God's amazing promise

This devotional is from KJ, a friend of mine. 

 My best friend and I were individually reading the same book and sharing with each other by email what we had learnt from it. One day, as I was reading a chapter, I paused after this phrase: “Dillon was trying to not remember what he couldn't forget.”Oh, those words stood out to me in red capital letters. I tried to read on, but I couldn't stop thinking about it. It wasn't what the author wanted to point out, so why did it bother me so? The Holy Spirit uses things that can seem strange and odd to teach truths and bring back memories. For me, there are some good memories, yet others are sad and regretful memories.

I was recently at a conference where the speaker spoke about the phrase: “Remember Lot's wife.” Or you could say, “Do not forget Lot’s wife.”  Forgetting is when there is something you don't think about, but it is still filed somewhere away in the back of your brain and then something triggers it, and bang, it all floods back into your head as if it happened yesterday.  All those feelings, emotions and disappointments weigh you down all over again.

God doesn't keep a record of our past sins. He doesn't file them away. He chooses not to remember them. Isaiah 43:25 says, “I, I am He who blots out your transgressions for my own sake and I will not remember your sins.”

I find that so amazing. Not only will He not go and count up all our sins, but He also won't blame, accuse and hold these sins against us on the final day. He sees us as white as snow; without blemish. Jesus bore ALL of our sins on Himself; not one of them was missed out (Isaiah 53:6).  What freedom and joy we can have as we come to God, knowing that His love doesn't change depending on how good, bad or wicked we have been. If we are His beloved child, He will forever hold us in the palm of His hand.
WOW!! Now that is a good, amazing, comforting memory I had temporarily forgotten. ;) But like Dillon, I have sins - things of the past, that I try not to remember but can never forget. If only I could remember them no more.  But I was born into a sinful and fallen world, and Satan works craftily and brings these thoughts back to haunt me.

"Oh, you've done it before; it won't hurt to do it again"

"Look how many times you've done what you thought and knew you shouldn't do. You'll never be able to reach that high standard. What's the point in trying and then not reaching your goal and failing one more time?"

The devil uses half-truths to make you believe him. Once again you find yourself falling down the slippery slope of sin.  But guess what? Now there are more regrets that Satan uses the next time to display your weaknesses.
No matter how much Satan reminds you, no matter how many times you forget and then think about those thoughts again, the devil is not the one we should have our ears tuned too. We must sharpen our conscience to hear and listen to God's quiet voice, His Spirit. He says, "I did it for you. I have defeated the enemy. I have won the battle with victory, and remembered your past no more.”

So put your full armour of God on, clothe yourself in God’s Word, and stand firm against the schemes of the devil. Satan will threaten and throw his fiery darts at you. But you must run to the cross. Lay your burdens, your yoke, your emotions, and your thoughts down on Christ. He dumps them deep into the sea and puts a sign up saying, 'No Fishing'. Trust in the Lord, because He remembers none of your short comings, but sees you as righteous through the blood and sufferings of His only Son. Meditate and dwell on the Word, and you will live and have peace".