Phil. 3:13- 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.
Out of the five faculties of the soul the memory has done, and is doing, a lot of damage too many people. Unfortunately, for some the damage is irreversible. Good memories are the comfort of the soul, but bad ones are like nightmares from which we cannot wake up. Sexual, physical, verbal, or emotional abuse, just to name a few, can hold us hostage without demanding a ransom. The enemy hired total strangers, or even those we love, to inflict such pain that it seems like we are forever stuck in our horrors of our past.
Although we cannot erase our bad memories, Jesus Christ paid the price for you and me to have victory over them. He has given us the greatest gift, the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38). He has empowers us to prosper; it is what the word blessed really means. So God does not remove our unwanted horrors of our past, but He has given us the Holy Spirit to see things differently. What we went through can now be a testimony to help someone else. Moreover we can shout, dance, and give God praise because our past can no more make us bitter, but better!
In our topical verse the word “forgetting” from Strong’s Greek Dictionary means, “To lose out of mind; by implication to neglect….” This does not say to lose the memory of; but rather, to neglect the bad memories of their power over us; therefore, making our horrid past to have no affect on us. Laying aside every the weight and the sin that could throw us off course (Heb. 12:1). Thank God there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus (Rom. 8:1). So if you have been redeemed—remember your past is behind you, and the prize is before you!