The Holy One calls to me this morning and a dark spirit of guilt mocks me as I rise up and prepare for our morning conference.
Trying to prepare my heart and mind for truth, I go to Romans 8:1. Even as I quote the well memorized verse from memory: "There is now therefore no guilt nor condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus", I actually come to realize I have added a word to that scripture and quoted it wrong to myself and others.
The actual text reads: "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus". (Rom 8:1 NIV) I have been adding a word to that verse and that word changes things which thereby add greatly to my wrestles within myself. That one word identifies the source of my despair: guilt.
Guilt is an emotion that follows condemnation, and the enemy uses it to trash my thinking. If the enemy can get me to put guilt within the "promise" of no condemnation, knowing that guilt is an emotion evil can impact and even direct my flesh to consider, then he can twist the Holy Promise and use it to trap me. The very promise that was given to set me free, can be twisted into a net from which there is no escape until I recognize it for what it is.
Eve was the first one deceived by the enemy of our soul. The enemy's methods are the same since the beginning. So subtle are his devious ways, we must be on guard in everything we say and think, or the slightest lack of discernment can wreck us. The counsel of the Holy One is imperative and His discernment is welcomed with His words of wisdom, "Your self-imposed guilt gives access to the enemy's condemnation". There is a vast difference between my conviction and the enemy's condemnation."
Trying to prepare my heart and mind for truth, I go to Romans 8:1. Even as I quote the well memorized verse from memory: "There is now therefore no guilt nor condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus", I actually come to realize I have added a word to that scripture and quoted it wrong to myself and others.
The actual text reads: "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus". (Rom 8:1 NIV) I have been adding a word to that verse and that word changes things which thereby add greatly to my wrestles within myself. That one word identifies the source of my despair: guilt.
Guilt is an emotion that follows condemnation, and the enemy uses it to trash my thinking. If the enemy can get me to put guilt within the "promise" of no condemnation, knowing that guilt is an emotion evil can impact and even direct my flesh to consider, then he can twist the Holy Promise and use it to trap me. The very promise that was given to set me free, can be twisted into a net from which there is no escape until I recognize it for what it is.
Eve was the first one deceived by the enemy of our soul. The enemy's methods are the same since the beginning. So subtle are his devious ways, we must be on guard in everything we say and think, or the slightest lack of discernment can wreck us. The counsel of the Holy One is imperative and His discernment is welcomed with His words of wisdom, "Your self-imposed guilt gives access to the enemy's condemnation". There is a vast difference between my conviction and the enemy's condemnation."
He repeats His word, "There is therefore no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus, the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death".
When we look at sin as a "nature" and not as individual acts, the issue of condemnation vs. conviction takes on a whole new dynamic. Jesus came to provide us who believe in Him and His mission, a new "nature" born of the Spirit of Holiness. The law of sin and death rules over the flesh and is final. But the law of the Spirit of Life is resurrection beyond death.
What this means is that Jesus took our flesh death penalty and paid it in full. Then He released His Holy Spirit to indwell every believer and that is the New Nature we have and can rely on when condemnation comes knocking.
Guilt produces a myriad of wrestles and we can even begin to question our salvation if it does not get resolved. Condemnation is judgement no matter how you slice it. Roman 8:1 tells us plainly that for those of us who are in Christ Jesus there is no condemnation or judgement by God, yet we can be so aware of our flesh failures and the flesh failures of others that we accept the condemnation and doubt that we (or they) are actually "in Christ Jesus".
This New Nature and the manner in which we receive it are "supernatural". While guilt and condemnation belong to the old nature because it has no remedy, conviction comes by the Spirit and provides hope for the resolution.
Even if I fail in my responses to life and trials on earth, I am not condemned because the consequences for disobedience or bad form are the Lord's way of getting us back on track and not a trip to the guillotine. The enemy of our soul uses guilt as a wedge between us and our Lord who ever lives to forgive the flesh failures we still commit. Through our confession and repentance for those flesh failures, the Lord sets us straight again. The biggest problem with guilt is that it causes us to run away from the Lord and not toward Him.
Guilt can keep us in a perpetual running and atonement seeking lifestyle, always trying to offset an emotional feeling by another emotional act that may be called "do-gooding". Rather than living a resurrected life of valuable service we live a lesser life of "Christian" busyness motivated by guilt. The lesser life is power-less, and the enemy knows it.
Thankfully the Holy One stopped me today before I revved up my engines to offset my guilt. He gently reminded me that guilt is a phantom I don't need to fear and nothing I need to respond to. By declaring and believing the word of God, the guilt that seemed so foreboding begins to melt away.
I know that Satan is my accuser and uses condemnation as a tool. Guilt allows his abuse to continue but my declaration of truth stops him dead in his tracks. Evil is defeated by truth and the truth does set us free. My Lord has provided me with the Truth: If there is no condemnation there is no basis for guilt. Being guilt-less in my own eyes allows me to receive the Love in His.
The Holy Spirit is calling. Can you hear Him?
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