January 10, 2024

Is there something from your past that you have failed to relinquish to Jesus? Maybe you had a painful childhood and were hurt deeply. Possibly, you've allowed negative words to penetrate your heart. Has someone you loved rejected you? A parent, family member, or friend? These are issues that, in one way or another, have inflicted each of us to a degree, but some people have an easier time letting go of the past, while some hold onto it as if it were an idol, and if they let it go, it would cut away part of them. 

Much like God telling the Israelites to drive out the Canaanites, some of the tribes allowed them to stay, forcing them to work as enslaved people, which ended up causing them issues later on. The Canaanites were idolaters, and even though they were probably forced to give up their idols, I'm sure that because of their heritage, they let it corrupt them, secretly worshipping them, thus corrupting Israel. 

If you have allowed your past to become an idol because you feel sorry for yourself, are you fully worshipping God as the one and only true God? Picture Jesus there during those painful moments because he was there! He allowed it to happen because he expected you to use it as a stepping stone to show his healing power, yet here you are still nursing your wounds. Ask him to heal you and take over so you can use it to testify to his goodness rather than giving the enemy an advantage. It's time to drive out the Canaanites and give up your idol.

And they drave not out the Canaanites that dwelt in Gezer: but the Canaanites dwell among the Ephraimites unto this day, and serve under tribute. Joshua 16:10