Whenever we review the events of our lives apart from the blood of Jesus, we subject ourselves to the influence of the spirit of deception. In reality, my sinful past no longer exists. The Lamb of God purchased it with a payment in blood, forever removing my sins from the records of Heaven…The devil keeps records of our past. Yet those records are powerless without our agreement. He is the accuser of the brethren, but Jesus is our defender. We make an agreement with the accuser whenever we look at our past apart from the blood. When we agree with the devil, we empower him. When he is empowered, he devours. On the other hand, agreeing with God empowers us…This empowerment is not independent of God; it is empowerment because of God. (Bill Johnson, The Supernatural Ways of Royalty, p.51, DestinyImage Publishers)

When you can’t say something better than the way someone else has expressed it, a quote is on order. I really like Bill Johnson’s quote above and it expresses a truth that the majority of believers, including myself, need to get more deeply in their hearts. It is true, that Paul tells us to examine ourselves and to even judge ourselves in 1 Corinthians 11, but he is not talking about an examination or rehearsal of our pasts, but only the present. As soon as our present sins are confessed with repentance, they also are part of our pasts.

Peter echoed this truth in a sermon to the Jews recorded in Acts 3. There he counseled them, “Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord^” (Acts 3:19). The idea of blotting out something is to erase it so that no record of it remains. In the first century, some documents or records were written on parchment or vellum. These materials were made of animal skin because they lasted much longer than the forms of paper that were used. The ink used at that time had no acid that ate into the skin. It simply dried on the surface and set on top of the parchment lightly bonded to it. A wet rag would erase it from the parchment like dry erase markers from a white board. That was “blotting out.” When it was gone, there was no evidence of what had been written before. Scripture says that your sins have been treated that way in heaven. That is why, when speaking of the New Covenant, God can say, “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more” (Heb.8:12). John also tells us, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

The truth is that the blood of Jesus washes away our sins. The blood doesn’t file away our sins or bury our sins for later retrieval. As we confess with a heart of godly sorrow, our sins are washed away and blotted out. When you stand before Jesus, two things will be read from the books…your name that is written in the Book of Life and your service to God which will be translated into rewards. No sin records will be brought out to shame you or condemn you because no records exist. Scripture declares, “Those who trust in the Lord will never be put to shame.”

The enemy loves to role out his records, but they have no legal standing in Heaven. “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Rom.8:1). As much as he wants to shout out our failures, he will be silenced in the courts of Jesus. We need to remember what Jesus taught us to pray – “on earth as it is in heaven.” If there are no reminders of our past failures in heaven, we should not allow them on earth either. For a believer, those condemning thoughts are illegal.

If you continue to dwell on your past and if you constantly feel shame and condemnation for things done months or years ago, you are coming into agreement with the enemy. God says that your past is gone. The enemy says that it is very present. Every time you lift your past up again to God, asking for forgiveness, you are expressing unbelief in his Word that says the past is forgiven and forgotten – as if the blood of Christ is not sufficient for your failures. But it is!

Satan’s goal for your feelings of shame, guilt, and condemnation is for you to feel disqualified to serve God in significant ways or disqualified to have your prayers answered. In that setting, discouragement reigns rather than triumph. But Jesus has qualified you and your past does not affect that at all.

Susan and I paid off our house a few years ago. When we did, we got a legal paper from the bank saying, “Paid in full.” The bank has no claim on our house whatsoever. If some guy from the bank showed up at our house telling us that we needed to pay more on the loan, we simply have to wave our “paid in full” receipt in front of him and send him on his way. That is how we should treat Satan when he comes calling and telling us that our debt is not paid. It is paid. Paid in full. And we need to say so. As far as God is concerned, that is the gospel. Don’t let anyone tell you different! Be blessed today and know that your past mistakes and failures are fully and totally covered. They are covered by the eternal blood of Christ. You will be resurrected, but your past never will. Rest in that.