Opening Verse
“Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it?”
Isaiah 43:18–19 (KJV)
Introduction
The past can either be a lesson or a prison. If you dwell too long in it, it becomes a chain around your spirit. God never called us to live in yesterday; He calls us forward: to repentance, to freedom, to life.
Devotional Story
A man once carried a box everywhere he went. Inside were reminders of every wrong he had done and every hurt he had endured. He believed keeping the box close would help him remember his mistakes so he wouldn’t repeat them. But the box grew heavier over time. It slowed his steps; it wore out his strength; it filled his mind with regret.
One day he met a man who told him, “You don’t have to carry that anymore. Christ already carried it to the cross.”
Tears filled his eyes. He opened the box and laid it all at the foot of the cross. That day, he walked away lighter: free.
What This Means
Living in the past is bondage. Christ came to set us free; not just from sin, but from shame, guilt, and regret. Satan wants to remind you of who you were; Jesus speaks to who you are becoming. Your past may explain you, but it no longer defines you. When Christ died and rose again, He gave you a new beginning.
Think About This
What weight from your past are you still carrying? Have you truly laid it at the feet of Jesus? The cross is not a place to visit—it’s a place to leave everything behind and walk away changed.
Prayer
Lord, I’ve carried too much for too long. I lay down every failure, every regret, and every wound from the past. I believe that You have made all things new. Help me walk in freedom. Remind me not of what I was, but of who I am in You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Closing Verse
“If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.”
John 8:36 (KJV)