4 Scriptures to Overcome Thoughts of Condemnation and Guilt

 

4 Scriptures to overcome thoughts of condemnation and guilt

by Barbara Latta @barbaralatta

Does your mind play games with your conscience over past sins? Do you suffer with guilt even though you know you are forgiven?

Sometimes the words of others can ignite those thoughts and bring the hammer down on any positive progression we have made in our souls.

I have heard these words from people before. "(Name of person) told me I have cancer because there must be sin in my life."

Or thoughts and accusations come after a disaster or tragedy such as, "This happened because of what I did." (Meaning they think they are being punished because of a past sin, not a consequence of a bad decisions such as having a wreck because of speeding.)

This way of thinking stems from traditions, someone's opinion (that may even be hundreds of years old), or Old Testament stories.

We look to the Old Testament accounts where God punished Israel for their sins and we bring these forward to today. The Lord had to give a penalty to them to keep the decay of transgressions from multiplying to the point of no return. Animal sacrifices offered a temporary reprieve but could not cleanse a person.

The Old Testament is given to us for a reason, but we need to keep reading and discover that Jesus set up a new covenant for believers. He is the One who paid for all sin for all time (Hebrews 10:12-14), and it is a done deal.

Even after we are born again, we can still beat ourselves up over our past.

But this is not the way He wants us as His body on the earth to function.

Because Jesus forgave us, He doesn't want us acting like defeated members of His Church who have no power to overcome. We are more than conquerors (Romans 8:37)

God hasn't changed. Sin does still need to be dealt with, but Jesus is the One who dealt with it for us. The Father inflicted the punishment for all sin upon His precious Son so that we wouldn't be punished for it.

Our part is to accept Christ's payment for us. If you are still bound by guilt over past sins, let go of the condemnation. Don't hold on to baggage that weighs so heavy on you that you can't move forward in your spiritual life.

Our enemy, the devil, can't take away our salvation. But he wants to paralyze us by keeping us focused on our wrongdoing. He uses these reminders to put condemnation in our minds. But we are told to focus on Christ's victory rather than the wrong we have done.

There is no iniquity more powerful than the blood of Jesus. Nothing is so bad that hasn't already been forgiven.

When your thoughts, or even other people, remind you of what may have transpired in your life, throw those words at the cross. The pure blood of Jesus has made your clean.

Talk to yourself with 4 simple confessions based on these Scriptures when you feel the downward spiral of judgment swirl around your soul.

I am loved. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8 NIV)

I am accepted. To the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved. (Ephesians 1:6 NKJV))

I am forgiven. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9 NKJV)

I am free. Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. (Galatians 5:1 NKJV)

Win the war in your mind by saying no to guilt and shame. We have the yes of victory in Christ.

Join the conversation and share your thoughts.

Does your mind play games with your conscience over past sins? Do you suffer with guilt even though you know you are forgiven? Here are 4 Scriptures to overcome thoughts of condemnation. (click to share on X)

 

 

 

 

Image by Mariya Muschard from Pixabay 4 poppies