The Farm House Ministry
Living Free of Guilt and low self esteem
Scripture References: Romans 8:1, John 3:17, Acts 13:38-39, Romans 3:23,24, Romans 5:8,9, and Titus 3:3-7.
Have you ever done something that you feel so badly about and have problems forgiving yourself? I have, in my teen years; and I lived with self guilt and self unforgiveness for many years. I felt like my sin showed on my face, and everyone knew about it and would confront me with it. My opinion of myself was not very good.
This is a hard thing to live with. It hampers our full potential of serving the Lord. The forgiveness is there but we do not always reach for it. The air we breathe is there, but until we inhale we do not realize the full benefit of it. That is the way it is with God’s love for us. It has always been there. Read John 3:16. He doesn’t force it upon us. We must repent of the sin that so besets us, ask for His forgiveness and move on with our lives. When we have done this it is “just-as if I’de never sinned.”
But what about our self worth? Even after we have repented and asked Jesus to take charge of our lives, the guilt is still there. How are we to handle that? It becomes a burden which hinders our being all we can be for the Lord. James says we receive not because we ask not. We must ask God to help us forgive ourselves. I did this but the thoughts continued to torment me; UNTIL, I realized one day that it just might be a sin not to believe what God’s Word says about sin and forgiveness. Do you believe God when Jesus, Himself, told us that “God so loved the world that He sent His only begotten Son, that whosoever believed on Him would not perish but have everlasting life.” What about 1 Thessalonians 5:9 where it says we are not children of His wrath? Is Jesus a liar when He tells us, “I will make you free, indeed?” –John 8:36. He said it. We must accept it and believe it.
The devil will continue to bring this “besetting sin” to our remembrance; but we can take authority over him, in Jesus’ name, and use the sword of the spirit (Ephesians 6:10-16), as Jesus did in the wilderness, to drive him away. How do we do that? Like Jesus did, “Get behind me, Satan, for it is written......(whack!), quoting applicable scriptures. For example, “ In the name of Jesus, get behind me, Satan, for it is written, “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Jesus Christ, who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit.” Whack! He leaves “for a season” as he did with Jesus in the wilderness. See Luke 4:1-14. Notice that Jesus, after overcoming temptation, returned in the power of the Spirit. Read 1 John 4:14. Also, read Matthew 18:18, Jesus’ own words, “Whatsoever you bind on Earth will be bound in Heaven: and whatsoever you loose on Earth will be loosed in Heaven.” We can do nothing on our own but we have authority given to us by Jesus, to do this in his name only.
Remember dear one you are covered by the blood of Jesus; and Satan can’t cross that blood line. When you say to him, “Get behind me, Satan, for it is written that I am blood bought by the shed blood of Jesus Christ.” He flees. Live with guilt no longer.