Phi lippians 3:12-14, Not as though I had already att ained, neither were alr eady perfect; but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended, but this one thing do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before. I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

There are two things I want to point out from these scriptures: Forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forth unto those things which are before.

Before we can go on with God and fulfill His plan for our lives, we must forget about the past. Remember Paul was once known as Saul, a persecutor of Christians, he had a past to forget.

I Timothy 1:13 and 16, Who was before a blasphemer and a persecutor and injurious but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show forth all long suffering for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on Him to life everlasting.

Injurious means spiteful, insulter, violent.

Saul thought what he was doing was right but it was so wrong, but notice, he obtained mercy and it was was to be a pattern for believers. He was there when Stephen, the first Christian to be martyred was stoned to death and he approved of it.

Acts 8:1 and Saul was consenting unto his death… Acts 9:1-2, And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.

God’s mercy reached Paul. This is some of what he was talking about when he said, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forth. Satan would have loved for Paul to continue to think on all the problem he has caused the church by persecuting it consenting to Stephen’s death.

If Paul had allowed the past to be continually in his thinking we wouldn’t be reading about all he done for God. It’s the same with us, if we’re going to live

a successful Christian life, we too, must learn to forget.

Isaiah 43:25, I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.

Remember means to think on. The next verse, He says put me in remembrance. God is telling him to remind him of what He said. We need to remind Him and ourselves to keep the devil from successfully getting us to accept his accusations about our past. Satan will bring a picture of our past before us but the truth is, if we’ve accepted Jesus, we no longer have a past.

God said He blotted it out, so it doesn’t exist- notice God said, He did this for His sake, of course we benefit from it. God forgets our sins and iniquities so He can bless us, so He can show us His mercy and love.

Imagine if we practiced this the way we’re supposed to, how we

would treat others. When we continually think on the wrongs others have done to us, then we end up treating them according to the way they treated us.

Hebrews 4:16, Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

If we’re going to do this the way God tells us to, we must learn to forget. Paul had to forget his past to walk on with God and do all he had for him to do.

Learning to forget goes hand in hand with learning to forgive. We need to learn to forgive others, but we also must learn to forgive ourselves.

Matthew 18:21, Then came Peter to Him and said Lord, how often shall my bother sin again me and I forgive him? Till seven times?

This is a good question and it applies to us today just like it did to them then.

Jesus answered in verse 22. Jesus said unto

him, I say not unto thee, until seven times; but, until seventy times seven. That could be 490 times in a day, it’s not likely that someone will sin against you that many times in a day, but when they do sin against you and you forgive them, you can be sure that satan will bring it to your remembrance over and over and you must refuse to think on or accept the thought not to forgive.

Ephesians 4:32, Forgiving one another, even as God for Christ sake hath forgiven you.

We’re to forgive like God does and God forgets. God asks us to forgive 490 a day, He wouldn’t ask us to do something He isn’t willing to do. So let’s practice forgiving others and ourselves of past mistakes and failures and go on with God.

Forgetting the past, forgiving others and ourselves as God has forgiven, places us in a position to walk with Him and receive His best for our lives.