How to Deal with Your Past

Families Are Messy
How to Deal with Your Past

I. Introduction

A. Some of the wrong things we do go away.

B. does not heal all guilt!

C. Genesis 42:1-23 (NLT)

II. What Not to Do About Your Past

A. Don’t it up

1. Covering up !

B. Don’t focus on

1. There is not one verse—in the entire Bible—that talks about yourself!

2. I John 1:9 (NAS) If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

3. Ephesians 4:32 (NAS) Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.

4. Because forgiveness is a transaction between !

III. How to Deal with Your Past Guilt

A. You it to !

1. Proverbs 28:13 (NAS) He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will find compassion.

2. I John 1:9 (NAS) If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

3. “Confession” (“Homologeo”) – – “To say the as another person”

4. We are not “confessing” unless we name our behavior the same way names it!

5. Psalm 51:1 (NAS) Be gracious to me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness; according to the greatness of Your compassion blot out my transgressions.

B. Sometimes you need to to another !

1. James 5:16a (NAS) Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed.

2. John 20:23 (NAS) “If you forgive the sins of any, their sins have been forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they have been retained.”

C. Sometimes you need to make

1. Genesis 42:24-28 (NLT)

2. Genesis 43:19-22 (NLT) ¹⁹The brothers approached the manager of Joseph’s household and spoke to him at the entrance to the palace. ²⁰“Sir,” they said, “we came to Egypt once before to buy food. ²¹But as we were returning home, we stopped for the night and opened our sacks. Then we discovered that each man’s money—the exact amount paid—was in the top of his sack! Here it is; we have brought it back with us. ²²We also have additional money to buy more food. We have no idea who put our money in our sacks.”

3. “Make a list of all the people we have harmed, and become willing to make amends to them all.”

4. “Make direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.”

D. You

1. Genesis 44:10-16 (NLT)

2. It was designed to see whether or not his brothers had in the last 20 years.

3. It doesn’t matter how you are—you can turn around!

IV. Conclusion