Long ago, a man named John Bunyan penned the classic Christian allegory "Pilgrim's Progress." In addition, Bunyan wrote many sermons and papers. Among these is one called "The Answer to Despairing Thoughts When Faced with our Unworthiness." 

Here are some of the things he had to say about this attack from Satan:

1. Is thy heart hard?
Why, then, behold how full of  compassion is the heart of Christ towards thee, which may be seen in His coming down from Heaven to spill His heart-blood for thee.
2. Is thy heart lazy and idle?
Then see how active the Lord Jesus is for thee in that He did not only die for thee, but also in that He hath been ever since His ascension into Heaven making intercession for thee (Heb 7:25).
3. Dost thou see and find in thee iniquity and unrighteousness?
Then look up to Heaven, and see there a righteous Person, even thy righteous Jesus Christ, now presenting thee in His own perfection before the throne of His Father's glory (1 Cor 1:30).
4. Dost thou see that thou art very much void of sanctification?
Then look up, and thou shalt see that thy sanctification is in the presence of God a complete sanctification, representing all the saints as righteous, as sanctified ones in the presence of the great God of Heaven. And so whatsoever thou wantest, be sure to strive to pitch thy faith upon the Son of God, and behold Him steadfastly, and thou shalt, by so doing, find a mighty change in thy soul.
For when we behold Him as in a glass, even the glory of the Lord, we are changed, namely, by beholding, "from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord" (2 Cor 3:18).

This is the true way to get both comfort to thy soul, and also sanctification and right holiness into thy soul.

• To read the original by John Bunyan you can click on the link.
  
  THE ANSWER TO DESPAIRING THOUGHTS AT THE APPREHENSION OF OUR OWN UNWORTHINESS

DOES GOD REMEMBER?
Bruce Larson tells the true story of a Catholic priest living in the Philippines, a much-loved man of God who once carried a secret burden of long-past sin buried deep in his heart. He had committed that sin once, many years before, during his time in seminary. No one else knew of this sin. He had repented of it and he had suffered years of remorse for it, but he still had no peace, no inner joy, no sense of God's forgiveness. There was a woman in this priest's parish who deeply loved God, and who claimed to have visions in which she spoke with Christ, and He with her. The priest, however, was skeptical of her claims, so to test her visions he said to her, "You say you actually speak directly with Christ in your visions. Let me ask you a favor. The next time you have one of these visions, I want you to ask Him what sin your priest committed while he was in seminary." The woman agreed and went home. When she returned to the church a few days later, the priest said, "Well, did Christ visit you in your dreams?" She replied, "Yes, He did." And did you ask Him what sin I committed in seminary?" "Yes, I asked Him." "Well, what did He say?" "He said, 'I don't remember.'" From A Forgiving God In An Unforgiving World, pp. 25-26 by Ron Lee Davis, (Harvest House, 1984)

It must be clarified, in truth, God does remember your sin- because God does not change or have the ability to "forget."  What it means when Scripture says that God remembers your sin no more is that God chooses not to review it. He no longer holds it against us. This is what God wants you to know about the forgiveness He freely offers you. Your sins are forgiven!  The past -- with its sins, hurts brokenness, and self-recrimination -- is gone, dead, crucified, remembered no more. What God forgives, He refuses to review again.

Sources:

A Forgiving God In An Unforgiving World, pp. 25-26 by Ron Lee Davis, (Harvest House, 1984)

McGee, J Vernon, Ephesians: Thru the Bible, 5 Volumes

Wiersbe, Warren W.  Be Rich , A New Testament Study on Ephesians. Chariot Victor Publishing, 1979.

Lesson 3, Armor of God. jan brown, 2002, veritas christian network

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