DISCERN GOD’S CORRECTION FROM THE DEVIL’S ACCUSATION

“He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”—John 3:18

 

  Apparently there were a lot of people in Martha’s house when Jesus came to visit one day.  Mary, Martha’s sister, chose to sit and listen to what Jesus was saying, instead of helping Martha serve the people.  Martha became emotionally upset with Mary, and went to Jesus with her problem.  Jesus replied to Martha that she was troubled about a lot of things, but her sister had chosen to do the best thing, by worshipping Him (Luke 10: 38-42).  Notice that Jesus never rebuked Martha, but rather exhorted her that her priorities were not in order.  When the Lord deals with problem areas in our lives, it is always for our good—not punishment.  We should not receive it as rejection.  This is one way that we can discern God’s correction from the devil’s accusation:  Is it condemning?

 

God convicts us of sin, but He does not condemn us.  Conviction is solely for our good, while condemnation includes punishment.  Satan condemns Christians, but he does it illegally because Romans 8:1 says, “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus.”  If we feel condemned, we have received condemnation and shame from the devil.  This is not from God.

 

The way the Lord convicts us is through the ministry of the Holy Spirit.  “And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever—the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you” (John 14:16-17).  This is always done in a positive manner that encourages us to turn from sin.  The enemy’s negative way condemns us for sinning, which makes us feel trapped in it; but the Holy Spirit gently and firmly leads us away from sin and gives us hope and faith to overcome it completely.

 

One of Satan’s lies is to keep Christians in bondage tell them that they have gone too far and now they are eternally condemned and separated from God.  However, this is contrary to the Word of God.  “Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?...Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:33-39).

 

Christ is not condemning you.  If you are about to sin or have sinned, He will let you know about it.  Just stick with Jesus and He will correct you and keep you out from under the devil’s condemnation.

 

Prayer—Father I thank You that You love me and that You are not condemning me.  Forgive me for the times that I did not know that You do not condemn, nor do you ever lead me into temptation, but You deliver me from evil.  Thank You for your correction in my life, lead me in the way of everlasting life, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.