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The Forge | Pants on Fire Part 1

My Past Defines Me

May 11, 2022 • Brian Oliver • 2 Corinthians 5:17, Psalm 103:12, Hebrews 8:12, Romans 8:39, Ephesians 1:4–5

Wikipedia:The past is the set of all events that occurred before a given point in time. The
past is contrasted with and defined by the present and the future.
Merriam – Webster: A past life, history, or course of action.

The difference between guilt and shame.
·Guilt is a sense of remorse and the desire to make amends; Shame is the intensely painful feeling or experience of believing we are flawed and unworthy of acceptance and belonging.
·Guilt overcome by the conviction of God’s spirit is encouraging because it leads to repentance; Guilt held onto weighs you down, is spiritually crippling, and leads to Shame.

How Satan uses shame against you.
·Satan will say you are unforgivable, but God will delight in your redemption (Romans 3:23-24).
·Satan will tell us repentance is not possible. God encourages us to change and grow (2 Corinthians 5:17)
·Satan is the Accuser. God is our Advocate (Psalm 103:12; Hebrews 8:12)

Declarations the Liar doesn’t want to hear you say.
1. God loves me (Romans 8:39)
·Believing that God love you is foundational for believing the rest of God’s promises
2. God chose me (Ephesians 1:4-5)
·Despite the good, the bad, and the ugly, God still chose to adopt you into His family
3. God will use me (Ephesians 2:10)
·Don’t let the voice of “look what you’ve one”, “you’re too this or that” disqualify you

Know that your wounds, your past, and your weaknesses – when surrendered to God – are actually what God uses powerfully in His service.

1 Thessalonians 5:9-11 – For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. Do you believe you have done something unforgivable, or have you done something that you still need to forgive yourself for?
2. Who do you say, the world say, and God say you are?
3. Do you believe that God can use you?
4. Whose lives can you speak into to help them forgive themselves and see themselves as God does?

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