If there is anything I have learned from being a believer with a bad past and pastoring people who have a past of brokenness and bad decisions, it is that we often mistakenly carry our past failures and mistakes into our Christian experience. With the extra baggage our transformation slows to a crawl, or only lasts for a short time.

Now, to be sure, I believe Christ changes us from the inside out. But we tend, if not always, to take with us some of our brokenness into this new life, often without realizing it. I can’t tell you all the lives I have encountered that struggle with things of their past that they never really got over even though they are bible believing Christians who read scripture regularly.

The question is: why would we contaminate our new lives in Christ with our past mistakes and woundedness? Let me say at the outset that many of these broken things in our lives are because we are ignorant of God’s truth about them, and because we refuse to identify them and own up to our need for change. A case in point is how many Christians have you met who believe in horoscopes and follow them, even after becoming a believer? How many Christians can’t seem to break their addictions they brought into their Christianity? There are so many cases in which people genuinely believe in Christ and yet stumble with their refusal to give up baggage from the past, and they think they can keep these things hidden from those around then when in fact people see the baggage of brokenness in us, they just don’t bring them up to us personally.

There is a story in the book of Acts that defines such a person who carried wrong motives and baggage that were logged in his heart even though he accepted Christ and was baptized. Some will try to make this man out as not being truly born again, but if we read scripture honestly without coloring it for our own comfort we will see the truth that he was born again but still brought the baggage of pride and witchcraft with him.

Acts 8:9 & 12-13

Now there was a man named Simon, who formerly was practicing magic in the city and astonishing the people of Samaria, claiming to be someone great;

But when they believed Philip preaching the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were being baptized, men and women alike. Even Simon himself believed; and after being baptized, he continued on with Philip, and as he observed signs and great miracles taking place, he was constantly amazed.

The problem with Simon was that he was captivated by the adulation and praise of people. His baggage was pride and praise mixed with his addiction to witchcraft, and he brought these addictions into his relationship with Christ. None of us come to Christ without some hindrances towards transformation. It takes time and humility to expose and overcome these hundrances.

Acts 8:9-10

Now there was a man named Simon, who formerly was practicing magic in the city and astonishing the people of Samaria, claiming to be someone great; and they all, from smallest to greatest, were giving attention to him, saying, This man is what is called the Great Power of God.

God has designed victory for everyone who accepts Christ, along with the power of three major elements to overcome the baggage we bring into our life in Christ. Here is the catch: it doesn’t happen automatically. They must be applied regularly and together. They are Scripture, Discipleship and the Holy Spirit. If any one of these, or all of them, are not applied regularly we most likely will become imprisoned and trapped in the addictions of our past again. Too often these assets of victory are underutilized because of the lack of sound teaching in the local church.

In Simon’s case he was so consumed with the tools of his former life that he could not get past the addiction to them. Christ does not reject us because of our baggage, but the road to recovery and wholeness will be harder, if not impossible, when we cling to such baggage. Simon just couldn’t resist his old ways and tried to bribe Peter for the power he had.

Acts 8:18-20

Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was bestowed through the laying on of the apostles hands, he offered them money, saying, “Give this authority to me as well, so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” But Peter said to him, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money!”

Getting saved and growing in Christ takes having the formula of real God-inspired discipleship, regular reading of the Word of God and the power of the Holy Spirit to work properly. Not giving up our old baggage often cripples us, even though we have experienced Christ’s love and forgiveness.

In Psalms 119:105 it states that God’s word is a lamp or light to our path but if we are not letting the revelation of God’s word reveal the path before us we stumble.

Jesus said in Matthew 28:19 that we are to go into the world and make disciples. He didn’t say build church buildings and teach sermons. We so often replace real one-on-one discipleship for sermons. Is there any wonder, then, that the average Christian has a spiritually stunted growth in God?

Jesus said in John 14:26 the Holy Spirit will teach us and remind us of what Jesus said. Without this help we are forced to figure out this Christian life on our own and we all have seen how that turns out.

God will expose the baggage we are either ignorant of or unwilling to give up simply because he loves us and wants the best for us. One of the ways he does this is by equipping the body of Christ so that through the gifts of the Holy Spirit these things can be revealed: like a word of knowledge, a word of wisdom or prophetic utterance. But if we, and those around us, are not led by and inspired by the Holy Spirit we walk in the dark, even though we have God’s word.

My advice is to bring your baggage, no matter how small or large, to the Lord and let him deliver you. Forcing God to confront us is far more painful. Let the love of God through the Word, discipleship and the Holy Spirit set you free from the past and keep you free.

Questions:

1) As you grow in God and his word are you being disciple? If not, why not? Don’t be like Simon who got saved and was still bound to his past.

2) Have you approached a person who is more mature than you are to ask them to disciple you? Make yourself vulnerable and be honest with a brother or sister who has demonstrated maturity, and ask them for help.

Pastor Dale