David and his mother got into an argument over his report card. David yelled and screamed and said many things that he really didn't mean. Later he apologized to his mother and told her that he loved her. Glad the two were getting along again, his mother readily forgave him. Still, for days after, David continued to rehearse all the awful things he had said and couldn't help but feel disgusted with himself. His mother had always been good to him. How could he have said such things?

John, who lay dying in the hospital from cancer, had a difficult time getting any rest because of all the different medications at work inside him. Finally, early one afternoon, he managed to fall into a peaceful sleep. His wife, Betty, had been by his side for weeks on end and was now actually living in the small hospital room with him. While John lay peacefully sleeping, Betty decided to run home to check on the house, shower, and pick up some clean clothing. She returned to the hospital two hours later to discover that her husband had awoken, left a message that he loved her, and had died. Months later, despite the fact that there wasn't anything she could have done even if she had been there, Betty still carries the guilt of having left him at that crucial time. She feels as though she let John down when he needed her most, and that she is an awful person for leaving the hospital that day.

Notice what's going on here? David did something wrong and repented, though was still plagued by quilt. Betty didn't do anything wrong but was plagued by guilt as well. Condemnation is actually a scheme of the devil used to trick us into blaming ourselves about anything and everything whether we're at fault or not. Condemnation is the deadliest weapon the devil has, and if we're going to succeed in life, then we must learn how to recognize condemnation for what it is and resist it. See, the devil wants us to believe that we're low-down, dirty scums of the earth. Why? Because it's pretty difficult to come boldly to the throne of grace if we don't think that we're worthy to receive from God.

So if we're not worthy to receive from God, then what's the point of praying? And if we don't pray, then we won't have any power or protection against the devil, which will leave us wide open for him to come in a tear us apart. That is the whole point of condemnation. It is crucial that we not allow the devil to make any situation worse than it really is. When you sin, go to God immediately and ask forgiveness. Then leave the situation alone. Don't rehearse the thing over and over, and don't allow yourself to feel awful about it. Okay, you screwed up. Okay, you screwed up bad. Look, God knows we're not perfect. He knows we're going to mess up from time to time. Isaiah 59:1 The Lord's hand is not shortened so that it cannot save ... 2 Cor. 12:9. My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in your weakness. Romans 6:20. For where sin abounds, grace does much more abound. (Need you be reminded that it is by grace alone that we are saved and not by how good we are?)

You are not God. You don't know everything that's going to happen, you're not supposed to. That's God's job. We as humans are limited in our knowledge. We do the best with what we know or believe. No matter the situation, we must hold on to our peace, so learn to recognize condemnation for what is it and be determined to take a stand against it. 1 John 4:4 You are of God, little children, and have overcome the world; for greater is God within you than the devil within the world. Romans 8:31 If God is for us who can stand against us?