Conviction or Condemnation

John 8:36 (New International Version)³⁶ So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

It was the close of the service and the pastor gave an alter call and opened the alter up to those who would like to come and pray. While praying at my seat I looked up and noticed this girl kneeling at the alter. This wasn’t her first time I had seen her down there in the same spot for the last few Sundays, It was obvious she was dealing with something in her life. Beside her was a box of Kleenex and several tear stained tissues lying beside her. As I watched her I could not help but wonder what was she struggling with, broken marriage, burdens for her family, children, why the broken heart? So in silence I prayed for her. I felt the Holy Spirit tugging at my heart to go down and pray with her. That was going to be a struggle for me at first, I did not know this girl. I felt as if I had to reason the facts with God. It took me a few minutes to be obediant, I told the Holy Spirit that I needed to pray more about it. I needed to really make sure this was God telling me to do this because I didn’t want her to tell me to mind my own business once I got there. Hum what a brilliant idea. I am sure I am not the only one that wrestles with the insecurities that God could or would ever use me to help another.

As I sat there I really knew I was suppose to go and pray with her, so I stopped my silliness and got up and knelt down beside her. I placed my hand on her and as she looked up at me the tears were flowing like and opened faucet. I asked her if there was something I could pray with her about, (waiting for the bomb to hit with her telling me to mind my own business) she said “I am struggling with a sin that I had committed a few months ago and am feeling guilty about it” she continues to say that she had asked God to forgive her but the guilt kept eating at her and didn’t think that God could forgive her. I sat there and thought to my self how many times I had this same reaction to a sin and thought God could never forgive or even love me after that, but that was a learning time for me in my life, God had simply showed me the difference between condemnation and conviction. AHH HAA I got it. So I went on to explain what I felt God had shown me that has help me to fight Satan’s trick of condemnation.

Have you fought this same battle? Have you given God that sin just to return and pick it back up and carry the guilt? Are you living a discouraging life because of the feelings that you could never be forgiven? You have asked God to forgive you time and time again but you have not received that peace that everyone talks about when your sins have been forgiven. With my simple mind I would like to see if I can help you grasp the peace of a sound mind (understanding) the way God gave it to me.

First let’s look at conviction. We all know the story of Pinocchio; the main characters I would like to mention are Pinocchio and Jiminy Cricket. Pinocchio reaches the age of accountability and could not resist the temptations that Satan was placing before him. One right after another he fails and is sorry. He finds him self in a pickle, Oh wait, a whale. All along his journey there was Jiminy Cricket trying to persuade him that he needed to do what was right and go to school. Finally while being in the belly of the whale he starts to evaluate his wrongs. Well you know the rest of the story. I call the Holy Spirit my Jiminy Cricket, he is my best friend, IF I will listen he keeps me out of trouble.

So what’s conviction? Conviction is the feeling inside you get while and after you committed a sin. It’s that Jiminy Crickets in side that tells you you should not be doing what you’re doing or you should not have done that. We all have been there, done that and wrote the book. Then Jiminy Cricket (Holy Spirit) gets you to feel remorse for what you had done then you confess your sins and restores your relationship with God. Signed sealed and delivered. So when u sin the most important voice you hear is from the Holy Spirit. Praise God for my Jiminy Cricket!! Without condemnation you live a full life in Christ.

What is condemnation? Well condemnation is simply a trick that Satan likes to use against us to keep us from living a successful, peaceful Christian life. He robs us of a sound mind with satisfactory knowing our sins are forgiven and forgotten. How does it work? Let’s say you had committed a sin and the Holy Spirit had dealt with you about it and you asked God to forgive you. My Bible says that he forgives and never remembers them again. Romans 4:7-8 (New International Version)

⁷ “Blessed are those whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. ⁸ Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord will never count against them.”Its settle and done with, no questions asked. Praise God!!

Now condemnations sneaks in a few days or so AFTER you had asked for forgiveness and tells you that you have not been forgiven, how can God love you now, guilt builds up and up and up. Thus your life is miserable and possibly you walked away from God with discouragement, and being defeated by the enemy, and all along you had BEEN forgiven. How sad is that? We as Christians need to recognize the tricks of the enemy, and when he comes at you with condemnation you need to remind him that you have been forgiven, you asked and receive that forgiveness. So condemnation comes in after you asked and received forgiveness. The good news is: Romans 8:1 ¹ Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. What better way to defeat Satan but by speaking the word of God to him.

I seen that young lady a few weeks later after church, she came up to me and said she was very thankful I was able to explain the difference between the two. She now no longer deals with condemnation and lives in peace with a sound mind (understanding) and recognizes it when the enemy tries to attack her with condemnation.

I hoped this helped someone. J

Carrie