Let It Go! God Has.

Sharon JaynesA Sudden Glory, Dealing with Your Past, Forgiveness, General Inspiration, God's love, Living Free, Living Fully, Renewing your mind with the Truth, Trusting God 175 Comments

Wow, I can’t believe it’s already mid-January. I hope you’ve been refreshed and revived with the start of a New Year.

I love the word, “new”. Don’t you?

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come~ 2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV

Today, I’m praising God for the newness of grace.

The cleanness of grace.

The freshness grace.

The let’s-start-this-over-ness of grace.

I’ve really been pondering GRACE for the past few months. Perhaps because I’ve need so much of it lately.

This morning, my mind travelled back to the day I met Rosa at an event in Mexico City.

She stood in line for nearly an hour waiting for everyone to clear away. With the help of an interpreter, Rosa poured out her heart.

When she was in her twenties, she married and had two small children. Her husband was not pleased when she discovered that she was pregnant with their third child. “You cannot have another baby,” he said. “You must have an abortion or I’m going to leave you.”

Rosa was torn. Like her husband, she did not want this baby. Her marriage was in shambles, their finances were in a mess, and she was exhausted trying to keep up with the two little ones she already had.

However, her religious convictions told her that abortion was wrong. The fear of living without her husband’s support drove Rosa to the abortion clinic. But before the procedure began, she changed her mind and ran from the building.

“I did not have the abortion,” Rosa said with tears in her eyes, “but I wanted to. My daughter is now twenty-one years old and has been the joy of my life. Of all my children, she treats me the best. But I have carried this guilt around with me for all these years. How could I have considered aborting her? What kind of person am I?”

Rosa broke down in sobs as I and the interpreter tried to comfort her. She had asked God to forgive her, and truly believed that He had. But she could not forgive herself.

For twenty-one years, Satan whispered a lie into her heart: “This is the child you didn’t want. This is the child you almost killed. What kind of person are you?”

Rosa had believed the lie, but on that steamy July day, she learned to hold up her shield of faith and extinguish the fiery arrows.

“Rosa, do you believe that God forgave you?”

“Yes.”

“Rosa, do you believe that what Jesus did for you on the cross was enough to pay for the penalty of your sins?”

“Yes.”

“Do you believe 1 John 1:9 that says if you confess your sins, God is faithful and just and will forgive your sins and purify you from all unrighteousness?”

“Yes.”

“Sister, you are forgiven. It is the enemy who is lying to you and whispering words of shame and condemnation. He is the accuser, but God has already stamped ‘Not guilty’ on your heart. Jesus came to set you free. Don’t hold out your hands for Satan to slap on those handcuffs of guilt and condemnation any longer.”

That day, Rosa chose to reject the devil’s lie and take hold of God’s truth.

And the next day…and the next…and the next.

C.S. Lewis wrote, “Relying on God has to begin all over again every day as if nothing yet had been done.”

New. Grace.

How about you? Have you taken hold of that for which Christ Jesus has taken hold of you?

Have you release the guilt of your past and embraced the grace of God?

Don’t let the enemy taunt you with something God has already forgiven you for.

Be free.

Live free.

Start new.

Jesus gave His life so you could.

If you are ready to take hold of your forgiveness and live in the freedom of Jesus Christ, them leave a comment and say, “I’m taking hold!”

If you already have, then leave a comment that says, “Praise God, I already have!”

I’ll randomly pick one name from the comments and send a FREE copy of Your Scars are Beautiful to God: Finding Peace and Purpose in the Hurts of Your Past.

Your Scars are Beautiful to God Also, there’s a SALE going on over at www.localhost/sjold.

Every book $10 until January 16, 2016.

 

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Comments 175

  1. IM TAKING HOLD , God is my rock , he is my salvation , I VE been given authority over the enemy , I’m AM a child of the most high God , I am REDEEMED! I am set free , I love you lord , thank you for your sacrifice ! You are too good to me !

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  2. I am taking hold of Gods forgiveness, I am taking hold of His grace, this is a new day. Thankyou Lord for your mercy and grace.

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  5. God knew I needed to be reminded of this promise. Forgiveness and freedom from past mistakes. I have been recently able to let go and trust God in a way I haven’t been able to before. I’m believing and trusting His love deeper each day. Now working on loving myself the way He loves me. Thanks
    For this message.

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  8. For many years I too, felt similar to Rosa, but for different reasons. Then, at a retreat, the point of being perfect in God was illustrated using a tree.

    A four-inch sapling was shown, and we were told that God had given it His love – the sunlight, the rain, nutrients…and it was a perfect tree. Then we were shown a foot tall sapling, it was also given the sunshine, the dew, the nutrition from the ground…It was perfect in God’s sight. A three foot tall little tree was brought in, God had given it the sunlight, the rain, the nutrients, and it was perfect in His sight. Then a seven-foot tree was brought in, and God had given it what all that He’d given the four-inch sapling… and it was perfect in His sight.

    I realized, it didn’t matter to the Lord if I was a new Christian or a mature Christian, I could be perfect in His sight just where I was. He loved me and gave me the sunlight, the rain, the nutrients to help me to grow, He wasn’t sparing the best of His love for those that were mature…He loves me too. Jesus loves ME. Me….

    I am so grateful for that illustration several years back, I am grateful to know that I am important to Him every bit as much as you, as anyone else. Thank God He has enough love and forgiveness to go around for each one. And I am grateful that when I am growing, He will mature me into the fruit-bearing tree He has in mind for me to be….apple or cherry or peach, and I will not try to be a different kind of tree than what He plans.

    Thank you. God bless and keep each one.

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      1. I’d like to take hold but I’m so weak and broken and unworthy. I’m garbage. I’m so sad and hurt and just can’t see my way out.

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          Gina: That is simply not true. You are God’s child. Don’t give up. I’m pulling for you. God always makes a way. Look for it. Seize it. You can do it one step at a time.

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  15. This is beautiful because I am dealing with a terrible time with my mother and her having forgiveness over something insignificant

    She actually wants to sever the relationship because of something insignificant I don’t understand and I’m just paying she has not had a change in her health

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  16. Praise God, I already have!
    Enjoy your blog…keep up the good work. This world needs you and the comfort you provide.

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  24. I realy believe Jesus has forgiven me now I have to keep saying it when the evil one tries to tell me otherwise. I AM A NEW CREATION
    AMEN

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  26. I am taking hold. I try so hard to remember that we have to begin every day asking God’s forgiveness and knowing that the forgiveness is granted. Like Rosa, I carry the guilt from wanting my pregnancy to go away. I never attempted abortion, but the emotion was there.

    Because of my guilt I have tried for over 40 years to make it up to my daughter. You can imagine what kind of relationship we have had because of this guilt. She has been able to manipulate me and I act on the guilt by giving her what she wants and trying to prove how much I love her.

    So in the end, my guilt has not hurt just me, but has also hurt my daughter. Just now I am beginning to establish boundaries that will help her to become more self-sufficient and less dependent on me.

    For those who can’t get rid of their guilt, be forewarned—it is a poison that will taint your every relationship. Let our precious Lord help you receive the forgiveness He intended when He was nailed to the cross. Our sins died there with Him. He triumphed over that death, and we should be able to triumph over our past sins knowing that His blood atoned for them if we only believe.

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  28. I am running towards being with my dearest best friend Mom to help her with pass to God and I’m scared to death The fear is such despair and its paralyzing. I’m afraid to let her go and want to scream. No you can’t I still need you. So sad as I sit at the airport gate alone and wanting to depart for any other port in a storm except the one I face

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      Em, I’m so sorry. I have been right where you are. I sat with my mom for 6 weeks as she made her cross-over journey. It was a bitter sweet time for both of us. I pray that you will drink in every moment of your time with her, and it will be a treasure that you keep within your heart. One thing my mom said to me was, “Not every one gets to have this time with the ones they love before they die. I’m thankful that we get to say this long good-bye.”

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  36. I too, like Rosa share the same story only i did go through with the abortion. 15 years later i met Jesus and I know He forgave me and find comfort in His word especially Romans 8:1 “There is now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus…” so i say,”Praise God I already have!” yet there are still times when the enemy tries to whisper’ so i say’ “I’m taking hold!”

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  37. I’m taking hold.

    It’s a new year, a new day, and “I am taking hold”

    Thank you for the message. I needed it this morning.

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  38. When I feel battered and worn in the valley that’s when it’s easy to allow guilt and shame over the smallest of iniquities. But knowing that my sweet Lord has forgiven me but used all of it to make me His worthy to have a relationship with Jesus is amazing!
    On the flip side it forces me to love and forgive with His grace as well.

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  39. Awesome devotion and so true. I take hold of Gods promise for forgiveness and I receive it in the name of Jesus. I am new and his grace and mercy is new every day. Be blessed Sharon and God grace and mercy be upon you as you carry the word out to his people.

    Diane Smith

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  49. Thank you Sharon for sharing this post! I have been holding on to my guilt for over 40 years and am happy to say “Praise God! I’m taking hold!”

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  50. Thank You Lord for forgiveness, grace, new beginnings, hope, faith. For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you a hope and a future. God, You sustain those You created!

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  55. Dear Sharon,
    Thank you for talking about grace and for the encouragement to live in AND out the freedom that we really do have in Christ. Oh to be a woman who extends grace from the abundance that our Lord extends to me, daily. Oh to savor the freedom that He died for us to have. I’m thrilled for Rosa. May God bless your ministry. Karen

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  61. I was a little torn as to which response would be mine, but I realized “Praise God” would be the right response. Yes there are things in my past that I am ashamed of, and things I don’t want to tell others of – they are private between God and me – but because of His forgiveness I don;t need to admit them to anyone else. However I don’t forget them. Just as we can forgive an abuser or gossip or some other offense against us that has brought harm and pain, we don’t then put ourselves back in a position with that person to be harmed or hurt again. We need to remember so we can learn from it.

    Praise God that He has made a way for us to get past our past.

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  63. I’m taking hold… Praise God, I already have, but as C. S. Lewis said, I must do it anew today, and so I will. I am taking up the breastplate of “There-is-therefore-now-no-condemnation” and the belt of “His-mercies-are-new-evry-morning”, and the helmet of “Whoever-calls-on-the-name-of-the-Lord-will-not-be-put-shame” and the gospel shoes of “being-kept-in-perfect-peace-as-my-mind-is-stayed-upon-Him”…
    You get the idea! I choose to clothe myself in His Love and Truth, His compassion that never fails. This armor has no holes or kinks. It works!! But only if we put it on! And sooner or later, we will figure out that He gave it to us because He knew we would not be able to function without it. 🙂

    Thank You, patient Father!

    You go before me in each battle. And You are my rear guard. And You keep rescuing me and also, giving me skill, as I practice, with the weapons.

    As the song says, You are perfect in all of your ways! You’re a good good Father! It’s who You are!!

    Hallelujah for grace sufficient for each day, each moment. Grace that truly is greater than all my sin and keeps me abiding in You…

    Amen!! <3

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  66. Praise God, I already have!
    And then life happens and I have to take hold!
    🙂
    Thank you for sharing your journey and your faith. Satan loves to shame us and isolate us…the light we share with each other is such a blessing. A tangible piece of God’s grace in our day.

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  76. It is so easy for the evil one to take hold of our minds and constantly try and make us feel
    guilty for something we may have done in our past, but the passage you wrote about Rosa
    put things in perspective for me. Asking for forgiveness and knowing that we have been
    forgiven by our Almighty Father really helped me to realize that the evil one is constantly
    trying to invade our minds and to constantly torment us. Thank you Sharon, I needed this!

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  81. Thank you for the reminder that if we ask forgiveness He does forgive us and we are free and to remind the devil he is a liar.

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  82. I’m sort of between “Praise God, I already have” and “I’m taking hold.” Some areas of my past I’ve moved on in forgiveness, but still have a few lingering regrets that pick at my heart every now & then. With the power of the Holy Spirit, I will take hold of them & forgive myself.

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  85. I’m taking hold!
    I’m in another valley. This one is a bit different. I know that I have been a good mother to this child , but still his actions and words display to him that I don’t care and love him and his wife. He is an adult with two kids, he parents very differently then his dad and I did.
    We displayed grace over and over to this child by showing him forgiveness and love . Saying no to an adult child is okay. Now if only my heart would only hear the Lord’s voice and not the enemy’s.

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      Debbie: I will pray that you will listen to God’s voice and not the enemy. Setting boundaries is sooooo hard. But necessary.
      Consider yourself hugged today!

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  86. Praise God!!!….for hope, for peace, for new beginnings!
    Each day I will lean on God and praise him….for in Him, I am truly free!

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  98. “Praise the Lord, I already have!”

    Thank you for the C.S. Lewis quote…also Sharon I am sure you have heard about the program of take a word at the beginning of a New Year. Well, this year my word is “Grace”. it is so awesome …how the Lord has actively been working with my soul-mind-heart. My Adonai is mighty. HE cares.
    You are a blessings to me…

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  102. I keep looking back on my past as I get older what I did I feel ashamed but I have to remind myself God died on the cross so that I am forgiven and to move forward and to thank Jesus always for what He suffered for that I should live

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  112. I already have !! But, I did not accept it at first until like your story, my husband said to me, “Do you believe i God?” Yes was my reply. He said, “Well, if you believe and you know that Jesus died on that cross, then what you are saying is that He did it for everyone else but you”. That hit me between the eyes. I accepted and struggled for a while with the enemies lies but he finally got tired of trying to make me pick up those guilt chains again.

    Thank you for reminding e of how far i have come, BECAUSE OF HIM!

    In His Love,
    Alicia

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  113. Thanx for that encouraging message! Why is it so terribly difficult to forgive myself? I work real hard on forgiving others, and usually believe the Father forgives us…

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  118. So much guilt that I have been carrying around from high school to know that I hear the whispers “what if people you teach etc. knew!” I know what Gods word says but this devotional has challenged me to take hold of Him and His promises. Thank you for sharing at this time

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      Oh Lynn. I bet if the people you teach knew, your teaching would go to a whole other level. The devil wants you to keep it to yourself, but the moment you share it, let people know how God got you through it and forgave you, the devil has lost. He will do everything he can to keep you from sharing it. If you would like to chat more, you can email me at sharon@localhost/sjold.

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  125. I’m taking hold! God is always in my side that no matter how difficult my situation right now God will reveal his words to me and provide me a happeness. My Husband and I is temporarily separated but because we have to see the whole family we pretend we’re getting better. His kids and his brother know what happening right now on us. I felt so sad, lots of fear because we are at the place of my husband family thinking how they will act in front of me. The feeling of unconfortable, worry of what thier thinking on me is always on my mind. But I learn to trust God and when I feel so down I try to close my eyes and soak my my mind in God words and it really helping me a lot. I can’t to go home and hide. Pls. Help and pray for me for my marriage restoration.

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  127. I am taking hold! This is exactly where i am right now! God has been very gentle and patient with me in over coming my disbelief. God is good all the time!

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  134. Today I am taking hold of Gods forgiveness. When my first born died of a rare cancer, I secretly believed that God was punishing ME for past mistakes/behavior. Now I know that was the lie that Satan would like me to believe. I accept Christ as my Lord and Savior! Thank God from who all blessings flow!

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  139. With the teaching and verses that I got from you Sharon its a Blessing to me and my family. Thank you so much. Please Sharon could you mail me again like before those Girlfriends in God.
    Praise God, I already have.

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  140. Everyday family issues that may not be everyday for usual family members seemed to have cursed my family, I am constantly renewing my faith in God and rebuking the Devils hold on my daughter. I repent everyday because the devil has convinced me that I am the cause of her problems. Her problems have engulfed our entire family. Some days I can’t see an end to the insanity. Some days I feel the peace of God but most days I don’t, it’s a constant strugle. I am holding on!

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  142. Thank you for that message. I struggle with low self esteem and extreme worry. To the point where I cannot sleep at night and I wake up so so exhausted. I worry about things that I have no control of and I worry with out realizing I’m worrying until sometime says something to me. I know worry is a sin, but how I control it? my son was badly beaten by some evil people who just lIke to fight I prayed for him both times before he left the house so that has made my worry worst. I’m trying to let go can you all please pray for me to let go and let God Thank you

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  143. I’m taking hold!!

    I’ve held such a burden for so long, and this made me realize …God forgives me and if HE forgives me then I need to forgive myself!

    I am sure I’ll need to remind myself of this daily but, I will remember…that’s for sure

    I feel a sense of relief within….it all makes sense.

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  150. I’m taking hold! I’ve held onto so much that the devil has robbed me of what GOD has offered me, Grace,Hope and Love……I say Not Anymore! Thank You for all you do in and for Christ our Lord!

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  154. This is something I have struggled with for years, I did something when I was a child that I know God has forgiven but I have never been able to forgive myself because it hurt my Mother. I will now try to let it go knowing it is not from the Lord when this condemnation comes. I forgive my self just as I would if this had been someone else doing the same thing. Thank you Jesus

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  155. Praise be to God!!! He IS my redeemer!! and takes away all of my sins and past mistakes!! AND FORGIVES ME!! and tells me it’s ok to forgive myself!! I will ALWAYS look to him first!! I love you Lord!!

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  156. SO THANKFUL FOR HIS NEW GRACE EVERY DAY…

    Over and over, He molds me and makes me
    into His likeness, He fashions the clay…
    A vessel of honor I am today –
    ALL BECAUSE JESUS DIDN’T THROW THE CLAY AWAY!

    SO THANKFUL GOD IS NOT THROUGH WITH ME YET AND THAT HE DOESN’T THROW US AWAY BECAUSE OF OUR IMPERFECTIONS!

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  158. Praise God I already have!!! I had done something way back, that was not according to Gods will. Like Rosa, I took years to forgive myself & to realise Jesus had forgiven me, & I was set free of that which I had done. Thank you Jesus… So I moved on, & to this day I continue in my walk with the Lord, in is wonderful grace.. Yes thank you Jesus.

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  159. I’m taking hold.

    I have sinned numerous times over my 52 years and I regret those times. I can not change what I did in the past but I can work on changing the present and the future.

    God has forgiven me for the wrongs I have done and I need to forgive myself as well.

    Reply

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