Sunday Service: 09/08/2026
Supporting Scripture: Philippians 3:13–14 (KJV)
Title of Message: Forgiving the Past and Pressing Toward What God Has Ahead
Delivered by: Deacon Kwesi
Philippians 3:13–14 (KJV)
“
Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”
Can Your Past Still Control Your Present?
Everybody has a past.
Some memories bring joy. Others carry regret, disappointment, hurt, betrayal or shame.
There are things we may wish we could change. Words we wish we had never spoken. Decisions we would make differently. People who hurt us deeply, and perhaps people we ourselves have hurt.
Although time moves forward, sometimes our hearts remain stuck behind.
We can change jobs, move house, grow older, start new relationships and enter new seasons of life, while inwardly still living in something that happened years ago.
The Apostle Paul understood this.
His answer was:
“…forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before.”
Biblical forgetting does not mean pretending the past never happened.
It means refusing to allow yesterday to control today.
A truth to remember
God does not always remove the memory of yesterday. He removes yesterday’s right to rule today.
1. Your Past Does Not Have to Define You
Paul had a difficult past.
Before becoming one of Christianity’s greatest preachers, he persecuted Christians.
Acts 8:3 (KJV)
As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison.
Paul could not change what he had done.
But Jesus Christ changed Paul.
Later he wrote:
1 Timothy 1:15–16 (KJV)
15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.
16 Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.
Paul remembered his past, but his past became a testimony of God’s mercy, rather than a sentence of condemnation.
Your past may help explain some of your struggles.
But if you belong to Christ, it does not ultimately define who you are.
2 Corinthians 5:17 (KJV)
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
Our identity is now found in Christ.
2. Receive the Forgiveness God Has Given
Sometimes Christians find it easier to believe God forgives other people than to believe He truly forgives them.
We may repeatedly revisit sins that have already been confessed.
But Scripture says:
Psalm 103:10–12 (KJV)
10 He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.
11 For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.
12 As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.
And:
Isaiah 43:25 (KJV)
I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.
This does not mean that the all-knowing God literally loses the information.
It means He does not continue holding forgiven sin against His people.
3. Stop Digging Up What God Has Forgiven
Micah gives us another beautiful description of God’s mercy.
Micah 7:18–19 (KJV)
18 Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.
19 He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.
God casts sin into the depths.
Yet sometimes we behave like spiritual divers.
We go back down, recover what God has forgiven, bring it to the surface and condemn ourselves with it again.
But if Christ has paid for your sin, you cannot improve upon His payment.
Romans 8:1 (KJV)
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus…
Our confidence is not:
“I wasn’t really that bad.”
Our confidence is:
“Jesus Christ is completely sufficient.”
4. What If Somebody Else Hurt You?
Sometimes the past that traps us is not what we did.
It is what somebody did to us.
Jesus teaches His followers to forgive.
Mark 11:25 (KJV)
And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.
But biblical forgiveness needs to be understood correctly.
Forgiving someone does not mean saying:
- nothing happened,
- their behaviour was acceptable,
- trust must immediately return,
- boundaries are unnecessary,
- or wrongdoing should never face proper consequences.
Forgiveness means refusing personal vengeance and surrendering judgment to God.
5. Joseph Shows Us What Forgiveness Looks Like
Joseph’s brothers betrayed him, sold him into slavery and separated him from his family.
Many years later, Joseph had power over those same brothers.
Listen to what he said.
Genesis 50:19–20 (KJV)
19 And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God?
20 But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.
Joseph did not pretend their behaviour was acceptable.
He plainly said:
“Ye thought evil against me.”
But Joseph also recognised something greater.
Their evil could not overthrow God’s sovereignty.
Forgiveness can say both:
“What you did was wrong.”
and
“I refuse to spend the rest of my life controlled by what you did.”
6. Give Vengeance Back to God
Romans 12:19 (KJV)
Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.
Unforgiveness says:
“I must make them pay.”
Faith says:
“God saw it. God knows. God will judge rightly.”
Forgiveness is not pretending justice does not matter.
It is recognising that ultimately God is the Judge, not us.
7. Why Should Christians Forgive?
Because we have already received extraordinary forgiveness ourselves.
Ephesians 4:31–32 (KJV)
31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.
The Christian standard is not:
“I’ll forgive because they deserve it.”
It is:
“…even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”
The cross changes how forgiven people treat those who have wronged them.
8. Beware the Root of Bitterness
Hebrews 12:14–15 (KJV)
14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:
15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;
Bitterness is described as a root.
Roots often begin unseen.
But eventually they produce something visible.
Unresolved bitterness can affect:
- marriages,
- children,
- friendships,
- churches,
- and relationships with people who had nothing to do with the original wound.
Sometimes someone who hurt us years ago is still influencing how we treat people today.
Forgiveness breaks that cycle.
9. Peter Proves Failure Does Not Have to Be Final
Peter confidently told Jesus he would remain faithful.
Then he denied Him three times.
Luke 22:61–62 (KJV)
61 And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.
62 And Peter went out, and wept bitterly.
Peter failed badly.
But Jesus wasn’t finished with Peter.
After His resurrection, Christ restored him.
John 21:17 (KJV)
He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
Christ did not pretend Peter’s failure never happened.
He restored him.
And then He gave him something to do.
“Feed my sheep.”
Your worst chapter does not have to become your final chapter.
10. Learn From the Past Without Living There
The Bible does not tell Christians to become foolish about their history.
We should learn.
We should remember God’s faithfulness.
We should recognise mistakes.
We should grow wiser.
But:
Let your past become a teacher without allowing it to become your master.
The Rear-View Mirror
Think about driving a car.
You have a large windscreen in front of you and a much smaller rear-view mirror.
The rear-view mirror matters.
You occasionally need to see what is behind you.
But imagine trying to drive everywhere while continuously staring into it.
Eventually you will crash.
The past is similar.
Look back enough to:
- learn,
- remember God’s faithfulness,
- recognise where you went wrong,
- and appreciate how far God has brought you.
But your primary attention must remain upon where Christ is taking you.
11. Press Forward
Return to Paul’s words:
Philippians 3:13–14 (KJV)
13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Notice the movement:
Forgetting.
Reaching.
Pressing.
Christianity is a forward walk.
How Do I Begin Moving Forward?
Here are seven biblical steps from the message:
- Acknowledge what happened. Forgiveness doesn’t require pretending.
- Repent where you were wrong. Confess sin honestly before God.
- Receive God’s forgiveness. Don’t keep paying emotionally for what Christ has cleansed.
- Forgive those who hurt you. Release personal vengeance.
- Learn from the experience. Wisdom grows from honest reflection.
- Reject condemnation. Your identity is in Christ, not your worst moment.
- Keep walking. There eventually comes a point where faith must move forward.
1 John 1:9 (KJV)
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
A Question for You
What are you still carrying?
Perhaps it is:
A mistake.
A betrayal.
A broken relationship.
A season when you wandered from God.
A failure as a husband, wife, parent or child.
Something somebody said.
Something somebody did.
Something you wish you could undo.
You cannot change yesterday.
But through Christ:
Yesterday does not have to control tomorrow.
Lay the Weight Down
Hebrews 12:1–2 (KJV)
1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Notice Scripture says:
“every weight”
and then separately:
“the sin.”
Not everything weighing us down is necessarily a particular sin.
Some weights are memories.
Regrets.
Pain.
Disappointment.
But God never intended us to run tomorrow’s race carrying yesterday’s unnecessary weight.
Where Should We Look?
Hebrews gives the answer:
“Looking unto Jesus…”
Not endlessly looking at ourselves.
Not endlessly looking at whoever hurt us.
Not endlessly staring backwards.
Looking unto Jesus.
He is:
“…the author and finisher of our faith.”
Final Thought
Paul could not undo persecuting Christians.
Peter could not undo denying Christ.
Joseph could not undo being sold into slavery.
But God was still working in every one of their stories.
And He can still work in yours.
So:
Forgive what must be forgiven.
Repent of what must be repented of.
Learn what must be learned.
Release what belongs to God.
Receive what Christ has done.
And then:
Leave It Behind.
“Forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before…”
Philippians 3:13 (KJV)