*TOPIC: AVOID DWELLING ON YOUR PAST.*(Series 11) *Scripture Reading:* 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 *"Rejoice always and delight in your faith; be unceasing and persistent in prayer; in every situation [no matter what the circumstances] be thankful and continually give thanks to God; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus."*(AMP) *6) Refocus on gratitude:* Researchers indicate that an attitude of gratitude can increase our joy by about 25%. So make it a habit to count your blessings. Lack of heart of gratitude result into depression and many more in such life. From the scripture above, apostle Paul admonish the Thessalonians to be thankful to God no matter the circumstances that surrounds them because that's the will of God. *You don't permit the devil to rub you of your golden future by lying to you and remembering you of your past failure and ugly experience, rather be thankful to God and show the devil millions of things God has done for you.* *7) Trust the promises of God:* Another way to overcome your past is to always remember God's promises in His word. The truth is He will never forsake nor fail you. **Do not remember the former things, Or ponder the things of the past. “Listen carefully, I am about to do a new thing, Now it will spring forth; Will you not be aware of it? I will even put a road in the wilderness, Rivers in the desert."*(Isaiah 43:18-19 AMP). Praise God! Do you listen to that great promises. That His bringing something great coming out of your nothing and while doing that, no one will stop Him, not even the devil. *But the moment you are ignorant of God's promises for your life, you continue to live in the shadows of your past and it will keep hurting you badly.* *8) Sometimes the past hasn’t been fully faced, processed and healed:* Putting our painful past into words, whether in person or writing is powerful. It’s shedding light on darkness. Begin journaling to heal those past hurts and move forward. Why do you keep negotiating with your past or why still pitying the past when you have already say YES LORD? *"Therefore if anyone is in Christ [that is, grafted in, joined to Him by faith in Him as Savior], he is a new creature [reborn and renewed by the Holy Spirit]; the old things [the previous moral and spiritual condition] have passed away. Behold, new things have come [because spiritual awakening brings a new life]."*(2 Corinthians 5:17 AMP). To be concluded tomorrow morning by God's Grace. Good morning and happy Sunday, peace. *Prayer point:* I here by take full advantage of my golden future and forget the past. Holy Spirit, help me in Jesus Christ name. Amen! T.S. AFOLAYAN