to tell Him everything that your heart ifs feeling. Get rid of all the negative feeling by pouring your heart out in confession. The negative confession and the negative feelings must be communicated and they must be communicated to God. He can heal them.

You are committed to what you confess.

Say again, Explain. You are committed to what you confess. What you confess, what you say is what you believe, what you believe is what you MI do. Negative confession produces negative feelings and a negative lifestyle. It opens to Satan, closes to God.

Confess the positive promises of God’s Word. Believe them to materialize in your life, to become reality in your owl life and you null commit yourself to them. Build faith. Don’t allownegative confessions to destroy your building. Build your faith through Prayer, God’s Word, godly counsel, godly books, tapes, praise music and an attitude of praise from your heart. Listen: Faith attracts the positive, fear attracts the negative. Give God the negatives. Refuse to dwell on them. When you feel inclined to complain about someone, about an injustice or trauma that was apparently caused by another person take it up with the Lord out on a mountain top or in the desert…don’t take your murmurings to another person, and don’t allowthem to live inside of you! Confess sin, confess your and Mat others have sinned against you, asked to be cleansed! Admit Mat your conscience convicts you about; don’t cover it up. The Holy Spirit WII be truthful, when you are convicted, confess it!

Base your conversation on your trust in God, not your trust in your feelings. Remember this, God always builds on a positive, never on a negative. God WII use your 0W7 fiords to create a new life for you. God inhabits the praise of His people…not the complaints and criticisms. He inhabits our praise. Begin to make positive communication, persist in communication that is positive.

Before we begin the next session, look at the diagram. Picture yourself in a room with two doors – one door is always open, the other is always closed.,by your choice. At one door stands God, at the other stands Satan.. ,only you can on the door. When one is open the other is closed!

Purpose in Cleansing

The Lord Jesus is our pattern for «opening» and «closing». Forgiveness opens-unforgiveness closes!

The Lord Jesus Christ is the pattern for going and coming, entering and leaving, opening and closing. This does not make sense to you? Coming from the past, leaving the past… The forgiveness of Jesus Christ from the cross opened heaven for everyone. Forgiveness opens. Unforgiveness would have barred us all from ever entering heaven. Memorize this simple truth: Forgiveness opens, unforgiveness closes.

Life is lived based on relationships, so opening or closing the doors of relationship is vital. It is also always a choice. You can keep your spirit closed and you will suffer. You can choose to open your spirit and forgive, that is a choice. When you make that choice you have opened heaven to smile on your relationship. Unforgiveness will shut down friendships, associations and opportunities. It is an acid that ultimately destroys it’s own container. This is a vital area in dealing with your past and there will be a session devoted totally to forgiveness. Suffice it to say now if you choose to not forgive you are choosing to have your painful past destroy you.

Dealing With The Past

Marriage is an example of how unforgiveness closes a relationship. Entering marriage means leaving the single life and family. If a man takes his single ways into marriage, he will ruin the marriage. When two people marry they are leaving one area of life and entering another. If the woman takes her «parents» into the marriage she will ruin the marriage. It is a new and different relationship. Please read carefully the following comment from Ed Cole: «Spouses who do not forgive their parents eventually find their unforgiveness spoiling their marriage.» It does not matter how unpleasant the experience nor how justified one may feel in not forgiving, if you choose to be unforgiving you will ruin your relationship. Holding grudges and letting prejudices spoil intimacy is no way to live! The spirit of unforgiveness is communicated from one person’s spirit to others and it closes them off!

Forgiveness is a gift. It can never be earned. it can only be given as is God’s forgiveness to us. Please, please, do not sowthe seeds of the past in the fields of relationship. You will ruin the relationship. When you harbor unforgiveness toward others it show up in virtually every area of your life. It closes you off to ministry. You will never be able to minister to the one for Mom you hold a grudge. First, you must forgive. Meditate on these words from VOLTAIRE. «Life is thickly sown with thorns, and I know no other remedy than to pass quickly through them. The longer we dwell on our misfortunes, the greater is their power to harm us.»

Admit it and quit it! Drop it and stop it! Move out, move on, move up! MOVE. «IF YOU FORGIVE OTHERS THEIR TRESPASSES, YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER WILL ALSO FORGIVE YOU YOURS.» Mt. 6:14

Providence in Circumstances

«Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.»

Trust God to vindicate you, if you feel you must know vindication. If you feel you have been dealt with unjustly don’t return evil for evil. Rather, the scriptural Key to deal with this area of your past is to pray for those who mistreat you. Leave the rest to God. You can NEVER, NEVER, NEVER, NEVER undo the past. But it can undo you!

Part of the problem of dealing with the past and the pain of it is that you know you can never go back and do it over. You are stuck with the events of yesterday. Everyone is. Sometimes you feel that life is unfair, its not unfair it is just life in a sinful world. Don’t complain about life, be thankful for it. Don’t dwell on past failures or bruises that others caused. God has always been in control and was in control when the unpleasant pain first came. Trust it to Him and go on. He will vindicate for wrong doing. It’s not your job, it’s His. If you feel you can never be satisfied until the person who wronged you is punished then YOU have a bigger problem. Why do you vivant someone else to hurt Men you know howpainful it is? You call it justice? Do you really went justice. Have you ever wronged anyone? Justice is not what I think we cry for when we are hurt, vie just Kent the pain of the past to go aKey. SomehowKe feel that if the perpetrator is punished we Kill feel better. That’s not the way it Korks. However, if that feeling dwells in you, you must remember Vengeance belongs to God. Revenge is not our friend! It is, instead, a great enemy and tool for Satan.to use for further destruction. Trust God to vindicate you. See Him involved in all of your circumstances, past; present and future.!

Praise Instead of Complaining

«Let all the people praise Thee, 0 God; let all the people praise Thee. Then shall the earth yield her increase and God, even our 0 Wel God shall bless us.» Psalms 67:5,6 Many times you have heard or seen the phrase, PRAYER CHANGES THINGS…and for sure it does. Do you also know that many times when you pray the enemy does not yield one inch of ground though you have prayed for days and months. The stronghold remains though you have persisted in prayer. In times of great pressure, often prayer alone is not enough. Jesus once said, «This kind cometh out but by prayer and fasting» Sometimes it requires prayer and…!

For the stronghold of the past, the grip of a grudge, the anvil of anger…it requires prayer and PRAISE! Praise is a statement to God and Satan. After you pray praise God with THANKSGIVING. «And let them sacrifice the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing.» Psalms 107:22 Praise when the heart is bleeding and tom? Praise when the pressure is so great? Praise when walking through the valley of the shadowof death? Should I not weep instead? Well, those are our natural feelings and they must not only be suppressed. they must be replaced! Replace them Wth praise. The SACRIFICE of thanksgiving,..sacrifice is an offering to God. Give Him the sacrifice of PRAISE.

You can praise your wey out of anything! Even the pain of the past. While you may growtAeary of hearing this, perhaps in much hearing it will sink home. It is a choice YOU must make. YOU must decide if you went to be free from the past. YOU MUST MAKE THE CHOICE. If you want healing there are some things YOU must do. Forgiveness and PRAISE are not options, they are absolutes! • Praise has wonderful lifting power. I Samuels records a time when King Saul was tormented by an evil spirit. «When David played on his harp the evil spirit left Saul and he vies lf.» What a wonderful Key to get rid of the enemy when he attacks with mental torment…PRAISE.

Praise God, praise the people you love. Never condemn or criticize, they are like boomerangs to the spirit. Martin Luther said, «When I cannot pray. I always sing!» What you focus upon WII ultimately consume you. Focus on God. Try the GLANCE AND GAZE PRINCIPLE…only glance at the problem, the circumstances, gaze upon Jesus! In 2 Chronicles there is the account of Jehosaphat. He vies told there was a great multitude coming against him from beyond the sea. He fully realized the difficulty and he went to the Lord with the problem that was TOO GREAT FOR HIM. «We have no might against this great company.. .neither know we what to do: but our eyes are upon Thee.» The battle was won through praise. Word came to Jehosaphat through one of the young men: «The battle is not yours but God’s.. .ye shall not need to fight… fear not, nor be dismayed.» He appointed singers to go before the army singing, «Praise the Lord for His mercy endureth forever.» Without one visible sign of victory they sang praise right in the face of the enemy!

Praise God right in the face of the enemy!

«When they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir…and they were smitten. Two of the opposing • armies began to fight the third, when they had demolished them, they turned on each other until the valley vies filled with dead bodies of the enemy and «none escaped». Not only did the PRAISE bring victory but great reward. «Jehposaphat and his people…were three days in

gathering the spoil, it was so much. They had added riches and reward they never dreamed of arid «…the way of the wicked .es turned upside down.»

There were two songs in this great battle. A song of praise before and a song of deliverance afterwards! Remember, if you CHOOSE to deal with your pain and your past God’s way…The Battle is the Lord’s and you can know both victory and reward by praising Him. Pope John said, «Concern yourself not with what you have tried and failed in, but what it is possible for you to do. Move on!

Pursue in Calamity

«God brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.» Psalms 40:2 The past is a pit…and a horrible pitl The following verse says, «…and put a newsong in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and trust in the Lord.» David certainly knewcalamity. He knewa painful past. Saul did not treat him very mil! When someone hates you enough to try to kill you, I’d say that qualifies as a painful memory. When you are reminded by God’s prophet that you have committed adultery and murder and your sin is open before all of heaven, that qualifies as mental torment. When your children refuse to serve the Lord and seek all that God has given you, that must qualify as troubling thoughts. There 140S a time when David was «greatly distressed» in his early life. He led his men in battle and returned to find himself in the midst of «calamity». The people spake of stoning him. They wept till they had no power to weep. Their wives, their children, their belongings had been taken captive. David «inquired at the Lord saying, ‘Shall I pursue after this troop. Shall! overtake them?» The simple answer to his simple prayer was: «Pursue: for thou shalt surely overtake them, and without fail recover all.» (1 Samuel 30) One of the most challenging words in all of scripture is found in this situation. «.„but David encouraged himself in the Lord.»

Encourage yourself in the Lord. Don’t it for others, it may never come, they have problems of their OW. Likely, if you wait others won’t encourage you anyway, they may criticize and condemn you. Encourage yourself in the Lord. The responsibility for recovery and healing lies in YOUR hands, In calamity-encourage yourself in the Lord-PURSUE! You take charge of your life or someone else WI!. You make the choice to be healed. The pain of the past is only pain because you allowit to be. PURSUE tomorrow PURSUE today. Forget yesterday. John Hagee says; «READ MY LIPS, YESTERDAY IS GONE.» Go for today, plan for tomorrow, you don’t have anything else! PURSUE THE PRESENT. FACE FORWARD. PURSUE THE PRESENT! PURGE THE PAST-PURSUE THE PRESENT!

«I seek no backward voyage across the sea of time. I will ever press forward. I believe God intends the present to be better than the past, and the future to be better than the present,» John Ireland


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