The Journey of Release

“But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.”- ‭‭1 John‬ ‭1:9 I was inspired by Pastor Michael Todd, from Transformation Church, to write on this topic for he started 2019 with a series called Release. In part 3 of this series, Pastor Todd hit me the most inside my heart. The message was called “Stop Holding It”. He made me think and challenge myself to stop holding on to the past. We all have a past. The impact of our past still has a place in our hearts where it is hard to let go. I want to tell you today that God wants you to release your past to Him... your past of hurt, your past of failures, your past of heartbreaks, your past of addiction to Him. If we release, we will start to grow instantly with the purpose that God has in store for us. You must remember that release is God’s desire, but your decision. In Hebrews 12:1, you must strip the weight of sin within you. It’s an amazing feeling when we let go of dead weight because Jesus died on the cross for our sins. Also, what you think you’re holding is actually holding you. God is telling you to let go for a better life. He wants you to press on and forgetting your past as it is written in Philippians 3:12-14. When you think about what is holding you, you must ask yourself, “Is it worth it? To hold it?” Let me ask you this, are you focused on what happened or focused what God has for you? You can’t receive the blessings of God without releasing your past. The formula to forgetting, or release, is a fixed focus. Today, declare that you are fixing your focus. In Proverbs 4:25-27, God’s wisdom creates a safe path for you. What God has for you is bigger than anything you can give yourself. You can’t catch what God has blessed you while you’re holding on to the past. Lastly, I say again, stop holding it. When you release, you’re ready to catch not the good thing, but the God thing. Life can come at you, but now that you release, God is with you to protect you. Keep this reminder from Philippians 4:8-9, fix your thoughts and God will fix your life. It's time to let it go.