God sees who you are and what you will be. The enemy sees who you are and what you were. Only God knows your future and chooses to forget your past. The enemy doesn’t know your future, so he reminds you of your past.

What better way for the enemy to keep you crippled than to remind you of who you once were?

While God is standing and beckoning towards your future, the accuser comes along and beats you up about how you have fallen short.

And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God, day and night. Revelation 12:10

Today, we can be grateful for the Lamb that was slain. The lamb, Jesus Christ, took upon the sin of the world and paved the way for salvation and redemption.

By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. Hebrews 10:10

God has given us, his children, so many promises. They come by his word, prophecy, or a dream. One of the greatest promises is the forgiveness and washing away of sin. We no longer have to carry the burden of sin and shame because Jesus paid the price for it all. One perfect sacrifice for all of humanity.

One of the enemy’s tactics is to use condemnation against the born-again believer, oppressing them so that they are not able to move forward in freedom. I have learned that unless I believe and have faith that God has forgiven me of my sin, then the enemy has a foothold in my life. Have you ever heard the saying, “Give him an inch, he’ll take a mile”? It is the same way with the enemy. If you give one foothold to sin, it will take you further than you want to go. Satan does not play fair. When you finally realize your wrongs and turn back to God, he will bring those things up. He will use your past sin as a weapon against you. Do not give sin a place in your life.

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. James 4:7

What is a foothold? According to Merriam-Webster, a foothold is, “a position useable as a base for further advance.”

And do not give the devil a foothold. Ephesians 4:27

Today, is not focused on the foothold of sin. Instead, we are focusing on the foothold of the enemy’s condemning voice that keeps us from becoming all that God has planned us to be.

The voice says, “You aren’t worthy.” “You have done too much and gone too far.” “You could never be who God wants you to be.” “You will fail.” “You are a lost cause.” “If they only knew who you were and what you have done. “

Have you heard these words? How did they make you feel? Unworthy? Unredeemable? This is how he wants us to feel because that is what he is. He is unworthy and unredeemable. We aren’t worthy by our doings but by the sacrifice of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We cannot redeem ourselves, but Jesus paid the price. He is our kinsman redeemer. He bought back what we lost at Calvary.

Satan wants to steal that from you. He wants to steal your joy. He wants to steal your dance. He wants to keep you down. We have an opportunity that he will never have, a chance at redemption and eternity in glory.

When the enemy reminds you of your past, you remind him of his future. Your past does not define you. Yes, that is easier to say than to believe. You need to have faith that when you go down in the water and repent of your sins, God washes them away. He does not hold them against you. He does not constantly beat you over the head about it. He may chastise or rebuke you, but it is all in love. He will show you what is wrong, why it is wrong, and teach you the right way. He is a loving father.

 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. Hebrews 12:6

The chastisement of God comes with a deeper understanding. The oppression of Satan comes with deeper remorse. God can pick you up, dust you off, and show you the right way to go. Trust in him. Trust in his word. Satan has come to kill, steal, and destroy you. He wants to destroy your future. He wants to rob you of your place in heaven. He will use anything to distract you, to keep you down, or even slow you down.

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. John10:10

Do not let the foothold of condemnation, guilt, or shame into your life. If you give it an inch, the enemy will use it to cripple you. It will steal the joy and hope in your life. It will cause you not to be able to see past your mistakes. When God promises you something, you will not believe it. No one deserves anything from God. He doesn’t give because of worthiness but because of love. He loves every one of us. He sees what is inside of us. He sees what is ahead of us. If you trust him and rebuke Satan’s voice in your life, then you will see the promises of God.

Do not let the enemy lie to you. God can redeem unto the least in the kingdom. You are not too far gone, you have not done too much, nor have you gone too far.

Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us. Ephesians 3:21