How FORGETTING Fixes Your Thoughts
Philippians 3
October 16th
2011 PM
Pastor Craig Ledbetter
I.
Introduction
(Philippians 3:13)
A.
I think we would all agree
that it is hard to do what God says do here – to forget some things
1.
Forgetting is not easy
2.
But it is necessary if we are
to have sound minds
3.
Troubled minds cannot forget!
Sound minds are able to forget some things!
B.
Now, Let’s be Clear… There are
some things NOT to forget
1.
Psa 103:2
“Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits”
2.
Psa 119:16
“I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.”
Store it away for the rainy days
3.
Deut 8:2
“And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee
these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know
what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no.”
C.
But, It is Possible to Forget
1.
God forgets (Heb 10:17) – on
purpose!
2.
We already Forget Some
Things
a.
God (Psalm 9:17; Jer 2:32)
b.
God’s Blessings (Psalm 103:2)
c.
God’s LAWS (Hos 4:6) –
Pharisees forgot them all the time (Mt 23:23)
d.
To do right (Heb 13:16) no
matter how much we are taught, and preached at
3.
The world turns to drink and
drugs to help them forget (Pr 31:5,7)
D.
Paul commands us to make it
one of our highest priorities to forget some things!
E.
God promises that we CAN
forget the things behind us (Isa 54:4)
F.
Let’s learn how tonight!
II.
How to Forget
(Philippians 3:1-14)
A.
Reject Your Importance
(Philp 3:3-7)
1.
It starts with dethroning YOU!
2.
People won’t forget some
things because they feel it proves they are right
3.
They need those memories
sharp, to use like a lawyer to be right
4.
Yet God says that we need to:
a.
Die to self (Rom 6:1-6)
b.
Reckon yourself to be dead (
c.
Quit thinking your rightness,
and your needs really matter right now
B.
Respect Christ (Philp
3:8-10) – Esteem Him! Magnify Him!
1.
Paul added up all that he
accomplished in his own life, and all that he got in Christ, and saw only Jesus
left standing!
a.
Everything in Paul’s life
except Jesus was a loss!
b.
If there was anything good in
his life, it was because of Christ
2.
Compared to Jesus Christ, his
own life, successes, accomplishments were only dung
3.
What do you think Paul’s
FAILURES were then? LESS than dung!
4.
Example:
a.
It’s like a wealthy prince
falling in love with a commoner, and throwing his kingdom all away as if nothing
because of the greater wealth in the person of his love!
b.
THAT is how Paul felt about
discovering Jesus!
5.
Prize Jesus, the Son of God!
a.
That He loves you and gave
Himself for you (Gal 2:20)
b.
That you know Him (Jer
9:23,24)
6.
It will help you forget
anything holding you back!
C.
Release to the Past –
Forgive (Philp 3:13,14)
1.
I have a past life that
is in the PAST (1Cor 6:9-11).That is where it belongs!
2.
But not everyone lives a
different life now
a.
Still struggling with hurts
from years ago
b.
Still struggling with sinful
habits, and sinful thinking
c.
Some of the worst damages to
our minds are not what we experienced years ago, but when we relive it over and
over and over every time a memory comes up
1)
That is the problem with
memory – it can be played over and over and over
2)
And it affects us just as if
the words, or the pain was happening all over again!
3.
The Biblical Meaning of
Forgetting
a.
It is not possible to remove
an event the memory – not possible – unless brain damaged
b.
To forget means to not think
about –
1)
If you are running a race, and
there are 50 other runners, you “forget” about those other runners, and focus
only on WHAT? The finish line!
c.
To forget means to not pay
attention to something (James 1:24)
1)
We so often ignore important
things and remember hurtful things
2)
A Christian has to turn that
around
d.
The memories of our past will
always be there…
e.
But their power in your life
needs to be ignored
f.
To forget means
1)
To LOSE the memory of
something – like, Oops!
2)
To neglect to remember, on
purpose hopefully!
3)
To let go of a memory and its
IMPORTANCE – don’t tell me it won’t let go of you, when it probably is YOU that
won’t let go of it!
g.
It requires that we forgive –
there is NO OTHER WAY
1)
If memories haunt you, then
unforgiveness is the cause!
2)
Release our enemy, the one who
hurt us, who owes us – release them from the debt that they owe you!
3)
Only Christians can do this!
a)
Ephesians 4:31,32
b)
Colossians 3:12,13
c)
Romans 12:20,21
4.
Forgiving is Releasing a Debt
(Dt 15:1-3,9)
a.
And you forgive because GOD
said to
b.
Pilate made a RELEASE (Mt
27:15-26)
c.
Forgiveness enabled GOD to
forget (Heb 8:12; 10:17)
5.
Joseph allowed GOD to help him
forget his past (Gen 41:51) – he allowed it!
a.
Joseph still remembered
everything, but he chose to actively, forget it ever happened at all – he chose
to LIVE like it never happened: even while as a slave, or in prison!
b.
Joseph could have gotten and
stayed bitter like Esau did, but he didn’t!
c.
The only difference between
Esau and Joseph was that Joseph allowed God to move him forward!
d.
They both were abused, hurt,
taken advantage of
e.
But only ONE decided to forget
about it!
6.
What Should We Forget?
a.
Every memory that defiles your
mind. Whatever pulls you back under bondage of the past is not a memory to keep
around
b.
Every failure (Isa 38:17).
1)
Learn from them, yes
2)
But then ignore their power
over you
3)
No Christian is a failure
until he or she quits (Pr 24:16)
c.
Every thing that calls for our
attention from following God’s will! (Luke 9:62)
7.
Believe me, Christians
need to desperately forget some things – to make room so that you can
start remembering some better things!
a.
When others have hurt you in
the past, Disappointed you, said and done hurtful things against you - Pro 18:8
The words of a talebearer are as
wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.
b.
There’s not one of us who
doesn’t have a collection of hurts. But God says let them go into the past where
they belong
1)
Your Pain and Scars. Pro 18:14
The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit who
can bear? Only a born again, Bible believing child of God!
2)
Psa 147:3
“He healeth the broken in heart,
and bindeth up their wounds.”
c.
If you CAN’T forgive, it is
ONLY BECAUSE you won’t put away those things – you WON’T let them go!
d.
"Forgiveness is the power to
change the past."
e.
God’s Forgiveness means
1)
God buries our sins and does
not mark the grave. It is part of His forgiveness!
2)
Our loving Father would much
rather forgive than judge. Do YOU have that desire and attitude?
3)
When God looks at a Christian
he sees a person who is totally covered by the righteousness of Jesus Christ.
That's what He sees when He looks at you. He doesn't think of all those sins.
They're all forgiven. They're all blotted out.
4)
Once you delete a memory, it
should be gone forever. And that's exactly what God does to your sins. They're
gone forever! Deleted, purged, wiped out, forgiven! When He sees you, He sees a
forgiven person!
f.
Hey! Decide to start LEARNING
from your failure, not just living with it! Mistakes make great teachers,
especially when we own up to our own mistakes and sins instead of always blaming
others for the way we are!!!
g.
Don't waste any more days and
nights…
1)
Living in the past
2)
Dwelling on past
disappointments
3)
Some of you wouldn’t know what
to do if you didn’t wake up depressed and discouraged about what happened
yesterday!
h.
If you DON’T forget
some past things, You will Never be Able to Reach Forth to Some FUTURE Things
D.
Reach
1.
Take some risks
2.
Leave your comfort zone of
bitterness and sorrow, and frustration and step out by faith to new levels of
spiritual growth
3.
Settle Your Target - Press
On Towards a Target
(Philp 3:14) and reach it!
a.
To “press toward the prize”
means
1)
To force myself forward
2)
To thrust myself forward
a)
To push against what’s behind
me
b)
Yes, gravity is pulling the
climber down all the time
c)
But at first he has to push
away from the gravity to start climbing
d)
Push away from your old
drinking buddies, and your secret sins
e)
Thrust yourself in a different
direction – God’s will!
3)
To not allow myself to slip
backwards, to backslide
4)
To pull myself towards my
target like a mountain climber
b.
The Example of
1)
2)
The nation of
c.
God calls us to aim HIGH
1)
The HIGH calling of God –
God’s design, purpose for your life
2)
There is a mark, and to reach
it, you ALWAYS have to aim HIGHER than the mark if you want to hit it
d.
What is our target? We already
are headed to heaven…
1)
A call to holiness, not
mediocrity
2)
A call to resisting the devil,
not becoming his slave again and again
3)
A call to passionately,
fervently serve, like no other ever has
4)
Don’t be like Thomas who
constantly doubted Jesus and expected to lose and die every day!
5)
Be more than a conqueror like
Christ died to make you into!
6)
A call to lay up treasures in
heaven instead of here on earth
7)
A challenge to hear, “Well
done” from the Lord Jesus
8)
A challenge to be so sold out
for the Lord Jesus Christ that the world would never be the same, just because
of one well aimed life!
4.
Stretch your focus and efforts
out to
a.
The Future – not the past! You
can’t go back! But you CAN and MUST go forward!
1)
Reaching forth unto those
things which are before
2)
Stretching forward
3)
Stretch yourself
4)
Reach into your future
5)
For the Christian, there is
only hope in the future
6)
There is only adventure ahead
(some rough spots, but adventure and reward)
7)
Unexplored territory
b.
The victorious Christian life
– seek to live like God designed you to live
1)
Quit reminding yourself of the
failure you were!
2)
Loving God always
3)
Faithful serving God always
4)
Free from sinful habits and
secret sins always
c.
Jesus Christ – win Him like
you did your wife, or your husband, your Boss’ approval or your parent’s praise!
d.
The needs of the world around
you
1)
Stretch out your voice to
witness to that impossible person
2)
Stretch out your kindness to
that enemy that repulses you
e.
Take some risks folks! That’s
what living by faith means!
f.
Quit looking back!
III.
Conclusion
A.
I think we would all agree
that it is hard to do what God says do here – to forget some things
B.
But, It is Possible to Forget
1.
Paul commands us to make it
one of our highest priorities to forget some things!
2.
God promises that we CAN
forget the things behind us
C.
How to Forget
(Philippians 3:1-14)
1.
Reject Your Importance
(Philp 3:3-7) – get off the throne!
2.
Respect Christ (Philp
3:8-10) – Esteem Him! Magnify Him! It will help
you forget anything holding you back!
3.
Release to the Past –
Forgive (Philp 3:13,14)
a.
To forget means to not think
about –
b.
To forget means to not pay
attention to something (James 1:24)
c.
To LOSE the memory of
something – like, Oops!
d.
To neglect to remember, on
purpose hopefully!
e.
To let go of a memory and its
IMPORTANCE – don’t tell me it won’t let go of you, when it probably is YOU that
won’t let go of it!
f.
It requires that we forgive –
there is NO OTHER WAY
1)
Forgiving is Releasing a Debt
(Dt 15:1-3,9)
2)
If you CAN’T forgive, it is
ONLY BECAUSE you won’t put away those things – you WON’T let them go!
3)
Don't waste any more days and
nights…
a)
Living in the past
b)
Dwelling on past
disappointments
c)
Some of you wouldn’t know what
to do if you didn’t wake up depressed and discouraged about what happened
yesterday!
g.
If you DON’T forget
some past things, You will Never be Able to Reach Forth to Some FUTURE Things
4.
Reach
a.
Leave your comfort zone of
bitterness and sorrow, and frustration and step out by faith to new levels of
spiritual growth
b.
And reach it!