Many people find themselves stuck, feeling hopeless, simply because of one bad decision. We do not want to make light of sexual sin. It is no small matter. However, if you have gone too far, you are not out of God’s reach. There is still hope!
If you want to live free from your past, here are four things you must do:
1. You must repent.
“Now repent of your sins and turn to
God, so that your sins may be wiped away.”
Acts 3:19 (NLT)
Before you make another move, you must take this step. While our society is moving further and further away from the call of repentance, heaven isn’t.
If you want to get back on track, live free of your failure, and become everything God desires for you to become, this part of the process isn’t optional; it is required. Grace is not God ignoring your weakness. Grace is God’s power working in your weakness. You are not alone. Acknowledge your sin before God, and lay it on the altar.
While our society is moving further and further away from the call of repentance, heaven isn’t. Share on X2. You must understand that nothing is beyond repair.
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
1 John 1:9 (NKJV)
Oftentimes, we allow the guilt of failure to lead us to a place of condemnation. We start thinking that our failure is so bad that we have absolutely no hope.
Why do we respond to our shortcomings like this?
We respond this way because we’ve listened to our enemy. Once Satan has convinced you that sin, especially sexual sin, is “not that bad” and you give in, within moments of your compromise, you’ll then hear him whisper, “Now you’ve gone too far! There’s nothing you can do to make things right!”
But, the devil is a liar!
Listen, if you have breath in your lungs and a beat in your heart, then you have hope. With Jesus, nothing is beyond repair.
With Jesus, nothing is beyond repair. Share on X3. You must get help.
“Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other . . .”
James 5:16a (NLT)
One of the reasons so many Christians live in defeat is because they try to fight the armies of hell all alone. We’re convinced the reason most people try to fight alone is because they don’t want anyone else to know about their weaknesses.
As long as you try to contain your sin, your sin will contain you. Don’t try to fight this by yourself. Find someone you can trust, who will not parade your problems in front of the rest of the world. Then, as soon as you can, have a private meeting and tell them exactly where you are in life and what you are going through. We’re not talking about the modified story you wish were true. Uncensored, gut-level honesty is what it takes. Be real, and let them in on where you’re at. If freedom is really a priority, then you have to quit hiding in the dark. Expose your failure to a trusted advisor and let them help you step into freedom!
4. You must let God turn back time.
“’Behold, I will bring the shadow on the sundial, which has gone down with the sun on the sundial of Ahaz, ten degrees backward.’ So the sun returned ten degrees on the dial by which it had gone down.”
Isaiah 38:8 (NKJV)
Are you wondering what the sundial of Ahaz and the sun turning back ten degrees has to do with anything? In Hezekiah’s time, the sundial of Ahaz was their form of a clock. It’s how they kept up with time.
Are you wondering what the sundial of Ahaz and the sun turning back ten degrees has to do with anything? In Hezekiah’s time, the sundial of Ahaz was their form of a clock. It’s how they kept up with time.
Simply put, God turned back time as a sign to King Hezekiah. What does this mean? If God could turn back time for him, He can turn back time for you. Will He literally cause the earth to go backward in its orbit? We don’t know. But, what we do know is that when God washes away your sin, He casts it into the sea, never to be remembered, as though it never happened.
No matter how far you’ve gone, when you call upon His name in repentance, He can restore everything you have lost, including the things you’ve lost sexually.
This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be honest with your future spouse about your past. It just means that when you tell them about your past, though you wish it had never happened, you can speak freely and confidently that Jesus has redeemed you and has restored all that you have lost. He is the God of restoration!
The Bottom Line
If you have gone further than you wanted to go and have done more than you wanted to do, the good news is this: Your past does not have to determine your future. Use these four keys to unlock a life of restoration and hope through Jesus, and you will never be the same!
Your past does not have to determine your future. Share on XThis blog is an excerpt from The Rules Of Romance Before Marriage
Caleb and Ali live in East Tennessee where they serve at The Lift Church. With boldness and conviction, their deepest desire is to see the church revived and the world awakened. Learn more about The Lift by visiting theliftchurch.tv.
