How do we overcome? How do we succeed? How do we change?
First and foremost, we need to concentrate and focus on what is biblically true, not the lies that can rattle around in our head. Whatever we may have been, that is not who we are in Christ. That bears repeating, whatever we may have been, that is not who we are in Christ.
We are to put the past behind us. Philippians 3:8–14 is key. We leave the past behind and press on. Even when we fail as Christians, we are to put that incident behind us and to keep pressing on (though seeking forgiveness of someone we wronged, as well as confessing any sin will be part of the process). Think of all Paul had to put behind. I can’t even begin to imagine all the accusations Satan would have kept throwing at him. He persecuted the church; as Jesus said, Paul was persecuting Jesus, Himself. Paul was putting Christians in prison and putting them to death, voting for their execution (Acts 26:10). Then there was his role in the stoning of Stephen. He describes himself as a blasphemer and violent aggressor (1 Timothy 1:13). Yet he, like us, was a new creature in Christ, the old has passed away, the new has come (2 Corinthians 5:17). While we may have been what Satan continues to accuse us of still being, that isn’t who we are now, that isn’t who we are in Christ.
Christ came to set us free from the law of sin and death (Romans 8:2; 1 Corinthians 15:56–57). It was for freedom that Christ, past tense, has set us free (Galatians 5:1). John 8:36, “So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed” (NAU). The truth is we are free in Christ; the thought that tells us that we are still hopelessly bound in sin, that sin is still our master is a satanic lie. If there is one thing Satan doesn’t want us to realize it is the truth of who we are in Christ, that we are truly free, and that Satan is no longer our master, that we are no longer slaves to sin. As Hebrews 12:1 states, we are to put aside the sin that so easily entangles us. In Christ we are free.
One key step to success is to remember the truth of who we are in Christ. We will continue our look at key steps in the next post.
Good Friday
Dr. James W. Walraven
4/3/2026
Some Thoughts on Christmas Day
Dr. James W. Walraven
12/25/2025
How to Have: the Best Days of Our Lives
Dr. James W. Walraven
6/23/2025
How Are We Doing? Part 17
Dr. James W. Walraven
2/7/2025
How Are We Doing? Part 16
Dr. James W. Walraven
2/3/2025
How Are We Doing? Part 15
Dr. James W. Walraven
1/31/2025
How Are We Doing? Part 14
Dr. James W. Walraven
1/29/2025
How Are We Doing? Part 13
Dr. James W. Walraven
1/27/2025
How Are We Doing? Part 12
Dr. James W. Walraven
1/24/2025
How Are We Doing? Part 11
Dr. James W. Walraven
1/22/2025
How Are We Doing? Part 10
Dr. James W. Walraven
1/20/2025
How Are We Doing? Part 9
Dr. James W. Walraven
1/17/2025
How Are We Doing? Part 8
Dr. James W. Walraven
1/15/2025
How Are We Doing? Part 7
Dr. James W. Walraven
1/13/2025
How Are We Doing? Part 6
Dr. James W. Walraven
1/10/2025
How Are We Doing? Part 5
Dr. James W. Walraven
1/8/2025
How Are We Doing? Part 4
Dr. James W. Walraven
1/6/2025
How Are We Doing, Part 3
Dr. James W. Walraven
1/2/2025
How Are We Doing? Part 2
Dr. James W. Walraven
12/30/2024
How Are We Doing? Part 1
Dr. James W. Walraven
12/28/2024
Christmas Day
Dr. James W. Walraven
12/25/2024
Advent, Part 6
Dr. James W. Walraven
12/21/2024
Advent, Part 5
Dr. James W. Walraven
12/16/2024
Advent, Part 4
Dr. James W. Walraven
12/14/2024
Advent, Part 3
Dr. James W. Walraven
12/11/2024
Advent, Part 2
Dr. James W. Walraven
12/6/2024
Advent, Part 1
Dr. James W. Walraven
12/3/2024
We Have No King but Caesar
Dr. James Walraven
1/12/2024
Asbury, A Clarification
Dr. James Walraven
3/18/2023
Thoughts on the Asbury Phenomena, Part 6
Dr. James W. Walraven
3/6/2023
Follow-Up on Today's Post
Dr. James W. Walraven
3/3/2023
Thoughts on the Asbury Phenomena, Part 5
Dr. James W. Walraven
3/3/2023
Thoughts on the Asbury Phenomena, Part 4
Dr. James W. Walraven
3/3/2023
Thoughts on the Asbury Phenomena, Part 3
Dr. James W. Walraven
2/27/2023
Thoughts on the Asbury Phenomena, Part 2
Dr. James W. Walraven
2/24/2023
Thoughts on the Asbury Phenomena, Part 1
Dr. James W. Walraven
2/23/2023
Be It Resolved? Part 8
Dr. James Walraven
2/20/2023
Be It Resolved? Part 7
Dr. James Walraven
2/17/2023
Be It Resolved? Part 6
Dr. James Walraven
2/15/2023
Be It Resolved? Part 5
Dr. James Walraven
2/13/2023
Be It Resolved? Part 4
Dr. James Walraven
2/10/2023
Be It Resolved? Part 3
Dr. James Walraven
2/8/2023
Be It Resolved? Part 2
Dr. James Walraven
2/6/2023
Be It Resolved? Part 1
Dr. James Walraven
2/3/2023
Be It Resolved? Part 3
Dr. James Walraven
1/27/2023
The Danger of Unrepentant Sin, Part 7
Dr. James Walraven
12/23/2022
The Danger of Unrepentant Sin, Part 6
Dr. James Walraven
12/22/2022
The Danger of Unrepentant Sin, Part 5
Dr. James Walraven
12/20/2022
The Danger of Unrepentant Sin, Part 4
Dr. James Walraven
12/19/2022
The Danger of Unrepentant Sin, Part 3
Dr. James Walraven
12/16/2022
The Danger of Unrepentant Sin, Part 2
Dr. James Walraven
12/15/2022
The Danger of Unrepentant Sin, Part 1
Dr. James Walraven
12/13/2022
A Change in Direction
Dr. James W. Walraven
3/24/2022
An Unexpected Lenten Journey
Dr. James W. Walraven
3/7/2022
Thoughts for 2022: How Will We Treat Those Who Persecute Us?
Dr. James W. Walraven
1/10/2022
Thoughts for 2022: What Will We Focus On?
Dr. James W. Walraven
1/7/2022
Thoughts for 2022: What Will We Think About?
Dr. James W. Walraven
1/5/2022
Thoughts for 2022: Will We Live in the Truth?
Dr. James W. Walraven
12/31/2021
Thoughts for 2022: How Will We Regard Others?
Dr. James W. Walraven
12/28/2021
Merry Christmas!
Dr. James W. Walraven
12/22/2021
Second Sunday of Advent: Preparing for Christ's Return
Dr. James W. Walraven
12/4/2021
The Importance of Forgiving Others
Dr. James W. Walraven
6/28/2021
Good Friday
Dr. James W. Walraven
4/2/2021
Our Security in Christ
Dr. James W. Walraven
1/16/2021
What Do We Make of 2020?
Dr. James W. Walraven
12/31/2020
The Miracle of Christmas, part 3
Dr. James W. Walraven
12/16/2020
The Miracle of Christmas, part 2
Dr. James W. Walraven
12/14/2020
The Miracle of Christmas
Dr. James W. Walraven
12/9/2020
You Matter!
Dr. James W. Walraven
9/8/2020
