In case you missed it:
Step 1: Recognize God’s Goodness
Step 2: Release Your Heart
Step 3: Repent of Sinful Choices
Step 4: Receive God’s Forgiveness
Step 5: Renounce Lies
Step 6: Retrain Your Mind
When you have 1.) recognized God’s goodness, 2.) released your heart, 3.) repented of sinful choices, 4.) received God’s forgiveness, 5.) renounced lies, and 6.) retrained your mind, you get the privilege of walking in freedom from shame and regret.
You are now righteous in God’s sight because he has declared his children to be so.
You are now upright in heart because you’ve decided that the past won’t define you. God will define you on the basis of your relationship with his Son.
Sound crazy? Here’s how David put it in his song of repentance, at the end, after the releasing, repenting, renouncing, etc.
Rejoice in the LORD and be glad, you righteous; sing, all you who are upright in heart!
~ Psalm 32:11 NIV
One of the more powerful questions to ask from time to time in a relationship, especially marriage, is: Are we clear?
In other words, is there anything that is hindering our friendship or intimacy? Anything unsaid, unspoken, unforgiven?
Because when the air is clear, you can get close. When burdens are lifted and barriers are removed, you can truly enjoy one another without experiencing hidden pain.
The good news of the gospel is that God, in Christ, took on the penalty and condemnation that your sins incurred so that he could give you, instead, Jesus’ covering robe of righteousness.
Now, rejoice. Praise God for your freedom, and don’t turn back!
Let me be clear, the Anointed One has set us free—not partially, but completely and wonderfully free! We must always cherish this truth and stubbornly refuse to go back into the bondage of our past.
~ Galatians 5:1 TPT