It is always healthy to evaluate our goals and objectives for the New Year. While we rejoice in the accomplishments of 2016 and learn from our mistakes and failures, we must not carry our disappointments and failures into this New Year. Forgiveness is a major non negotiable with the Father and is essential for success and advancement in the Kingdom of God. Many have found the grace to forgive others and yet unaware of the strategy of the enemy, they are still wearing the old garments of shame and guilt into this new season. The enemy is a master of deception and the accuser of the Brethren. Jesus bore our shame and guilt on the cross of Calvary. The Apostle Paul reminds us, “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.” (Rom. 8:1)
The Jewish New Year or Rosh Hashanah רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה, actually began October 2, 2016 on the Hebrew calendar. There is an old Jewish ritual that many Jews still practice today called TASHLIKH. Tashlikh in Hebrew תשליך means to “cast off”. The Tashlikh ceremony takes place on New Years afternoon when collectively each Jew will take a rock and throw it into a large body of water and recite Micah 7: 18-20…"You will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.” Even today you will find large numbers of Jews in cities like New York on New Years day gathered on the Brooklyn and Manhattan bridges throwing rocks into the water and reciting Gods covenant promise. What an awesome way to symbolically declare the promise of God’s extravagant grace and forgiveness for my past into the depths of the sea never to be remembered by Him again.
If you are battling with accusations from the enemy and struggle with forgiving yourself for the failures and sin in your past let me encourage you to take a few minutes and write “ALL” of them down on a piece of paper. Now go pick up a big rock and tie your disappointments and failures to the rock and head to the nearest lake, river, ocean or pond and get alone with your Heavenly Father. It’s time to have your own personal Tashlikh! Your prayer might sound something like this: Pray it Audibly!
“Father, thank you for your covenant love toward me. Thank you for the completed work of Jesus Christ on the Cross of Calvary just for me. Lord Jesus, thank you for washing me in your precious blood; for saving and delivering me by your GRACE.
I confess my weakness and sin as defined on this list. Holy Spirit, wash me with the water of the Word, cleanse me physically and emotionally, heal me and fill me, baptizing me with a fresh revelation of the Fathers Love. Lord, I receive your forgiveness and as an act of my will I now choose to forgive myself! I cast off – I cast down the lies of the enemy and everything that exalts itself above you Lord. I tear down the strongholds of my mind and the chains of the enemywith your TRUTH and declare your freedom over my life. Jesus, I am seated with you in heavenly places at the right Hand of my Father. (THROW YOUR ROCK IN THE WATER AND DECLARE… “there is no condemnation because I’m free, positioned in Christ, Loved by my Father and empowered by the Holy Spirit.”). Satan, you were defeated at the cross and none of your weapons shall prosper against me. According to the Word of God, I bind you and command the spirit of guilt and shame to leave. I am a beloved child of God and Jesus Christ has made me a King and a Priest. I am highly favored and anointed to advance my Fathers Kingdom in 2017.
Now you are ready to press forward in this New Year…
“toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”
“No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.” - Philippians 3:13-14 (NLT)
I would love to hear the TASHLIKH testimonies from those who experience the freedom from past failures, guilt and shame.
Gird up your loins and stand secure in the Fathers Love,
Tom