Being Healed From Your Past

Your past is important, but not nearly as important as how you see your future. – Zig Ziglar

Have you ever felt that you haven’t been able to move forward from your past or live the abundant life God has for you because of things that occurred to you in the past? It could either be because of mistakes you made or things that other people did to you.

One of the areas I am passionate about as a Christian and as a therapist is helping people live an abundant, victorious life. John 10:10 (NASB) tells us, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came so that they would have life, and have it abundantly.” (Some versions say, “to the full, rich, and satisfying.”)

The Greek word for “abundant” is perisson (περισσός – perissos) and it means “exceedingly,” “highly,” “more,” “more than sufficient,” “extraordinary,” “superfluous,” “often implying something beyond measure or expectation,” “like a superabundance or surplus;” “a quantity so abundant as to be considerably more than one would expect or anticipate.”

It describes a quality or quantity that goes beyond what’s necessary. In the Bible, it emphasizes God’s overflowing provision or a superior life, as in John 10:10 (“have it abundantly”) and Ephesians 3:20 (“exceeding abundantly”).

One way to an abundant life is by letting go of the past and being healed from our past circumstances. I know God does not want us in bondage to our past. I also know healing from your past can totally change how you feel mentally, emotionally, and even physically, and help you move forward to live an abundant life.

Isaiah 43:18 (NIV) tells us to “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing!” Philippians 3:13 (NLT) says, “No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead.” I love how the Passion Translation translates it, “…I do have one compelling focus: I forget all of the past as I fasten my heart to the future instead.”

After I became a Christian, I struggled with letting go of my own past issues. I was dwelling on the past and not growing in Christ. I was saved, but not always content or joyful. I had to learn the hard way (from many personal struggles and little to no victory in my life/Christian walk) that the enemy was trying to keep me in bondage. If you haven’t heard that term “bondage” be used before, it is basically slavery, oppression, persecution, or the enemy’s shackles on us.

One of the most helpful books I’ve ever read, a book that helped me overcome some things from my past and grow spiritually, is called Victory Over the Darkness, by Neil T. Anderson. It’s like a lightbulb went off in my head and gave me clarity in certain areas of my life.

It offers such good guidance for spiritual growth, focusing on understanding your identity in Christ, overcoming past hurts, winning the “battle for the mind,” and breaking free from spiritual bondage through biblical truth to help believers live victoriously.

Chapter 11 of Anderson’s book is titled “Healing Emotional Wounds from Your Past.” This chapter really resonated with me. Before I continue, let me preface by saying it’s natural and it’s okay to acknowledge past hurts. I would never want to discount someone’s past experiences. But God doesn’t want us to get stuck there. Remember, He wants us to live an abundant and victorious life.

Anderson (2020) says, “…if you only see yourself as a victim for the rest of your life, you will never get over your tragedy. You’re a child of God. No event or person, good or bad, can rob you of that” (p. 194). He discusses how many of us have had traumatic, hurtful things happen to us, in our lives that have scarred us emotionally. It might be:

• An abusive parent
• A Painful relationship in the past
• A broken friendship
• The death of a loved one
• A divorce

Any number of traumatic, emotional events in your history have cluttered your soul with emotional baggage, which seems to limit your maturity and block your freedom in Christ (Anderson, 2020, p. 194).

Throughout the Scriptures, God says he wants us to be free. As a new believer, I remember that I was saved, I believed, I was walking with Jesus, but there was a lot of baggage that I didn’t have victory or freedom over. I was holding onto things, and God slowly one by one has been slowly peeling away at those layers of things that I needed to deal with.

God wants us to focus on our present and future.

Jeremiah 29:11 says, depending on what translation you look at: “For I know the plans and thoughts that I have for you,’ says the LORD, ‘plans for peace and well-being, plans to prosper you, and not of evil, not to harm you, and not for disaster, to give you hope and a future.”

Yes, awful things happen, but you can resolve them if you overcome them with the help of Christ. So, how does God intend you to resolve past experiences? According to Anderson (2020).

See our past in light of who we are

“First, you have the privilege of evaluating your past experience in the light of who you are now as opposed to who you were then…Refuse to believe that you are just the product of your past experiences! As a Christian, you are primarily the product of the work of Christ on the cross. You are literally a new creature in Christ. Old things, including traumas of the past, are passed away. The old you is gone; the new you is here” (p. 199).

He is referencing 2 Corinthians 5:17: “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] (AMP).”

I love that.

“When something happens that triggers our emotions, we believe what we feel instead of believing what is true.” (Anderson, 2020, p. 199). First, we can acknowledge and be aware of our emotions. But we don’t want to be led or controlled by them.

Secondly, we need to ask ourselves, “What is true?” We have a Father in Heaven who loves us. He loves us unconditionally. But also, the truth is the gospel – the good news. When you believe, “then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32).

Third, we must change our perspective. We must look at events that happened from a new perspective. He wants to set us free from our past. Jesus came to set the captives free (Luke 4:18-19; Isaiah 61:1).

The second way God wants us to resolve past experiences:

Forgive those who have hurt you in the past

I know this is an issue a lot of us have had a hard time overcoming. But we need to do it, not just for the person who hurt us, but for ourselves. Anderson (2020) talks about why we should forgive:

Because it’s required by God

For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. – Matt. 6:14-15

Love, acceptance, and forgiveness must be the cornerstones of our relationships, just as they are the foundation of God’s relationship with us. (Matthew 18:21-35).

Forgiveness is necessary to avoid being trapped by Satan

Anderson (2020) reminds us that unforgiveness is the main way that Satan uses to gain entrance into our lives. John Bevere wrote a whole book about this called The Bait of Satan that discusses the topic in detail. I highly recommend that book as well.

Anyone you forgive, I also forgive. And what I have forgiven – if there was anything to forgive – I have forgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake, in order that Satan might not outwit us. (Some versions say that no advantage was taken of us by Satan). For we are not unaware (ignorant) of his schemes. – 2 Cor. 2:10-11

In essence, refusing to forgive is an invitation to live as slaves to Satan. He sets the trap, and if we fall for it, we are being held captive.

“Forgiveness is to be standard operation procedure among all believers” (Anderson, 2020, p. 201).

Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. And be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ has also forgiven you. – Ephesians 4:31-32

Anderson (2020) clarifies that forgiveness is not forgetting, tolerating sin, or becoming a doormat.

Above all, God wants to heal your heart. The Bible tells us that God “heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds (Psalm 147:3), He is “the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles,” and “He redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion” (Psalm 103:4).

If you struggle in these areas of forgetting the past, forgiving, and setting healthy boundaries, it’s always helpful to seek a Christian counselor. Remember, the Bible tells us that Jesus is our Wonderful Counselor, He is the Prince of Peace. He wants us to be set free from our past. He wants us to have total and complete victory in Him. Sometimes we need help from other believers to come alongside us to help us get there.