Silencing The Voice Of The Accuser

0:00:00.680 --> 0:00:03.880 You're ready for a comeback, and with Purdue Global, you 0:00:03.920 --> 0:00:07.080 can do more than take classes. You can take charge 0:00:07.400 --> 0:00:11.440 of your story, of your career, of your life, Earn 0:00:11.480 --> 0:00:13.480 a degree you can be proud of, and get an 0:00:13.600 --> 0:00:18.439 education employer's respect. It's time, your time, not just to 0:00:18.480 --> 0:00:20.880 go back to school, but to come back and move 0:00:20.960 --> 0:00:25.760 forward with Purdue Global, Purdue's online university for working adults. 0:00:26.360 --> 0:00:29.840 Start your comeback at Purdueglobal dot edu. 0:00:30.200 --> 0:00:32.159 He'll forget about the video game you gave him on 0:00:32.200 --> 0:00:32.720 his birthday. 0:00:33.080 --> 0:00:34.959 Wow, Thanks Grandpa, but. 0:00:34.960 --> 0:00:37.159 He'll never forget how you invest it in his future 0:00:37.200 --> 0:00:41.760 with the units stap. Wow, thanks Grandpa. The unit stap 0:00:41.760 --> 0:00:44.280 makes it easy for grandparents and family friends to give 0:00:44.320 --> 0:00:47.040 funds to a child's investment account for a limited time. 0:00:47.159 --> 0:00:49.279 Download the uns stap and use the code I heeart 0:00:49.360 --> 0:00:51.640 fifty at sign up to receive a fifty dollars bonus 0:00:51.640 --> 0:00:54.200 when you fund your account. That's code iHeart fifty when 0:00:54.200 --> 0:00:57.200 you sign up at unest dot co for a fifty 0:00:57.240 --> 0:00:59.960 dollars bonus. See terms and conditions at uns dots. 0:01:00.880 --> 0:01:03.600 No one likes to talk about money. Am I saving enough? 0:01:03.680 --> 0:01:05.760 Can I buy a house? Am I paying too much? 0:01:05.760 --> 0:01:08.480 In taxes? Will I be able to retire? What if 0:01:08.520 --> 0:01:11.080 you could unlock insights about your finances in less than 0:01:11.120 --> 0:01:13.600 five minutes with a clear picture of where you stand 0:01:13.600 --> 0:01:16.399 today and where your money can work harder. Now you 0:01:16.520 --> 0:01:19.480 can visit Facet dot com to take the free quiz 0:01:19.520 --> 0:01:24.120 and get your financial wellness score today. That's Facet dot com. 0:01:24.160 --> 0:01:26.240 This ada sponsored by Facet. Facet Wealth in Corporated is 0:01:26.240 --> 0:01:28.240 an SEC registered investment advisor. This is not an offer 0:01:28.240 --> 0:01:30.080 to buy yourself security s noor is it investment, legal 0:01:30.200 --> 0:01:30.800 or tax advice. 0:01:31.280 --> 0:01:34.039 Hi, this is Joel and Victoria. Thanks for listening to 0:01:34.080 --> 0:01:37.200 our podcast and thanks for supporting the ministry. If you 0:01:37.280 --> 0:01:39.880 enjoy today's message, why don't you be a blessing and 0:01:39.959 --> 0:01:42.600 share it with a friend. We appreciate you and pray 0:01:42.600 --> 0:01:56.880 put God's very best in your life, So God bless 0:01:56.880 --> 0:02:00.640 you enjoy to come into your homes. We love you guys, 0:02:00.680 --> 0:02:03.280 We pray for you every day and just believing for 0:02:03.360 --> 0:02:05.760 God's very best in your life. And when you're ever 0:02:05.840 --> 0:02:08.240 out in the Houston area, stop by it and see us. 0:02:08.400 --> 0:02:09.960 We'd love to have you be a part of one 0:02:10.000 --> 0:02:12.760 of our services. But thanks for tuning in. Thanks again 0:02:12.800 --> 0:02:15.520 for coming out this morning. I always like to start 0:02:15.520 --> 0:02:18.120 with something funny, and I heard about these three men 0:02:18.160 --> 0:02:22.240 that were traveling together, a Hindu priest, a Jewish rabbi, 0:02:22.600 --> 0:02:27.000 and a televangelist. They stopped at this farmhouse and for lodging, 0:02:27.040 --> 0:02:29.320 and the farmer said, I only have room for two 0:02:29.480 --> 0:02:32.040 in the house. Someone will have to stay in the barn. 0:02:32.480 --> 0:02:35.320 The Hindu priest said, I'll do it. A few minutes later, 0:02:35.360 --> 0:02:37.280 there was a knock on the door. He said, I 0:02:37.320 --> 0:02:40.160 can't stay out there. There's a cow, and cows are 0:02:40.240 --> 0:02:43.680 sacred in our religion. The Jewish rabbi said, I'll do it. 0:02:44.080 --> 0:02:46.040 A few minutes later, there was a knock on the door. 0:02:46.480 --> 0:02:49.160 He said, I can't stay out there. There's a pig 0:02:49.320 --> 0:02:52.919 and that wouldn't be kosher. The televangelist finally said, all right, 0:02:53.000 --> 0:02:55.120 I'll do it. A few minutes later, there was a 0:02:55.200 --> 0:02:57.720 knock on the door. It was the cow and the pig. 0:03:00.240 --> 0:03:03.320 All right, hold up your Bible. Say it like you 0:03:03.400 --> 0:03:06.400 mean it. This is my Bible. I am what it 0:03:06.440 --> 0:03:08.800 says I am. I have what it says I have. 0:03:09.360 --> 0:03:11.960 I can do what it says I can do. Today 0:03:12.080 --> 0:03:14.880 I will be taught the word of God. I boldly 0:03:14.960 --> 0:03:19.040 confess my mind is alert, my heart is receptive. I 0:03:19.080 --> 0:03:23.200 will never be the same. In Jesus' name, God bless you. 0:03:24.000 --> 0:03:27.040 I want to talk to you today about silencing the 0:03:27.160 --> 0:03:31.200 voice of the accuser. Too many people go around feeling 0:03:31.240 --> 0:03:35.720 bad about themselves when they make mistakes. Instead of receiving 0:03:35.760 --> 0:03:39.440 God's mercy and moving forward, they listen to the voice 0:03:39.480 --> 0:03:43.600 of the accuser, and it's constantly reminding them how bad 0:03:43.640 --> 0:03:47.440 they are, and how they blew their diet and lost 0:03:47.480 --> 0:03:49.960 their temper, and how they're never going to measure up 0:03:50.600 --> 0:03:55.040 before long. They're carrying a heavy load of guilt and condemnation. 0:03:55.880 --> 0:03:58.600 I talked to a young lady that felt so guilty 0:03:58.960 --> 0:04:02.520 because she gave her baby up for adoption. She was 0:04:02.560 --> 0:04:06.440 a teenage mother. It's been ten years now, and she's 0:04:06.440 --> 0:04:10.160 still so down on herself. She said, I feel ashamed, 0:04:10.640 --> 0:04:12.520 like I'm a terrible mother. I don't know what was 0:04:12.560 --> 0:04:16.279 wrong with me, what's the problem. She's listening to the 0:04:16.360 --> 0:04:19.960 voice of the accuser and now she's carrying a heavy 0:04:20.000 --> 0:04:24.120 load of guilt that's trying to destroy her future. Guilt 0:04:24.320 --> 0:04:27.919 is like being on a treadmill. You're constantly working and 0:04:28.080 --> 0:04:32.320 struggling and sweating, but you're not going anywhere. It drains 0:04:32.360 --> 0:04:37.159 your strength, your energy, your enthusiasm. Guilt will keep you 0:04:37.279 --> 0:04:41.760 from having good relationships. It can affect you not only emotionally, 0:04:42.240 --> 0:04:46.200 but eventually even physically. I know people that have had 0:04:46.240 --> 0:04:50.480 nervous breakdowns because of guilt. Year after year. They've carried 0:04:50.480 --> 0:04:53.560 the heaviness. Now it's worn them down to where they 0:04:53.560 --> 0:04:57.080 can barely even funct you, friends, Guilt is a dead 0:04:57.160 --> 0:05:00.920 end strength. You may have made mistakes and done things 0:05:00.920 --> 0:05:03.720 that you're not proud of, but the moment you ask 0:05:03.800 --> 0:05:07.560 for forgiveness God forgave you, it says he will not 0:05:07.720 --> 0:05:12.839 remember our sins anymore. If God doesn't remember them, that 0:05:13.040 --> 0:05:17.680 tells me. When the accusing voice comes reminding you of 0:05:17.720 --> 0:05:21.599 what you've done wrong, how bad you are, trying to 0:05:21.640 --> 0:05:25.800 make you feel guilty, condemned, unworthy, that's a sure sign 0:05:26.160 --> 0:05:30.600 it's not God. That's the accuser trying to sour your future. 0:05:31.400 --> 0:05:33.920 You can do one of two things. You can believe 0:05:33.960 --> 0:05:36.800 those lies, dwell on them, let it weigh you down, 0:05:37.680 --> 0:05:40.760 or a much better decision is to rise up in 0:05:40.839 --> 0:05:44.279 faith and say no, thanks, I'm not going there. I 0:05:44.440 --> 0:05:48.400 realize I've made mistakes. I'm not perfect, but I know this. 0:05:48.839 --> 0:05:53.080 I'm forgiven. God's not holding anything against me. And if 0:05:53.080 --> 0:05:56.160 God doesn't condemn me, then I'm not gonna condemn myself. 0:05:56.880 --> 0:06:00.760 There's a difference between God's voice and the accuse voice. 0:06:01.279 --> 0:06:05.080 When we make mistakes as believers, we will feel a 0:06:05.160 --> 0:06:08.960 conviction on the inside. We will feel guilty. Our conscience 0:06:08.960 --> 0:06:11.719 will tell us that's not right. That's the spirit of 0:06:11.760 --> 0:06:15.679 God convicting us. The right thing to do is repent, 0:06:16.080 --> 0:06:19.880 ask for forgiveness, and go forward. The moment we do that, 0:06:20.320 --> 0:06:24.440 God doesn't remember the mistakes. He has no record of it. 0:06:24.440 --> 0:06:27.640 It's not on a secret database somewhere. He totally lets 0:06:27.680 --> 0:06:31.960 it go. But this is exactly when the accuser goes 0:06:32.000 --> 0:06:35.640 to work, even though God has forgotten about it. The 0:06:35.760 --> 0:06:39.360 accuser will try to keep us feeling bad about ourselves. 0:06:39.839 --> 0:06:43.359 He'll remind you of everything you did wrong, how bad 0:06:43.440 --> 0:06:45.320 it was, and how you just need to sit on 0:06:45.360 --> 0:06:50.480 the sidelines. His goal is to deceive us in the living, condemned, 0:06:50.960 --> 0:06:54.839 feeling unworthy, like we don't deserve to be blessed. You've 0:06:54.839 --> 0:06:57.760 got to be keen enough to recognize that is not 0:06:58.000 --> 0:07:01.919 God's voice. That is user trying to sour my future. 0:07:02.560 --> 0:07:05.720 That's the accuser trying to dump another load of guilt 0:07:05.720 --> 0:07:08.960 on me, trying to keep me feeling wrong about myself. 0:07:09.279 --> 0:07:11.880 But I know better. I don't have to listen to 0:07:11.960 --> 0:07:16.160 his lies. I believe what God says about me. I'm forgiving, 0:07:16.600 --> 0:07:21.600 I'm redeemed, my past is erased, and my future is bright. 0:07:21.720 --> 0:07:25.880 By not dwelling on those lies, you silence the voice 0:07:26.000 --> 0:07:28.640 of the accuser. But some of you have been living 0:07:28.680 --> 0:07:32.720 with guilt for years. It's nagging feeling on the inside, 0:07:33.400 --> 0:07:36.320 like a dark cloud that follows you around, telling you 0:07:36.320 --> 0:07:39.080 you've blown it too many times. You should have spent 0:07:39.160 --> 0:07:41.520 more time with your children when you were raising them. 0:07:41.800 --> 0:07:45.800 You're just not disciplined enough. Listen. Those thoughts will dog 0:07:45.880 --> 0:07:49.040 you for a lifetime unless you rise up and put 0:07:49.080 --> 0:07:51.680 a stop to it. Just like you can use the 0:07:51.720 --> 0:07:55.320 remote control to change the channel on the television, you 0:07:55.400 --> 0:07:58.200 can change the channel in your thought life. And when 0:07:58.200 --> 0:08:03.120 those accusing voice comes reminding you of a mistake you made, 0:08:03.360 --> 0:08:06.600 bringing up a failure of the past, whether it was 0:08:06.680 --> 0:08:10.080 forty minutes ago or forty years ago, you need to 0:08:10.120 --> 0:08:14.440 immediately change the channel. Don't dwell on it. Have the attitude. 0:08:14.560 --> 0:08:17.880 I refuse to live my life condemned. I may have 0:08:17.920 --> 0:08:21.040 made mistakes, but I can't do anything about the past. 0:08:21.440 --> 0:08:23.800 I can do better next time. But I am not 0:08:23.840 --> 0:08:28.160 going to drag yesterday's failures into today. I know I 0:08:28.200 --> 0:08:31.679 am forgiven, and God is not looking at what's wrong 0:08:31.760 --> 0:08:35.320 with me. He's looking at what's right with me. When 0:08:35.360 --> 0:08:39.320 we have this guilt and condemnation, it's like we're carrying 0:08:39.360 --> 0:08:44.040 around a heavy load everywhere we go. Let me get 0:08:44.080 --> 0:08:46.320 my bag of guilt. Hang on, let me get my 0:08:46.360 --> 0:08:49.880 bag of condemnation. Just second before we leave. I've got 0:08:49.880 --> 0:08:53.679 to pack up my bag of regrets, my bag of failures, 0:08:53.720 --> 0:08:56.800 my bag of mistakes. No, today, we are going to 0:08:56.920 --> 0:09:01.000 unload all the baggage. Like the airlines tell only two 0:09:01.080 --> 0:09:05.000 bags per customer. I've got an announcement, new rule around here, 0:09:05.320 --> 0:09:08.760 no bags per customer. We're gonna go out of here lighter. 0:09:10.480 --> 0:09:14.000 The scripture says, when you know the truth, it will 0:09:14.040 --> 0:09:17.760 make you free. The truth you're hearing today is you 0:09:17.800 --> 0:09:20.280 don't have to carry the guilt. You don't have to 0:09:20.320 --> 0:09:22.800 listen to the accuser. You don't have to try to 0:09:22.880 --> 0:09:26.280 pay God back for mistakes. You've made. The price has 0:09:26.400 --> 0:09:30.520 already been paid. When you make a mistake, that accusing 0:09:30.600 --> 0:09:34.240 voice comes, saying you've blown your future. Nothing good is 0:09:34.280 --> 0:09:37.200 in store. You just gotta pay it back by living 0:09:37.240 --> 0:09:40.480 depressed and defeated. Now you shake that off and say, 0:09:40.520 --> 0:09:43.600 I know the truth. The price has already been paid 0:09:43.880 --> 0:09:46.960 two thousand years ago on the cross at Calvary. I 0:09:47.000 --> 0:09:49.880 don't have to pay again. I'm not gonna go around 0:09:50.120 --> 0:09:55.120 living guilty, condemned, feeling unworthy, ashamed. No, I know I've 0:09:55.160 --> 0:09:59.000 been redeemed. God's mercy is bigger than any of my mistakes. 0:09:59.160 --> 0:10:01.760 So I'm gonna press forward with my head held high, 0:10:02.080 --> 0:10:04.440 knowing that my best days are still out in front 0:10:04.440 --> 0:10:08.400 of me. Friends, I'm asking you to unload the baggage, 0:10:08.720 --> 0:10:11.920 get off the treadmill. You're not supposed to go through 0:10:11.920 --> 0:10:15.720 life feeling bad about yourself. Don't drag the regrets of 0:10:15.800 --> 0:10:20.040 yesterday into today. You can't do anything about your past, 0:10:20.240 --> 0:10:23.320 but you can do something about your future. Receive God's 0:10:23.360 --> 0:10:27.520 mercy and keep moving forward. I read about these three men. 0:10:27.920 --> 0:10:31.040 They were carrying two sacks, one on the back and 0:10:31.080 --> 0:10:33.640 one of the front. Someone asked the first man what 0:10:33.840 --> 0:10:36.240 was in his sacks. He said, the sack in my 0:10:36.360 --> 0:10:39.200 back is filled with all the good things that have 0:10:39.240 --> 0:10:41.800 happened to me. The sack in the front is filled 0:10:41.800 --> 0:10:44.400 with all the bad things that have happened. He was 0:10:44.480 --> 0:10:47.400 constantly focused on the bad. Couldn't even see the good, 0:10:47.960 --> 0:10:51.000 they asked. The second man was just the opposite response. 0:10:51.400 --> 0:10:53.720 He said, the sack in the back is filled with 0:10:53.760 --> 0:10:56.320 the bad things. The sack in the front is filled 0:10:56.320 --> 0:10:58.720 with the good things. At least he could see the 0:10:58.720 --> 0:11:01.839 good and not focus on the negative. But with both 0:11:01.840 --> 0:11:04.679 of the sacks being so full, it still weighted him 0:11:04.760 --> 0:11:08.720 down and made life a burden. The third man was asking. 0:11:09.200 --> 0:11:12.280 He told how the sack in the front was filled 0:11:12.320 --> 0:11:15.640 with all of his accomplishments, his victories, the good things, 0:11:16.240 --> 0:11:19.480 and the sack in his back was totally empty. He 0:11:19.520 --> 0:11:22.240 had cut a hole in the bottom of it. That's 0:11:22.240 --> 0:11:25.520 where he put all his mistakes, his failures, the guilt, 0:11:25.559 --> 0:11:30.720 the shame, the condemnation. He explained, because the sack in 0:11:30.760 --> 0:11:33.440 the front is full and the sack in the back 0:11:33.559 --> 0:11:37.680 is empty, it keeps me moving forward. I'm weighted toward 0:11:37.760 --> 0:11:40.720 the front, and it acts just like a cell and 0:11:40.880 --> 0:11:44.880 naturally pushes me ahead. That's what happens. When we focus 0:11:44.960 --> 0:11:48.560 on the right things, it moves us in the forward direction. 0:11:49.559 --> 0:11:53.839 So many people today are focused on their mistakes, their failures. 0:11:54.080 --> 0:11:57.560 They carry them around everywhere they go. They wonder why 0:11:57.600 --> 0:12:01.160 they don't enjoy life is because they're waiting down. Why 0:12:01.200 --> 0:12:03.480 don't you do like that third man and cut a 0:12:03.520 --> 0:12:07.080 hole in the bottom of that negative bag. Why don't 0:12:07.120 --> 0:12:09.800 you let go of the things that are doing nothing 0:12:09.880 --> 0:12:13.400 but slowing you down and making you feel bad about yourself. 0:12:14.200 --> 0:12:17.640 Life is too short to go around carrying things that 0:12:17.679 --> 0:12:20.760 we don't need. And one way we know that guilt 0:12:20.880 --> 0:12:24.520 in condemnation is not from God is because it doesn't 0:12:24.520 --> 0:12:28.200 help you improve. It doesn't make you do better. When 0:12:28.200 --> 0:12:31.560 we go around feeling wrong about ourselves, we are much 0:12:31.600 --> 0:12:35.960 more likely to make another mistake. I've seen people that 0:12:36.000 --> 0:12:40.040 blow their diet. They get so down on themselves they think, oh, 0:12:40.080 --> 0:12:42.520 I've already blown it once today, let me just eat 0:12:42.559 --> 0:12:45.680 this bowl of ice cream. They get up the next 0:12:45.760 --> 0:12:49.559 day so condemned, so guilty, they think, what's the use 0:12:50.080 --> 0:12:53.600 I'm so undisciplined, I'll never lose this weight. They lose 0:12:53.679 --> 0:12:57.400 their passion, they give up on their goals, it's because 0:12:57.760 --> 0:13:00.800 guilt doesn't make us do better, it mays do worse. 0:13:01.440 --> 0:13:04.800 You should not spend time thinking about what's wrong with you, 0:13:05.440 --> 0:13:08.880 but rather about what's right with you. I told that 0:13:08.960 --> 0:13:11.720 young lady that gave up her baby for adoption. Look 0:13:11.760 --> 0:13:16.640 at you. You're beautiful, you're talented, you're successful, You've got 0:13:16.640 --> 0:13:20.439 a great job. Why are you still so down on yourself? 0:13:20.720 --> 0:13:24.040 That is over and done. See, there's a right way 0:13:24.080 --> 0:13:28.480 to handle guilt. Repent, ask for forgiveness, move forward. The 0:13:28.559 --> 0:13:31.440 wrong way is to hold on to it for a week, 0:13:31.880 --> 0:13:36.199 a year, or a lifetime. There are some things that 0:13:36.280 --> 0:13:43.040 we cannot undo. You can't unscramble eggs. You cannot relive yesterday, 0:13:43.360 --> 0:13:46.840 but you can be your best today. Don't let the 0:13:46.880 --> 0:13:51.640 accuser sour your future any longer. Start dwelling on what's 0:13:51.720 --> 0:13:54.720 right with you, not what's wrong with you. Have you 0:13:54.800 --> 0:13:58.880 noticed how human nature is drawn toward the negative. I 0:13:58.920 --> 0:14:01.839 can have one hundred people will tell me after service, Joel, 0:14:01.880 --> 0:14:03.960 that was a great message. I really needed to hear that. 0:14:04.559 --> 0:14:07.400 But then one person will say, I don't know if 0:14:07.440 --> 0:14:10.280 I really understood that point, and I'm not really sure 0:14:10.320 --> 0:14:14.920 I agree with you on that. I used to go home, depress, discourage, 0:14:14.960 --> 0:14:18.400 feeling like a failure. I've learned how to shake it off. 0:14:18.440 --> 0:14:21.280 Somebody doesn't like it. My attitude is I can't help it. 0:14:21.360 --> 0:14:26.480 If there's something wrong with you. I don't know about you, 0:14:26.680 --> 0:14:29.480 but I feel good about who I am, and I 0:14:29.480 --> 0:14:33.280 am not going to let one bad report cancel out 0:14:33.320 --> 0:14:37.760 one hundred good reports. In the same way, don't let 0:14:37.840 --> 0:14:41.560 one weakness that you have or one mistake that you made, 0:14:42.080 --> 0:14:45.680 cancel out all the other great things about you. You 0:14:45.720 --> 0:14:48.280 may have made a lot of wrong choices, but you've 0:14:48.320 --> 0:14:51.520 also made a lot of right choices. Look at you today. 0:14:51.520 --> 0:14:55.320 You're sitting in church, You're honoring God, you're giving, you're serving. 0:14:55.480 --> 0:14:58.080 You've got a heart to do what's right. Focus on 0:14:58.120 --> 0:15:03.760 your good qualities, on your victories. Get off the treadmill 0:15:03.800 --> 0:15:07.280 of guilt. It's not taking you anywhere. Some of you 0:15:07.320 --> 0:15:10.600 have been guilty about something that happened a long time ago, 0:15:10.680 --> 0:15:14.000 years and years, and it's stealing your joy. And you're 0:15:14.040 --> 0:15:18.000 down on yourself, feeling condemned. Listen, that has soured your 0:15:18.040 --> 0:15:22.760 life long enough. Don't live another moment in regrets. It 0:15:22.800 --> 0:15:25.200 may have been your fault, but that's what mercy is 0:15:25.280 --> 0:15:28.000 all about. You've got to rise up and say, this 0:15:28.040 --> 0:15:31.400 is a new day. I'm unloading the baggage. I am 0:15:31.520 --> 0:15:35.520 done feeling wrong about myself. I'm done going around condemned. 0:15:36.200 --> 0:15:39.360 I focus long enough on what I've done wrong. I'm 0:15:39.360 --> 0:15:42.600 gonna start focusing on what I'm doing right. But for 0:15:42.760 --> 0:15:45.800 most of us, it's very difficult to accept the fact 0:15:46.160 --> 0:15:50.320 that God forgives us so easily. When we make mistakes, 0:15:50.440 --> 0:15:53.440 we think we have to pay, so we get discouraged, 0:15:53.760 --> 0:15:57.280 no joy, down on ourselves. And sure, we should be 0:15:57.320 --> 0:16:01.600 remorseful when we do wrong. We should be genuinely sorry 0:16:01.640 --> 0:16:04.080 and not just flip it like it's no big deal. 0:16:04.680 --> 0:16:08.040 But we don't have to spend month after month wallowing 0:16:08.160 --> 0:16:12.000 around in guilt and condemnation. I know people that did 0:16:12.040 --> 0:16:15.960 something wrong years ago, but they're still asking God to 0:16:16.040 --> 0:16:19.800 forgive them. They've probably asked for forgiveness for the same 0:16:19.920 --> 0:16:24.680 thing a thousand times. They don't realize God forgave them 0:16:24.840 --> 0:16:28.320 the very first time. The problem is they have not 0:16:28.560 --> 0:16:32.360 received God's forgiveness. They think they have to show God 0:16:32.400 --> 0:16:35.520 how sorry they are by giving up their joy and 0:16:35.840 --> 0:16:40.000 paying some kind of penance, and so they live defeated, discouraged, 0:16:40.200 --> 0:16:43.640 and they beg and beg God, Please forgive me. God. 0:16:43.680 --> 0:16:46.880 I'm so sorry. Please God. Now let me challenge you today. 0:16:47.280 --> 0:16:51.360 Don't be a beggar, be a believer. Believe God forgave 0:16:51.400 --> 0:16:56.240 you the very first time. You don't have to keep asking, 0:16:56.680 --> 0:17:00.760 receive God's mercy, and just keep moving forward. I read 0:17:00.800 --> 0:17:03.680 about this nine year old boy named Sam. He was 0:17:03.800 --> 0:17:07.720 visiting his grandparents. They lived on a big farm. Sam 0:17:07.800 --> 0:17:10.240 had a slingshot that he loved, and all during the 0:17:10.320 --> 0:17:12.280 day he'd go out in the woods and shoot at 0:17:12.280 --> 0:17:15.639 different targets. He practiced, and he practiced, but he wasn't 0:17:15.640 --> 0:17:19.240 that accurate. One evening, he heard the dinner bell. As 0:17:19.280 --> 0:17:23.080 he was walking toward the house, he saw his grandmother's 0:17:23.119 --> 0:17:26.679 pet duck sitting by the pond. He never dreamed in 0:17:26.720 --> 0:17:29.040 a million years he could hit it, but he pulled 0:17:29.040 --> 0:17:32.240 the slingshot back, let the rock fly, and believe it 0:17:32.359 --> 0:17:34.639 or not, it hit the duck square in the head 0:17:34.960 --> 0:17:39.080 and the duck fell over dead. He felt terrible. He panicked. 0:17:39.240 --> 0:17:42.480 He ran over and got the duck and secretly buried 0:17:42.480 --> 0:17:46.119 it behind the woodpile. As he was walking toward the house, 0:17:46.440 --> 0:17:50.280 he realized his twelve year old sister, Julie, had seen 0:17:50.320 --> 0:17:55.240 the whole thing take place. That night, after dinner, the 0:17:55.320 --> 0:17:58.080 grandmother said, Julie, I'd like you to stay and help 0:17:58.080 --> 0:18:01.200 me do the dishes if you don't mind. Julie said, grandmother, 0:18:01.240 --> 0:18:03.840 I'd love to, but Sam said he wants to do 0:18:03.920 --> 0:18:08.480 the dishes tonight. She whispered in his ear, Remember the duck. 0:18:10.080 --> 0:18:12.879 Sam went over and did the dishes. The next morning, 0:18:12.920 --> 0:18:15.920 the grandfather was going fishing. He invited both of the 0:18:16.000 --> 0:18:18.640 children to go, and the grandmother said, I really need 0:18:18.720 --> 0:18:20.840 Julie to stay here and help me do some chores. 0:18:21.359 --> 0:18:24.600 Julie said grandmother, Sam said he'd like to stay with 0:18:24.640 --> 0:18:27.280 you and help you out today. She whispered in his 0:18:27.320 --> 0:18:31.000 ear again, remember the duck. Sam stayed and did the chores. 0:18:31.080 --> 0:18:34.199 Julie went fishing with her grandfather. After a couple of 0:18:34.280 --> 0:18:38.320 days of doing both his and his sister's chores, Sam 0:18:38.400 --> 0:18:42.080 finally had had enough. He went to his grandmother and said, Grandmother, 0:18:42.160 --> 0:18:43.960 I'm so sorry, but I got to tell you something 0:18:44.280 --> 0:18:48.440 I didn't mean to. I accidentally killed your pet duck. 0:18:49.160 --> 0:18:51.919 The grandmother gave him a big hug and said, Sam, 0:18:52.000 --> 0:18:55.440 I know you did. I was standing at the window. 0:18:56.200 --> 0:18:59.760 I saw the whole thing take place, and I've all 0:18:59.760 --> 0:19:02.840 read that He's forgiven you. I've just been waiting to 0:19:02.920 --> 0:19:05.959 see how long you would let Julie make a slave 0:19:06.000 --> 0:19:11.760 of you. Can I tell you something today? God was 0:19:11.800 --> 0:19:16.240 standing at the window. He has seen every mistake, every failure, 0:19:16.400 --> 0:19:23.040 every weakness. The good news is he has already forgiven you. 0:19:23.680 --> 0:19:27.480 He's not holding anything against you. He's just waiting to 0:19:27.520 --> 0:19:31.000 see how long you're gonna let the accuser make a 0:19:31.040 --> 0:19:34.080 slave of you. How long are you gonna live guilty 0:19:34.119 --> 0:19:37.159 and condemned. How long are you gonna keep asking for 0:19:37.160 --> 0:19:41.639 forgiveness for the exact same thing. My declaration is no more. 0:19:42.040 --> 0:19:44.760 This is a new day. We're gonna rise up like 0:19:44.880 --> 0:19:50.320 Sam and say enough is enough. I may have made mistakes. 0:19:50.800 --> 0:19:53.320 I'm not happy about it, but I'm not going to 0:19:53.400 --> 0:19:58.639 let the accuser manipulate me into living life depressed, thinking 0:19:58.680 --> 0:20:01.600 that I've blown my future trying to pay a debt 0:20:01.840 --> 0:20:04.119 that I don't have to pay. I'm gonna go to 0:20:04.200 --> 0:20:07.359 my father and say, here I am, I've blown it. 0:20:07.400 --> 0:20:10.640 I've made mistakes, But I know you're a God of mercy. 0:20:11.080 --> 0:20:14.640 You restore you forgive, so I'm gonna get my joy back. 0:20:14.800 --> 0:20:17.240 I'm gonna get my vision back, and I'm not gonna 0:20:17.280 --> 0:20:21.560 let one mistake or a series of mistakes to keep 0:20:21.600 --> 0:20:25.520 me from pursuing my God given destiny. What am I saying? 0:20:26.160 --> 0:20:31.119 Don't let the accuser manipulate you anymore. You know the truth. 0:20:31.560 --> 0:20:35.040 God was standing at the window. He's already forgiven you. 0:20:35.480 --> 0:20:39.320 He accepts you, He approves you. Now rise up in 0:20:39.400 --> 0:20:43.960 that freedom, unload the baggage, leave the guilt behind. To 0:20:43.960 --> 0:20:46.679 what it says in Romans eight, verse one, there is 0:20:46.800 --> 0:20:51.400 no condemnation when we're in Christ Jesus. Here's the key. 0:20:51.840 --> 0:20:55.600 When we walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit. 0:20:56.520 --> 0:20:59.960 Notice we're only not going to be condemned when we're 0:21:00.080 --> 0:21:03.719 in the spirit. In other words, when we make mistakes. 0:21:04.200 --> 0:21:07.760 If we're in the flesh, we beat ourselves up, we 0:21:07.800 --> 0:21:12.440 lose our passion, we feel unworthy. We live depressed and defeated, 0:21:12.760 --> 0:21:15.600 trying to show God that we're sorry. When we do that, 0:21:16.040 --> 0:21:19.040 we will be condemned, we'll feel a heaviness, we'll miss 0:21:19.080 --> 0:21:22.920 God's best. But when we're in the spirit, we say, yes, 0:21:23.200 --> 0:21:26.520 I made mistakes. It was my fault. But I know 0:21:26.640 --> 0:21:30.439 the moment I ask for forgiveness, God not only forgave me, 0:21:30.840 --> 0:21:33.479 but he doesn't remember it. So I'm not gonna fall 0:21:33.520 --> 0:21:36.800 into the trap of guilt. I'm gonna move forward. That's 0:21:36.840 --> 0:21:40.240 when we're not condemned, when we don't listen to the 0:21:40.280 --> 0:21:44.119 accuser's lives, when we don't walla in defeat, when we 0:21:44.160 --> 0:21:46.919 don't carry the heavyload of guilt, but we keep moving 0:21:47.080 --> 0:21:50.960 forward in life. I love the story of the prodigal son. 0:21:51.560 --> 0:21:54.520 The young man took his inheritance and left home and 0:21:54.680 --> 0:22:00.520 went out partying, living wild, undisciplined, making terrible choices. He 0:22:00.560 --> 0:22:04.320 blew his whole inheritance. He lost it all. Now he 0:22:04.359 --> 0:22:07.919 had no money, no place to stay. It got so 0:22:08.080 --> 0:22:12.120 bad he ended up working in a hog farm feeding 0:22:12.160 --> 0:22:16.320 the hogs. He was so desperate, so hungry, he even 0:22:16.359 --> 0:22:19.399 had to eat the hogfood just to stay alive. But 0:22:19.480 --> 0:22:25.879 one day, as he was sitting in the hogpen, guilty, condemned, ashamed, depressed, 0:22:26.400 --> 0:22:30.560 something rose up on the inside. He thought to himself, 0:22:31.000 --> 0:22:34.800 even the servants at my father's house lived better than this, 0:22:35.440 --> 0:22:38.480 And here I'm a son sitting in the hog pen, 0:22:38.960 --> 0:22:43.119 wallowing in defeat and mediocrity. He made a statement that 0:22:43.240 --> 0:22:46.720 changed his future. Without this statement, we would hear no 0:22:46.800 --> 0:22:50.760 more of this young man. He said, I will arise 0:22:51.280 --> 0:22:54.200 and go to my father. He was saying, yes, I've 0:22:54.200 --> 0:22:57.960 made mistakes. I brought the trouble on myself, but I'm 0:22:57.960 --> 0:23:01.080 not going to let one bad sea of my life 0:23:01.560 --> 0:23:06.200 ruin the rest of my future. I will arise. Maybe today, 0:23:06.240 --> 0:23:09.000 you've made some poor choices. You're not where you want 0:23:09.000 --> 0:23:12.120 to be in life. The accusing voice keeps telling you 0:23:12.200 --> 0:23:14.640 it's your fault. Too bad, you brought it on yourself. 0:23:15.480 --> 0:23:17.879 If you're going to be restored, if you're going to 0:23:17.960 --> 0:23:20.919 fulfill your destiny, it's not up to God, it's up 0:23:20.920 --> 0:23:23.400 to you. You've got to do like this young man 0:23:23.760 --> 0:23:26.080 and say I may be down, but I'm not going 0:23:26.160 --> 0:23:29.240 to stay down. I've made mistakes, it's my fault, but 0:23:29.359 --> 0:23:32.280 I know the secret. I will arise and go to 0:23:32.320 --> 0:23:35.840 my father. I believe one reason this young man could 0:23:36.040 --> 0:23:40.800 arise is because deep down he knew who he was, 0:23:41.440 --> 0:23:45.200 He knew what family he belonged to. When you understand 0:23:45.280 --> 0:23:50.000 your position, you can change your condition. When you understand 0:23:50.040 --> 0:23:53.280 that you are a child of the most High God, God, 0:23:53.359 --> 0:23:57.199 breathed his life into you. You were never created to 0:23:57.240 --> 0:24:02.920 live depressed, defeated, guilty condition, ashamed, unworthy. No, you were 0:24:02.960 --> 0:24:08.040 created to rule, to reign, to be victorious. Your condition 0:24:09.960 --> 0:24:13.920 may be way down here because of poor choices, mistakes 0:24:13.960 --> 0:24:16.520 you've made. You don't feel like you deserve it, you 0:24:16.520 --> 0:24:19.120 don't feel like you're worthy. But you've got to shake 0:24:19.160 --> 0:24:23.080 that off and say, I understand my position. I know 0:24:23.200 --> 0:24:26.720 who I am, a child of Almighty God. Now I 0:24:26.760 --> 0:24:29.240 may not feel like I deserve it, I may not 0:24:29.320 --> 0:24:32.400 feel like I'm worthy, but I know because of what 0:24:32.520 --> 0:24:36.280 Christ did. He made me worthy. He took my guilt 0:24:36.400 --> 0:24:39.520 so that I can be free. So I'm gonna arise 0:24:39.920 --> 0:24:43.320 and go to my father. That's what this young man did. 0:24:43.840 --> 0:24:47.080 And when the father saw him coming way down the road, 0:24:47.359 --> 0:24:50.320 the father took off running toward him. He gave his 0:24:50.359 --> 0:24:52.840 son a big hug, put a ring on his finger, 0:24:53.200 --> 0:24:55.960 a robe on his back. He said to his servants, 0:24:56.200 --> 0:25:00.800 let's celebrate my son has come back home. God will 0:25:00.840 --> 0:25:03.359 do the same thing for you when you make that 0:25:03.480 --> 0:25:06.880 decision that you're gonna shake off the guilt, shake off 0:25:06.880 --> 0:25:10.440 the condemnation, and say I'm gonna move forward with my life. 0:25:10.920 --> 0:25:13.560 When you make a move, God will make a move. 0:25:13.920 --> 0:25:20.240 He'll come running towards you with mercy, forgiveness, restoration, favor, increase. 0:25:20.560 --> 0:25:23.000 God can still get you to where you're supposed to be. 0:25:24.520 --> 0:25:28.480 So often when we make mistakes, the accusing voices go 0:25:28.600 --> 0:25:32.879 into overdrive, telling us that you can't ask God for help. 0:25:33.400 --> 0:25:36.200 It was your fault. You'd be a hypocrite. You brought 0:25:36.200 --> 0:25:40.280 this trouble on yourself. Now, this is when mercy comes in. 0:25:40.760 --> 0:25:44.560 When we do wrong, we ask for forgiveness. God forgives us. 0:25:45.000 --> 0:25:48.520 But when you really understand who you are, you won't 0:25:48.600 --> 0:25:51.720 just ask for forgiveness. You'll take it one step further 0:25:52.119 --> 0:25:56.199 and ask God for his mercy. Mercy, says God, I 0:25:56.280 --> 0:26:00.120 believe you will bless me in spite of these mistakes. 0:26:00.720 --> 0:26:03.520 That's what Jacob did. He had lived his life as 0:26:03.560 --> 0:26:07.840 a cheater, a deceiver, doing people wrong. One day he 0:26:07.920 --> 0:26:10.800 decided he wanted to make things right. He got tired 0:26:10.840 --> 0:26:13.320 of living that way. He went down to the brook 0:26:13.440 --> 0:26:16.840 so he could be alone. The scripture talks about how 0:26:16.880 --> 0:26:19.800 the Angel of the Lord appeared under him in the 0:26:19.800 --> 0:26:22.840 form of a man. Jacob and the angel began to 0:26:22.840 --> 0:26:26.240 wrestle It went on all night, and Jacob said to 0:26:26.280 --> 0:26:29.679 the angel, I know who you are, and I'm not 0:26:29.800 --> 0:26:33.280 going to let you go until you bless me. When 0:26:33.320 --> 0:26:36.159 the angel saw how determined Jacob was and how he 0:26:36.240 --> 0:26:39.200 wasn't going to give up, he reached over and gave 0:26:39.280 --> 0:26:44.480 Jacob God's blessing. Jacob left there a different person. God 0:26:44.520 --> 0:26:49.200 even changed his name from Jacob to Israel. Israel means 0:26:49.320 --> 0:26:53.240 prince with God. But can you imagine the nerve of Jacob. 0:26:53.640 --> 0:26:56.320 Don't you know? That took a lot of boldness here. 0:26:56.359 --> 0:27:02.120 He had practically lived his whole life making poor choices, receiving, cheating, lying. 0:27:02.600 --> 0:27:07.159 He should have felt overwhelmed with guilt, condemnation, all washed up, 0:27:07.840 --> 0:27:11.480 but somehow he had the confidence to not only ask 0:27:11.560 --> 0:27:15.320 for forgiveness, but he said, God, I believe you will 0:27:15.359 --> 0:27:19.959 bless me in spite of the way I've lived. Surely 0:27:20.000 --> 0:27:22.520 God would say, Jacob, what are you talking about? Are 0:27:22.560 --> 0:27:25.560 you crazy? You don't deserve to be blessed, not even 0:27:25.640 --> 0:27:29.200 really forgiven. I'm not gonna bless you no, God said, 0:27:29.200 --> 0:27:32.159 in effect, Jacob, I love the fact that you know 0:27:32.600 --> 0:27:38.040 who you are, my child, redeemed, forgiven, made worthy you 0:27:38.160 --> 0:27:41.320 not only asked to be forgiven, but you asked for 0:27:41.440 --> 0:27:44.600 my mercy, and Jacob, if you're bold enough to ask that, 0:27:44.680 --> 0:27:47.480 I'm bold enough to do it. That's the kind of 0:27:47.520 --> 0:27:52.159 faith that gets God's attention. Not when we drag around guilty, condemned, 0:27:52.520 --> 0:27:55.840 feeling wrong on the inside. No, it's time for us 0:27:55.880 --> 0:27:59.600 to arise and go to our Father. God is not 0:27:59.720 --> 0:28:04.240 the condemning you. That is the accuser. Change the channel, 0:28:04.760 --> 0:28:08.480 Stop dwelling on those thoughts. You may have failed, but 0:28:08.600 --> 0:28:12.959 God's mercy never fails. The sad thing is most people 0:28:13.080 --> 0:28:17.720 accept the condemnation quicker than they accept God's mercy. Don't 0:28:17.800 --> 0:28:21.400 let that be you. Shake off the guilt, shake off 0:28:21.640 --> 0:28:25.600 the negative mistakes from the past. Don't go another minute 0:28:25.640 --> 0:28:29.480 in regrets feeling bad about yourself. The moment you ask 0:28:29.560 --> 0:28:32.800 for forgiveness, God forgave you. Now you do your part 0:28:33.200 --> 0:28:36.680 and unload the baggage. Remember our new rule around here, 0:28:37.160 --> 0:28:41.680 no bags per customer. That means leave the guilt right 0:28:41.720 --> 0:28:45.160 where you are. Don't take it with you. We'll put 0:28:45.200 --> 0:28:49.400 it in the dumpster for you. Leave the bag of regrets, 0:28:50.080 --> 0:28:53.400 leave the bag of failures, Leave the bag of condemnation 0:28:53.800 --> 0:28:56.360 right where you are. Friends, If you will learn to 0:28:56.520 --> 0:29:01.240 silence the voice of the accuser, then guilt and cannot 0:29:01.280 --> 0:29:04.040 weigh you down. You will live a life of freedom, 0:29:04.360 --> 0:29:08.680 rising higher, overcoming obstacles, accomplish in dreams, and even though 0:29:08.720 --> 0:29:12.480 you make mistakes, I believe and declare you will still 0:29:12.760 --> 0:29:15.760 fulfill your God given destiny. Amen. How many of you 0:29:15.800 --> 0:29:20.760 receive it today? We never like to close our broadcast 0:29:21.080 --> 0:29:23.920 without giving you an opportunity to make Jesus the lord 0:29:23.960 --> 0:29:28.080 of your life. Would you pray with me? Just say, Lord, Jesus, 0:29:29.200 --> 0:29:33.800 I repent of my sins. Come into my heart. I 0:29:33.960 --> 0:29:37.600 make you my Lord and savior. Friends, if you prayed 0:29:37.600 --> 0:29:40.680 that simple prayer, we believe you got born again. Get 0:29:40.680 --> 0:29:43.760 in a good Bible based church. Keep God first place. 0:29:44.040 --> 0:29:46.280 He's going to take your places you've never dreamed of. 0:29:46.920 --> 0:29:50.360 Thank you for listening to the Joelus Deine podcast. Help 0:29:50.440 --> 0:29:53.160 us continue to share the message of hope with those 0:29:53.280 --> 0:29:56.840 all over the world. Visit Jolus Deine dot com slash 0:29:56.920 --> 0:29:58.920 give Hope to give a gift today. 0:30:00.240 --> 0:30:03.160 Thanks so much for listening to today's message. I hope 0:30:03.160 --> 0:30:06.520 you'll subscribe so you can receive the latest podcast to 0:30:06.600 --> 0:30:09.800 keep you inspired all through the week. We're praying for you. 0:30:10.000 --> 0:30:12.440 I know God's best is still ahead. We'll see you 0:30:12.520 --> 0:30:12.960 next time. 0:30:20.160 --> 0:30:22.920 With millions of books on Amazon, there's a reading feeling 0:30:22.960 --> 0:30:27.480 for everyone. For example, Quand's as he drifts away to 0:30:27.520 --> 0:30:31.280 Nirvana after only the first chapter is different to Maya's 0:30:32.360 --> 0:30:35.520 when she discovered the narrator was in fact the Evil Twin, 0:30:36.120 --> 0:30:39.720 which is also different to Noah's aw anytime the cute 0:30:39.720 --> 0:30:43.120 cyberpunk is mentioned, even though in reality he'd be totally 0:30:43.120 --> 0:30:48.520 out of his league. From two two Amazon books, that 0:30:48.680 --> 0:30:49.840 reading feeling awaits. 0:30:51.240 --> 0:30:54.960 All inclusive vacations make life easy with endless aids, bottomless drinks, 0:30:55.000 --> 0:30:57.520 and never ending fun, so booking an all inclusive vacation 0:30:57.600 --> 0:31:00.840 should be easy too, right. That's where appleviyas comes in. 0:31:00.960 --> 0:31:03.560 Book your all inclusive getaway with Apple Vacations and receive 0:31:03.600 --> 0:31:06.480 exclusive perks as select resorts. You'll find the best deals 0:31:06.480 --> 0:31:09.080 to secrets resorts in spas, in Mexico and the Caribbean, 0:31:09.160 --> 0:31:12.440 and enjoy a selection of exclusive NonStop vacation flights. Turn 0:31:12.480 --> 0:31:15.080 on Easymode at Apple vacations dot com or call your 0:31:15.080 --> 0:31:16.760 local travel advisor to get started. 0:31:20.240 --> 0:31:24.560 Be a barbecue hero with delicious ultralownet carb hero Bread 0:31:24.600 --> 0:31:27.840 buns and tortillas, soft and fluffy, high in fiber, and 0:31:27.920 --> 0:31:30.560 with zero grams of sugar, end up to ten grams 0:31:30.600 --> 0:31:33.560 of protein, coming in at under one hundred calories per serving. 0:31:33.800 --> 0:31:36.680 Oh and did I mention they taste like their mouthwatering 0:31:36.720 --> 0:31:40.600 traditional versions. It's enough to have the neighbors asking for seconds. 0:31:40.880 --> 0:31:43.920 Use code IHM ten for ten percent off your first 0:31:43.920 --> 0:31:47.480 hero Bread purchase at hero dot Co. That's quote IHM 0:31:47.560 --> 0:31:50.120 ten for ten percent off at hero dot co