Condemnation Doesn't Come from God

There is, therefore, now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.

-Romans 8:1 NKJV

Don’t let your past shame condemn you. For, while we are not perfect, we are made righteous by the blood of Jesus. If you walk according to the spirit and not according to the flesh, allow the blood to wash you clean from your past. Stop denying the power of the cross. Spend some time meditating on Romans 8.

When we come to God, we don’t come perfect, but even in our imperfection, he calls us. He knows you inside and out and loves you fully.

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while

we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Much more then, being now justified by his blood,

we shall be saved from wrath through him.

-Romans 5:8-9

Remembering that the accuser of the brethren is Satan (Revelations 12:10), God doesn’t condemn his children; He convicts us of our righteousness (John 16:8-10).

God is not condemning you; it is the enemy, your flesh, and others that condemn.

This reminds me of a story of how my own flesh condemned me, and I allowed the lies of the enemy to condemn me.

About 15 years ago, maybe more, we had a guest speaker at our church. This amazing man of God came to our church once or twice a year, and he was always such a blessing. God moved mightily through him. When he announced that we could come up for prayer, I jumped out of my seat, eager with anticipation. See, I felt a calling on my life, and I hungered for a word regarding it. I knew God had set something before me, but I wanted confirmation from a person of God I trusted. When he came to me, he stopped for a moment and began to pray in the spirit. Not knowing what to expect, I remember saying to God, I want anything you have for me. I will never forget how the words that came from this man made me feel. Interestingly I do not remember the words specifically, just feeling like it still wasn’t enough for God.

This certainly was not what the man meant, nor how God intended it. My own flesh condemned me. I struggled most of my life feeling inadequate; I believed I would never be good enough. So, when God’s word for me was spoken, I felt condemned.

The word went something like: “God will continue to reveal more to you in the days and weeks to come. Spend more time in His presence, draw near, pray, get in the word.” Of course, there was more, but this is the part that tripped me up. I felt condemning because at that point in my life, I had never been more in the word, never spent more time communing with God. And I felt like I was being told it still wasn’t enough. This was my fleshes way of condemning me because of how I viewed myself and how I filtered this information from my past.

I have this word recorded. I need to go back over it and let God reveal to me what he intended for me to hear and not let my flesh tell me lies.

Can you think back on a time that your own flesh condemned you? Take some time over the next few days and think back on the situation. Ask God to reveal the truth, to show you what He saw.

So, how do others condemn us? Well, it can come in many forms. They can remind us of past failures; they can label us and make judgments based on their own perception of the situation.

The most important thing to remember when you feel condemned by others is that forgiveness is the breakthrough. I love what Clara Barton said when she had been reminded of condemnation of others by a friend, Clara said, “I distinctly remember forgetting that.”

We are all guilty; not one of us is innocent (Romans 3:23).

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

Set yourself and set them free, forgive and move on. You never know; what was said may have been taken completely out of context. After all, we live from the inside out, our past programming, beliefs, and baggage create our filter for our present reality. And so does everyone else.

I like how we are reminded to see each other after the spirit and not the flesh (2 Corinthians 5:16).

Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer.

In Galatians 1, where Paul is greeting the churches of Galatia, he addresses the perversion of what is being preached among them. He continues to tell them of Judaea, where the church knew of his past, yet when he came to them, they celebrated what God had done in his life instead of condemning his past.

Galatians 1:24 says, “and they glorified God in me.”

They were not unaware of his trespasses, but they were more aware of the transformation in him because of what God had done. In that, they didn’t condemn him; they glorified God for who he had become.

How can you begin to discern correction from God? Easy, God doesn’t condemn. He convicts you of your righteousness. He reminds you of who you are, not who you were. Remember, if you walk in the spirit and not after the lusts of the flesh, there’s no condemnation for you to receive. If someone comes against you with past sin, remind them that you distinctly remember being forgiven for that and that you and God remember it no more. Maybe it will set them free as well!

Let’s be the church that covers sin, that lifts others up, and helps them establish a better path. After all, we are called to love God and love one another above all things.

Let’s end in prayer. Heavenly Father, I lift up my sisters and brothers in Christ. I ask that you manifest your love for them today in a tangible way. That as they draw near to you, they would feel your presence and know your love for them. Father, that you would grant them, according to the riches of your glory, to be strengthened with might by your spirit in their inner man: that Christ may dwell in their hearts by faith; that they being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passes knowledge, that they might be filled with all the fulness of you. Now unto you, Father, who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us. To you be the glory! In Jesus' name, Amen.

I'd love to connect with you! If you'd like to start working toward breaking free from condemnation, breaking free from your past, and begin to step out confidently, schedule your complimentary Doyenne Strategy Session today! Click here.