FREEDOM FROM GUILT
If the Son shall therefore make you free, ye shall be free indeed (John 8:36)
And ye shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free (John 8:32)
There is NOW no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit (Romans 8:1)
Another terrible weapon Satan has unleashed against believers in Christ is the weapon of guilt. Guilt is a spirit of condemnation (both self and Satan’s). You can either feel guilty by yourself or Satan could condemn you for an offence you committed. Both are very unhealthy for the growth of a Christian. Fear and guilt are very closely related. As fear is a spirit, so also is guilt. They are both destructive.
One major occupation of Satan is to dig out past offenses or sins of believers with the aim of putting them in perpetual bondage. He, (Satan) accuses them of sins they committed years ago, for which they had sought forgiveness and repented. Many times, he causes believers to doubt their prayers and make them believe that God has not forgiven. Even sins committed in unbelief (that is, while you were not a Christian), could be used by Satan to accuse you, all in a bid to make you develop the spirit of guilt inside of you.
Another way Satan operates to put Christians under the bondage of guilt is to develop in them a feeling, whereby they find it difficult to forgive themselves of sin or sins they had committed even when Christ has forgiven them. This creates a situation where the believer even after he has SINCERELY confessed and repented of a sin, is still tormented by the spirit of guilt. This experience is common among young believers, particularly when they have not taken enough time to study God’s word to know their rights and privileges in Jesus.
A young Christian brother walked up to me some time ago. He told me, he had come to confess a sin he committed against God and he had confessed it but feels he has not been forgiven. I took time to listen to him, after which I asked to know how sincerely sorry he was over this sin and how sincerely he had confessed and repented of the sin. I asked if he had also forsaken the sin for which he came. His reply was, “YES, but Satan again and again makes me feel I have not been forgiven and I feel the guilt inside me always”. I realized that even though he had confessed his sin to God and I was sure that God had forgiven, he could not forgive himself and he believed it. He was under the control of the spirit of guilt. I took time to assure him of God’s word on forgiveness. He left my office a happy person. Satan is a liar and the accuser of the brethren.
This is just one out of hundred believers who are harassed and tormented by Satan on a daily basis. Satan taking advantage of their IGNORANCE, has subjected them to torture and bondage. Some have back-slid den from the faith following the spirit of guilt and self condemnation. It is important to point out there that, the whole purpose and aim of Satan for this harassment is nothing but to put the Christian under fear, guilt and bondage and to cause a complete backsliding form the faith.
Apostle Paul writing to the Romans said: “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit. For the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me FREE from the law of sin and death” (Romans 8:1-2).
As I pointed out earlier, many believers are in this kind of bondage. This is not the will of God. There is definite forgiveness for a definite sin. There is forgiveness with God if you confess and forsake your sins. You do not need to carry guilt about. The Bible says:
My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And He is the propitiation for our sins: and not ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world (1 John 2:1-2).
Having said this, it is important that, the purpose of this write up is not to encourage believers to continue in sin, that grace may abound. The demand of our faith is that we sin not (Romans 6:6-23, Colossians 3:5-10).
Those that are born of God ought not to live in sin, because God’s seed abides in them. If however, you fall into sin, you should not allow yourself to be deceived by Satan. Sincerely confess that sin to God. Forsake it and seek forgiveness.You will be forgiven and be cleansed again (1 John 1:9).
There is still hope for you. God is not pleased with any backslider. He is not interested in the falling away of any of His children.
Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow: though they be as red as crimson, they shall be as wool (Isaiah 1:18).
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