Romans 8:1-2 (NLT)
So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, the powerthe life-giving Spirit has freed youfrom the power of sin that leads to death.
There is NO CONDEMNATION for those who belong to Jesus Christ. We are inhabitable temples of the Living God thanks to Jesus Christ, His Son, who made us righteous. So why do we remain in the midst of broken down and unproductive lives if God lives in us? Good question and for many who are merely existing rather than thriving in the Favor of God a major obstacle in obtaining the freedom offered by Jesus Christ through life in the Spirit. How does one move from constantly being confined by sin into the brand new life that Jesus Christ has offered? It sounds so easy but for anyone who has ever lived in one place for a long time and then attempted to relocate, it proves challenging. One must decide what to take and what to leave behind. It requires going through all the “stuff” in your life and tossing out the “junk”. The offenses of mankind against God are profound and evident once the Spirit of the Living God comes to live in our midst. Suddenly, those things that we thought to be part of life, routine and acceptable become a thorn in our flesh. We know we should leave them behind, but they have been a part of our existence for so long surely God would understand if we kept them a while longer. Offense builds a barrier between us and God’s Best for our life. It is high time that the Body of Christ and all of God’s People decided that rather than building a wall of offense around their life, they choose to build a bridge and get over it. You cannot get over it until you rise above it. It just makes sense. Instead of wallowing in the past and our own way, it is important to move to where God is. His Spirit is within you to assist in your transportation and transformation into the New Life and New Creation that God has called you to be. Will you decide to get over today and say, “I am over it?”
Romans 5:18-21 (NKJV)
Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous.Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
You will never get over the sin in your life until you understand that “where sin abounded, grace abounded much more.” Through the disobedience of Adam, generations of human beings were condemned by sin. BUT through Jesus Christ came the Grace of God which was more than sin. The word “abound” comes from the Latin word “abundare” which means “to overflow”. Sin infiltrated the heart of man but grace “overflowed” from the Heart of God for His People. His Grace can cover any and every sin that you have committed, are involved in or will ever be misled into. However, if the Grace of God is not viewed as sufficient for your life and used to overcome sin then you will remain buried in offense. What is offense? It is a violation or transgression whether done by us or against us, it has the ability to limit the opportunities that God has placed in our life creating a wall between us and the Goodness of God. Your sin is personal and cannot reach beyond your life unless passed from generation to generation through blood inheritance. The Grace of God is overflowing therefore it has the Power to end the conviction of death due to your transgression against God. Will you move from confinement to freedom? There is absolutely no condemnation for those who belong to Jesus Christ. If you feel condemned today, it is a lie of the enemy that only the TRUTH will reveal.
Galatians 2:17-20 (NLT)
But suppose we seek to be made right with God through faith in Christ and then we are found guilty because we have abandoned the law. Would that mean Christ has led us into sin? Absolutely not! Rather, I am a sinner if I rebuild the old system of law I already tore down. For when I tried to keep the law, it condemned me. So I died to the law—I stopped trying to meet all its requirements—so that I might live for God. My old self has been crucified with Christ.It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Faith in Jesus Christ makes us right with God. Obedience to the Law did not do it and is not required to maintain righteousness with God through Jesus. However, once we are reunited with God the violation of the Law of God becomes more evident once His Spirit takes residence in our life. We become more aware of all the ways we have let God down as we move closer to Him in His Presence. It is not God condemning us or offenses mounting against us but rather simply the sin in our life revealed. If we choose to attempt to live according to the Law again, then we condemn ourselves all over again and offense limits access to the Presence of God through an insufficient sin payment. However, if we choose to live for the Lord through Jesus Christ than God doesn’t see our sin any longer simply the Blood of Jesus Christ that covers it. Guilt is the lie of the enemy that the Blood of Jesus was not enough to pay your sin debt in full. In fact, it was. Obedience is simply living in the righteousness of God through Jesus. It shields God from seeing our sin and instantly rejecting us so why in the world would I want to take on the identity of sin and self once more, but rather shed my image for the Image of Christ. Condemnation demonstrates guilt. Righteousness is evidence of freedom impossible outside of Jesus Christ and His Precious Blood. If you feel guilty today, maybe you are attempting to “old system” of judgment in your life. Jesus paid the price for every single sin that ever would have condemned you in the Eyes of God so you may experience freedom. It is time to take the substance of your shame and use it to climb higher and see over the barrier of sin into the New Life Jesus Christ has provided and jump in it.
2 Corinthians 6:6-10 (NLT)
We prove ourselves by our purity, our understanding, our patience, our kindness, by the Holy Spirit within us and by our sincere love. We faithfully preach the truth. God’s power is working in us. We use the weapons of righteousness in the right hand for attack and the left hand for defense. We serve God whether people honor us or despise us, whether they slander us or praise us. We are honest, but they call us impostors. We are ignored, even though we are well known. We live close to death, but we are still alive. We have been beaten, but we have not been killed. Our hearts ache, but we always have joy. We are poor, but we give spiritual riches to others. We own nothing, and yet we have everything.
The world condemns Christianity and has declared it useful for nothing. They make fun of our purity and principles, mocking our faith as ignorance and judge us by calling us judgmental. Who cares? I am not a resident of this world yet maybe there are days that I have forgotten the rules of my homeland. The Holy Spirit allows us to live pure lives of intelligent faith able to endure and yet still reach out with kindness and sincere love. But condemnation makes us unfit for use. To condemn is to judge. When we decide that we are not overcomers as Jesus indicated when He overcame the world (John 16:33), then what good is our faith? In fact, faith that is only good in this world really is of no use altogether because it has an Eternal purpose not a temporary one. Yet we use it as a stepping stone from glory to glory in this life rather than as a stairway to righteousness in the Presence of God seeking His Will, His Way and to do His Work. Faith that is all about us and not about God is worthless. Faith believes in the unseen things of God. (Hebrews 11:1) Yet we readily abandon our faith for the realities of the world every day placing a condemned sign on our life all over again. This life will yield nothing that lasts into forever except the heart of mankind and his soul. Investment in other things is futile and wasted effort. Until we take the time to move up and over the walls that enclose our life into the Presence of God, we remain condemned and unfit for use. God is calling you higher. He longs for you to get over it (the world) and move into the New Life Jesus Christ died for you to have! Romans 12:1-2 defines our life as “living sacrifices” which is our “reasonable service”. Will you give up your old life of condemnation for freedom forever? When you look at it like that is there really a choice? A few years of struggle or an Eternity of His Glory really do not compare!
Isaiah 61:1-3 (NLT)
The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me for the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted and to proclaim that captives will be released and prisoners will be freed. He has sent me to tell those who mourn that the time of the Lord’s favor has come and with it, the day of God’s anger against their enemies. To all who mourn in Israel, he will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair. In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks that the Lord has planted for his own glory.
Are you in the midst of a pity party while you whitewash the sinful walls of offense in your life hoping that God will “rescue” you from the oppression and condemnation that you are experiencing in your life? Are shackles of guilt and shame holding you to the ground when you should be “soaring with eagles” (Isaiah 40:31)? Pacing the barrier of self-confinement, may I suggest the obvious? “Whom the Son sets free is free indeed!” (John 8:36) A co-worker was having trouble accessing the Internet on her computer. Being somewhat computer savvy, she checked all the network connections and all the technical issues that could be limiting her access. Finally, she called the IT professional on campus. Upon arrival, he instantly evaluated the problem. By turning the WIFI switch “on” to connect, her service was instantly restored. She had neglected the obvious. There was not a problem with her connection, she simply was not connected. The Spirit of the Lord now resides in you as a believer. God’s Favor is upon you! It is your time to leave the walls of hurt, offense, guilt and shame and claim your New Life in Jesus Christ beginning with FREEDOM. You are free to be healed of broken heartedness through the Love of Jesus Christ. You have an internal Comforter so you do not need the world’s affection. Just open the door to freedom and tell everyone you come in contact what the Lord has done. He is redeeming every detail of your life for His Good according to His Plan. You don’t have to stay in the midst of sin by doubt, but by faith claim your freedom and move beyond the confinement of this world into the Everlasting Promises of God through Jesus Christ. How does a disgusted, brokenhearted and oppressed Christian bring Glory to God? Claim righteousness today! Move from the cell of your past into the wide open places that God has given you through the Redemptive Power of Jesus Christ. The Lord has anointed you. With His Anointing comes everything you need to prosper! If you are not prospering, then you are not claiming that which is already yours! Righteousness moves you from where you are to where He is. Step up and over the barrier of sin and shame. Live in the Anointing of God. You are anointed. The Spirit of the Living God lives in you!
Galatians 5:3-9 (NLT)
I’ll say it again. If you are trying to find favor with God by being circumcised, you must obey every regulation in the whole law of Moses. For if you are trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the law, you have been cut off from Christ! You have fallen away from God’s grace. But we who live by the Spirit eagerly wait to receive by faith the righteousness God has promised to us. For when we place our faith in Christ Jesus, there is no benefit in being circumcised or being uncircumcised. What is important is faith expressing itself in love. You were running the race so well. Who has held you back from following the truth? It certainly isn’t God, for he is the one who called you to freedom. This false teaching is like a little yeast that spreads through the whole batch of dough!
There are countless Christians confined by condemnation today. You may be one of them. There are days that I am one of them. Doubt makes us believe that sin is more powerful than God and that the Blood of Jesus Christ may be impotent in some way putting the burden of righteousness and obedience back on the shoulders of mankind. NOTHING could be further from the truth or a greater barrier to the Freedom and Favor of God designated for your life. It is high time that believers stop listening to this pitiful lie of the enemy choosing to release the offense and condemnation in their life and using all these things to build a bridge over the barrier into their New Life with Jesus Christ. He paid it all. He did it all. Now it is simply yours by faith, nothing more or less so claim it today! Attempting to add or take away from God’s Grace and immeasurable Sacrifice of Jesus Christ is futile. You have been called to freedom! Claim it! Find it! Live in it today!
Job 14:15-17 (NLT)
You would call and I would answer and you would yearn for me, your handiwork.For then you would guard my steps, instead of watching for my sins.My sins would be sealed in a pouch and you would cover my guilt.
Pure Devotion 