Sin is the most formidable enemy of man, much more powerful than death itself. Sin was an ignominious enemy of humanity that degraded man from celestial glory to the lowest state in God’s agenda—which made man little above animals.
Sin, an enemy of God Himself, is a thorn in His divine holiness. Sin, an abhorrent stench to Jehovah, the foulest of all disgusting things that can make the Almighty Himself shrink back into His inapproachable light at a slight.
Sin connotes and denotes: unlawful acts or actions (passively or impassively done) before God and man, all vices known to mankind—sexual immorality, killing, stealing, covetousness, debauchery, drunkenness, violent (physical or abstract, verbal or non-verbal), slandering, sowing of discord, jealousy, strife and quarrel, enmity, malice, carousing, pride, falsehood, orgy, etc. And it’s evil: witchcraft, sorcery, occultism, idolatry, ritual killings and ritual sacrifices, divination, necromancy, etc.
Sin and its effects have a way of resonating in the life of an individual or people consistently, no matter the years, so dealing with it is crucial for the sake of the present and the future. A regenerated individual, especially through Christ Jesus, though is a new creature, for old things have passed away, and the ugliness of the sins of the past will by no means just roll away without dealing with it.
The dark forces, too, are in the habit of bringing about the ugliness of the sins of the past to trap, humiliate, or taunt changed (repented) individuals or people shortly after their renewed life or even many years after. So you have to deal with them (past sins).
Take me for example; I was an armed robber in a particular state on the wanted list. Then I travelled to another state, a year after I became a genuinely born-again pastor. On returning to the former state, I got caught by the police. Do you assume the jury will acquit me of all charges just because I have changed? Certainly, I do not think so; I will have to face and possibly deal with the consequences of the sinful life I had lived in the past.
Another example: assume I have been promiscuous all my life, then encounter salvation and get saved. Sadly, it was discovered that I have developed sexually transmitted diseases. Do you think having stopped promiscuity will make the STDs go away just like that? No, I have to deal with the result of my past promiscuity.
Assume I have been a smoker for half of my life, and then I got transformed into a non-smoker. It was discovered that I have developed lung cancer over the years. Do you think that because I have stopped smoking, the cancer will go away? No, I must deal with the cancer.
Dealing with sins of the past is a crucial step that a changed individual or people must take, and it has several steps to be taken. The first step to be taken after having been forgiven by Christ is to forgive oneself. Interestingly, this is the hardest thing to do. Ironically, it is easier for one to forgive another than to forgive oneself for the sinful things one has done in the past.
Guilt and shame (understandably) are among the vital tools dark forces use to make dealing with sins of the past hard. These, if fervent prayer is not taken to overcome them, can make repentant individuals (even after several years of repentance) relapse into the old sinful ways. You just have to put this guilt and shame away, for Christ has done it for you.
Sins differ; there is sin against God, sin against man, sin outside your body, sin against your body (see 1 Corinthians 6:18), mortal sin, and immortal sin (see 1 John 5:16-17). Some sins are well connected to Satan and his spiritual forces that mere repentance will not free someone from their spiritual influences—these sins are spiritual covenants—highly binding on anyone that submits to their yokes. Such sins are sexual sins (also known as soul-ties, which connect the souls and destinies of the perpetrators and bring them under the unlimited control of Satan the devil and demons of sexual immorality), witchcraft and sorcery (covenants with demons), occultism (covenant with Satan the devil), blood oath (covenant with elemental spirits), idolatry, ancestral worship and ritual sacrifices.
These covenants enumerated above are very strong; just repentance will simply not do to break their spiritual yokes/influences completely—it takes a lengthy period to completely free oneself from the effects accumulated over the years of sinful living—you just have to persevere not to let the effects (physically, mentally, or spiritually) weigh you down in your Christian faith. God initially did not create humans to live in sin; sin was never his plan for us—it just happened. So He never wanted any of His children to sin, though He will forgive as many that repent and embrace the new life in Christ He has made available freely, but will appreciate much more for one to live righteously throughout one’s existence in this life. Sin can utter His divine plan for someone totally, and force Him to make a new plan (which might never be the best—His first plans are always the best).
Repentance and seeking Christ’s forgiveness through confession of the mouth from one’s heart and His salvation is the first step to be taken in dealing with the sins of the past. Then, putting away guilt and shame and devoting one’s new life to Christ’s teachings for physical and spiritual nourishment is another finer step to be taken. Dealing with the effects of this sometimes will see that you retrace your steps and make amendments to people you have erred in the past, or mend what you have destroyed while living in sin,n which can be anything, but you have to get it or them done. Thereaftebeginsin the long Christian battle with these relentless forces to free your soul and destiny from their influences/effects or control through the covenants (not from their powers, Christ will do that immediately someone gives his or her life to Him in confession and repentance). Through knowledge of the effects of these past sins, fervent prayers and fasting to overcome the effects, obedience to God/Christ, and prayer support from stronger Christians or ministers, you will surely overcome and live to the fullness of the ‘new creature’ in Christ Jesus. May the Good Lord of Heaven and the Earth keep you safely in His fold till He returns.
