Saturday, October 4, 2008

Victory over condemnation.........

It seems as though I may need a refresher in this battle over condemnation. I have found the fight for joy a bit harder lately and can't understand why. My husband too, has been bombarded with it over a struggle to find a sense of self worth in his career and our finances. Even though we know that is not where our confidence lies, we often hear voices telling us otherwise. For him especially it is often very much a battle. I realized recently, like Dan, that I can't allow this issue of condemnation to afflict me or my family. It's amazing how quickly it can seep its way in somewhere you hadn't noticed. I think perhaps I have been dealing with a bit of it, thus my recent post, Grasping for Joy was born. Why else would I not find every second of time I could, to go and bask in my Father's awesome presence? Sometimes I find myself slightly reluctant to be that intimate with Him. There is no reason on earth for that to be so! He absolutely wholly loves me, and will never be displeased with me. 
Often times we slip down into this pit called condemnation and we don't know how it happened. It could be something someone says to trigger an old response. This recently occurred in my life, and I won't go into detail, but someone tried to put the law on me and preached a wrathful angry God over me. Somehow, despite what I know to be true, that God will never be angry with me again, (see Is. 54),  this person's words got in and began to fester. 
I share this as a reminder to myself, firstly, and to others who may need this reminder as well. Do not yield to condemnation!!! Don't give in to it even for a moment!! If you start to lose your joy and feel a bit more low than usual, stop and ask, am I under some kind of condemnation? 
Thankfully, some of my favorite preachers are well aware of this issue in the Body of Christ. Joseph Prince and Rob Rufus, have both done a number of excellent messages on this topic. Today, I want to share, "Victory over condemnation", with you.  I am tackling the massive feat of transcribing this message, but for now I will just include the beginning of my notes and when I finish I will be sure to publish the full message. Hopefully, while I take the time to do this, this message will invade my thought life and the condemnation will flee!!! Much grace to all!!

"God is passionate. Sending His Son to this earth was not something He did kind of halfheartedly. It was something He did with everything that was in His being. The Bible says shout unto God with a voice of triumph. Everything in the Bible speaks of an undivided heart of devotion to God. God is searching to and fro, seeking for those whose hearts are completely devoted to Him. 
So in every church I've started, and it takes me years to do it, I've built a culture of the passion of the Kingdom of Heaven. It's just being watchful and guarding all the time. When we clap, we clap loudly, when we praise or preach we do it with all of our heart.

Heb. 2 - they did not mix the message with faith

Some of you, this is your day. You've been listening to this message of grace and yet you've still got patterns of negativity, lack of confidence before God, you fell fear and uncertainty and insecurities, and a bad self-image, when you are a princess or a prince, by the revelation of grace. This is your day to say, no longer will the enemy hold me back, I'm walking free today!

Isaiah 55:12- you shall go out with joy and be led forth with peace the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.

You see the trees of the field are part of the creation that are groaning waiting for the manifestation of the Sons of God. 

When we get the message of grace, because Isaiah 55 is about the message of grace, when we go out of this building with joy and led forth with peace, the trees of the field start clapping with relief saying, they got it, Jesus is coming back soon!!

Peace, peace be still, peace makes you quiet, it's tranquil, beautiful, serene. But joy, joy is noisy. So we need peace and joy. Peace for quiet still reflection. Joy is like a volcano in a tea cup. Don't tell me the joy of the Lord is in your life and you're just sitting there like a bump on a log. Come on now, when joy comes explosions come, statements come - You release it!

How do you release faith? In the New Testament, how did Jesus release faith, with His words. He said, if you believe in your heart and profess with your mouth, this mountain be removed and cast into the sea, it's not a little mountain, it's a mountain of problems, you believe in your heart and say with your mouth, be cast into the sea - you release faith with words. Your faith doesn't sit stagnant, static in your spirit. There's a doctrine of faith, that's fine, it analyzes what faith is, but there's a spirit of faith that is not interested in intellectually analyzing what faith is, it doesn't bother about defining faith, it leaps into action, it does action things. Stretch out your hand - you do it!!

Best message you have ever heard, because it means you can go free! And I've been free and I've been bound - free is better!! I know what bondage is, I know what it is to be a man pleaser and frightened of people and you can't hear the voice of God, you can't be led by the Spirit because you're bound by fear of man and you're controlled by people's opinions of you. That is called slavery. The fear of man is a snare, the Bible says. And I know what it is like to be bound, and I've found out I can get free, I found out I can stand anywhere now, something broke off me a few years ago and I can't tell you how wonderful it is. 

How many of you think Jesus worried about what people thought of Him? They didn't crucify Him because He fit in. 

Come on now, this message means you can go free, because in this message God has decided to see you, PERFECT FOREVER!! God has decided that He is going to be 100% on your side, He's gonna be for you, He will never accuse you, He will always defend you against your accusers!!

Romans 8:1 - "Therefore, there is now NO condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus."

It's not for people outside of Christ, there's lots of condemnation if you're not in Christ. But for those who are in Christ, there is No condemnation. NONE!

Everyone in this room has felt condemnation even this week. Now friends, if the Bible says, there is now NO condemnation to those that are in Christ Jesus and you and I feel condemnation, then what is true? The feeling of condemnation or the eternal word of God.

So therefore condemnation is illegitimate!! It's unrighteous, it's not from God. 

"Well Rob, that true there's no condemnation if you don't sin" 

Folks that would be stupid to put that in, if everyone in the world and every Christian never sinned there would not be a need to write, "There is now no condemnation...." It is saying that because condemnation comes to the people of God, because God is not religious, He is real and He knows every Christian messes up, fails and makes a mistake sometimes. It has no little small print in there that says, "There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ, that don't sin."  It's just an unconditional declaration that God is for you, God is on your side and God has taken your position to defend you! 

Romans 8: 31-34, 37-39 - What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

I am preaching this message today, because I know there are people here who suffer condemnation in the church and you think that is okay. I am going to show you that condemnation is a dark ugly evil force.


Here's where I leave you hanging, until I finish typing the rest out, but go have a listen for yourself........!!

17 comments:

Sheila said...

Lydia, transcribing messages that minister to you has to be THE BEST way to "meditate" on the word of the Lord...to chew it over. I enjoyed what you transcribed here - and I'm thinking we can't get enough of these truths. We cannot *possibly* hear it enough.

Thank you for your lovely visit to my blog! :-)))

lydia said...

Thanks for your visit as well Sheila..........yes you are right, we these wonderful truths enough.......that is mainly why I am typing this message out, so I can saturate myself in it, steep in it, and then in the future go back and read the notes, when I find that pesky old condemnation comes back to bother me!!!

Ursula Kuba said...

Funny thing about condemnation...it partners with shame so well...which in turn partners with the control spirit as it seeks to control you and pull you away from the Giver of Grace...and so...it really is a lying, witchcraft spirit! Hate it! I had to fight a particularly ugly battle with condemnation and shame myself...but boy, once the weight lifted...NOTHING would get me to allow it near me again! Its deceptive though...and sometimes creeps in...and next thing you are going...how the heck did that get in? Saturate yourself in His love Lydia...and know that the God of all peace is at peace with you! Much love and grace! Ursula

Shawna said...

As I'm reading what you've typed out so far, I can totally hear Rob's voice in my head. I love it. When he says "come on now", he gets pretty heated up, huh? Some day I'll hear him in person.

I was thinking of you last Sunday, and almost sent you a couple of websites with free music that I love, and I decided to go for it and send them off today. I haven't been dealing with condemnation, but I've felt a strong need to be in God's presence, just worshiping him. Kind of serious times here in the US right now. So here are the links.
Sarah McMillan - her whole CD is here
http://www.sarahmcmillan.com/music.html
My favorite song is "Sing my Love", but they're all great.

This page has a cool song that plays when you load it, I don't really know much about the singer... :)
http://www.closertotheburning.com/
It reminds me of things that Chris has shared before about Song of Songs.

So, there you go (I guess it's possible that you've heard of them already too :). From one livingroom worship dancer to another!

lydia said...

Hey Shawna, glad you stopped by. Yeah it's funny to type out the message, it doesn't have the same level of impact just reading it, but if you are familiar with Rob you can totally here his passion!!
Thanks for thinking of me, and for the links, I will most definitely check them out......and I just deleted for ya, not a problem!! Many blessings to you while you dance away in your living room, (I actually do most of my dancing in the kitchen :)

Anonymous said...

This is so good, Lydia! :)

Ellie

lydia said...

ELLIE..........I have missed you!! Glad you enjoyed!!

Keith just ran into your old college friends husband and had quite a good chat............:)

Jamie said...

Ahhhh, now I know what you and Jul meant by volcano in a teacup!

Honey-pie, sweetie girl, we are tsunamis in thimbles!!! ;)

Thank you for this post; great!

lydia said...

Are you a southerner or what, honey pie, sweetie girl..........I like that, tsunamis in thimbles, ha!!

Jamie said...

Hey you,

You need to check out Alan Hui's post for today!!!

I put a link in a post for you at my place. :)

He blessed us!

Anonymous said...

LOL, you knew I would call you!! :)

I'm going to have to talk to him sometime and find out what's going on... :D

Matthew Campbell said...

I am sorry someone put condemnation on you. I have the same problem, even when I know the truth, hearing the Law preached can really mess with my head. A little leaven leavens the whole lump.

Guard your mind with Scripture, books, sermons, blogs, whatever. Don't let the enemy fog your understanding of God. It's only through the obedience of the One Man, Jesus Christ that the many are made righteous. Faith is what please God. Complaining about ourselves isn't faith. Boast of Him and His obedience on your behalf. ;)

lydia said...

Call me anytime Ellie..........

Matthew ~ Thanks!! Yeah, that stinkin' leaven!! You are such a blessing, thanks for encouraging me!!

Jordy's Thoughts said...

"Sometimes I find myself slightly reluctant to be that intimate with Him.There is no reason on earth for that to be so! He absolutely wholly loves me, and will never be displeased with me. "

Hi Lydia. You wrote on my very first blog. I believe you told me that you were in a tough spot and couldn't do what you were called to do. And then God stepped in and said ,"Hey. I'll do it for you!" Anyway, I was amazed by this post. The things that Rob Rufus talked about, I never really heard before. I guess it takes courage to take God at His Word. So I am just wondering, can you give me biblical proof that God will never be displeased with His children? Doesn't the bible say that faith is the only thing that pleases Him? What if we're not walking by faith?
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lydia said...

JORDY.......... great to hear from you!! Your faith pleasing God does not mean when you don't have faith he is displeased with you!! He loves you fully wholly completely totally as He does His son Jesus!! Your faith only grows from believing in Jesus, the more you believe, the more your faith grows, that is what He is pleased with, the fact that you are living in belief in all that Jesus accomplished for you!!
As for Scripture, Isaiah 54 shows a prophetic promise that God will never be angry again........check it out!!
One more thing.......is God displeased with Jesus?
..........well, are you in Christ?? if you are in christ and Christ is in you, is God displeased with you?

And if you ever want to hear more Rob Rufus, check out some of the messages I have over to the side........I hope this helps, much much abundant awesome lavish grace on you brother!!

Anonymous said...

When God saved you He already knew your future sin! I'm amazed that while I was sleeping last night, God allowed me to wake up this morning knowing the evil thought I thought today?!

lydia said...

Anonymous, thanks for stopping by.....when Jesus died on the cross he paid the price for all sin for all time, yes. But ultimately because I am now saved from my sin and now hid with Christ, I died and it is no longer I who live but Christ lives in me, the veil was torn in two, I now identify with Christ ---God wanted us to have access to him, Jesus made it possible to give us a relationship with our Father like he had, He doesn't see our sin anymore, and He longs to be with His sons and daughters, that is worth pondering on, not on the fact that you still sin, but that you have a God that loves you so much, and wants to be in a relationship with you despite your flesh- you are dead to sin and alive to Christ, that is what is amazing!!! Much grace to you!!