"Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, . . ." (Philippians 3:13, NKJV)
You know, one of the devices of our enemy, Satan, is to constantly remind us of our past mistakes and failures. Sometimes Satan uses others such as friends, family or acquaintances, to remind us of our past faults, in an attempt to hold us captive to our past. This is done to prevent us from moving forward into our destiny. Sometimes Satan will work through others, but most often, I find, that the greatest hindrance to my progress is not what others tell me, but what I tell myself. Satan attempts to remind me constantly of what I did wrong, what did not work the last time and where I failed. But in the words of that old church mother, "THE DEVIL IS A LIAR."
Paul, in this verse, lets us know that we don't have to be held hostage by our past. Paul, who once persecuted the church of God, now acknowledges that he is "forgetting those things which are behind." Paul lets us know that he will not allow his past indiscretions to stop, hinder or impede his progress toward his future. He tells us he is not spending any time or energy thinking about what he did wrong, didn't do that he should have done, or what he failed at. He is "forgetting those things."
We need to declare as Paul, we are not going to be held captive to what we did or did not do in this past year. We are just days away from a new year. Let's let that past stay in the past. Do not allow the enemy of your soul to hold you hostage with guilt, shame or regret. When the temptation arises to keep you in guilt and shame, I know it sounds old fashioned and very "churchy," but tell Satan, like that old mother, "THE DEVIL IS A LIE!" When the tempter tries to bring up your past mistakes, just declare to yourself, “I am FORGETTING THOSE THINGS!”