The ghosts that are haunting you

This time of year we start seeing images of ghosts in yards. Decorations for yard and home that include ghosts. One of the easiest costumes for halloween has always been a ghost. You just need a white bed sheet and a pair of scissors. Hopefully, with your mothers approval, cut a couple of eye holes and you now have a ghost costume.
For some of us we do not have to wait for October to deal with ghosts. Some of us live with ghosts haunting us every single day of the year.
One of the ghosts that haunts people is the ghost of GUILT.
God’s Word tells us that we don’t have to live our lives haunted by guilt. Guilt for past mistakes, past disappointments and past missed opportunities.
As a follower of Jesus Christ we can lay down the burden of guilt and begin every morning free, without dragging yesterday into today.
Jacob Marley is a fictional character in Charles Dickens’s 1843 novel “A Christmas Carol”. The character of Jacob Marley carries a chain that he built during his lifetime. Many of us have a chain that we carry along this life with us. The chain of guilt.
Jesus Christ broke the chain of guilt when He paid the price for your sin and mine on the cross. He said on the cross, “it is finished”. Jesus took my sin and paid the price that I owe.
We see in Zechariah 3:1-5 a story a of Jeshua, the high priest.

Then the angel showed me Jeshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord. The Accuser, Satan, was there at the angel’s right hand, making accusations against Jeshua. 2 And the Lord said to Satan, “I, the Lord, reject your accusations, Satan. Yes, the Lord, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebukes you. This man is like a burning stick that has been snatched from the fire.”

3 Jeshua’s clothing was filthy as he stood there before the angel. 4 So the angel said to the others standing there, “Take off his filthy clothes.” And turning to Jeshua he said, “See, I have taken away your sins, and now I am giving you these fine new clothes.”

5 Then I said, “They should also place a clean turban on his head.” So they put a clean priestly turban on his head and dressed him in new clothes while the angel of the Lord stood by.

We see that Jeshua stands before his accuser, Satan, and is accused of his guilt. But Jesus Christ is there on Jeshua’s behalf to reject the accusations from Satan.
Jesus does the same thing for you and for me.
If you are living your life that is consumed by guilt, you need to consider the source. Satan wants us to focus on anything but Jesus Christ. He wants us to focus on our mistakes and feel guilt. Jesus Christ says, focus on HIM. Hebrews 10:22 tells us that “our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water”.

Today you can live without the burden of guilt.
Stop focusing on your past and focus on your future that is found in a relationship with Jesus Christ.

Do you have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ?

You can ask Him right now to come into your life and give all that guilt and shame over to Him.

Just ask Him: you can say something like this:
Dear Jesus, I know that I am a sinner. I believe what the Bible says when it says that you died for my sins. Right now and right here, I am turning from my life of sin and guilt and I am asking for you, Jesus to come into my life and make me a new person. I believe that you are my personal Lord and Savior.
Thank you for saving me. Amen.

If you have just prayed that prayer, let someone know.
I too, would love to hear from you at stephen@wakeuponline.org.

May God bless you.
Pastor Steve