If you are able, please read Hebrews 8 before coming tonight. 

So, last week, we talked about the idea of “Considering Jesus” at every stage of life. Knowing that God is omnipresent, it is clear that He was there at every event, every trial, trauma, good day, or bad day. So, when we consider the events in our past that have governed our lives, we can only conclude that Jesus was there — for everything. As we stated last week, we ought to be asking questions such as: Why am I this way? Where did this issue/habit come from? Why do I feel this way? It may require that you take a journey backwards to see where certain things originated. It may also require that you revisit some traumatic and difficult events in life. Now, some may tell you that we ought to “forget the things which are behind.” However, much of what we do in our attempt to forget is merely suppressing, not forgetting. Then, at a moment in time, those memories find occasion to resurface and cause you to experience the pain all over again.  Healthy forgetting is when you can think of and find Jesus in the event, and at the moment. This way, when the memory resurfaces, we see Jesus. We see what He was doing in light of what the Bible speaks of His character and nature. 

Whether it is sinful activity, abuse, trauma or anything that brings harm to you or through you, the nature of Jesus speaks this way: This is the covenant that I will make with them After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, And in their minds will I write them; And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. (Hebrews 10:17). 

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. (2 Corinthians 5:17). 

So, if you are in Christ, your past, no matter how difficult, sinful, or traumatizing, should not have the right to govern your present or your future. So today, we will strip the past of its power to do so. 

Here’s some scripture to give an idea of where we are going:

And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire (Luke 3:9). 

Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. (Matthew 7:15-17)

Two Versions of Me

​Very often when our past governs us, we try to change our behavior to conform to present realities. In our hearts we do not want to be what we used to be, so we adjust our behavior. However, the scripture tells us: as a man thinks in his heart, so is he (Proverbs 23:7). What ends up happening is we learn how to act. We become pro-maskers when it comes to inner realities. Then every once in a while, we begin to bear fruit, despite our outward behavior. 

No matter what you say, or how passionately you say it, the fruit you bear (Mt 7:17) tells the world exactly who you are…period. 

When we lay the axe to the root, we bring Jesus into the equation to disempower the demonic governors of our lives. We have to cut down that entire tree. We must destroy the foundations.