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"Condemnation is an identity crusher."
As quoted from the book "Victor - Breaking Free From a Victim-Based Society" by John H. Hovis Page 59.
There is nothing like a healthy dose of condemnation to make us question who we are. I'll bet you can think back to your childhood and remember words that were spoken over your life that still have a power over you in ways that are unmistakable. If you are like the vast majority of the people on this planet, you too will have had way too many negative and condemning words spoken into your life that continue to influence you today.
Why does condemnation have such a power over our identity like I believe it does? Could it be that we just weren't designed to be condemned in any way? I believe that is exactly the case.
We are made to live forever in a life-giving, positive place with our creator as our daily companion. Because we choose something less than that idealistic way of living, we have been placed in a world that wants us to literally kill ourselves trying to prove something we already are.
It is when we fail to gather that proof of who we are that the words of those who were just as lost as we are come back to haunt us. The condemning words of those we looked up to in the past, who were stuck in victim thinking as we can be at times, is what helps to fuel belief in the lie that we will never be the victor we feel like we should be deep down inside of our souls.
That's why God has taken such elaborate steps to eliminate condemnation from our lives as far as He is concerned. The absolute beauty and power of a savior is something I don't think we let ourselves ponder for very long.
You see, condemnation can only come from God when we choose how we want our lives to be judged. If we choose to be judged by what we do as proof of who we are, we can't help but to hear the condemning words from God Himself. We will never be able to do enough to measure up to the ideals of perfection required to commune with our creator. Choosing to be judged based on our actions is a strategy that assures defeat.
Jesus isn't a the founder of a religion. He is the eliminator of condemnation. The fact that he took on the punishment of all our imperfections makes us perfect. He stood in our place so that we could have communion with our creator no matter how good our bad our lives look at any given moment. No other religion can do what Christianity does. A follower of Christ can't be condemned because there are no expectations when it comes to performance as far as God is concerned.
Check out this simple Bible verse regarding condemnation.
The Lord will rescue his servants; no one who takes refuge in him will be condemned. Psalm 34:22 (NIV)
None of those who come to God will be condemned. It doesn't say as soon as you get your life in order condemnation will be gone. It doesn't even say that if you are good at what you do for God you won't be condemned. No, condemnation is gone when we simply come to Him. That's the beautiful message of Jesus Christ. Where all other religions require performance to be the benchmark of acceptance, Christianity stands out by making acceptance automatic by what God has done rather than what we might do.
If performance doesn't enter the picture when acceptance is concerned, then how can there be condemnation? Condemnation comes when we are chastised for not being good enough at what one person thinks we should be good at. Condemnation comes when a parent is disappointed at how we have turned out. Condemnation comes when an employer finds fault with our abilities and actions at work. Condemnation comes when a spouse rejects us because our love for them didn't rise to a level of acceptance to meet their needs. With Christ, condemnation is gone because performance isn't even part of the equation as far as acceptance, worth and love are concerned.
That's why our identity is crushed when condemnation is allowed to remain in our lives. It is God who made us. It is God who has given us an identity. The fact that we are God's children is what makes our victor status something we can live out whether we are performing up to a some standard of excellence in our lives or not.
If you are doubting who you are because of the condemning words someone has spoken over you life in your past maybe the issues is that you really don't believe who God says you are. Next time you are reacting to the hurtful words of your past say to yourself, "Does it really matter that I will never be able to __________ (fill in the blank)? I am a Child of God's"
Let the power of who you are overwhelm the lies spoken over your life. God is the only truth we will ever need to have in our lives. Why not believe who He says we are and then live the life of the victor He has made possible for us to live in this world today.
Why does condemnation have such a power over our identity like I believe it does? Could it be that we just weren't designed to be condemned in any way? I believe that is exactly the case.
We are made to live forever in a life-giving, positive place with our creator as our daily companion. Because we choose something less than that idealistic way of living, we have been placed in a world that wants us to literally kill ourselves trying to prove something we already are.
It is when we fail to gather that proof of who we are that the words of those who were just as lost as we are come back to haunt us. The condemning words of those we looked up to in the past, who were stuck in victim thinking as we can be at times, is what helps to fuel belief in the lie that we will never be the victor we feel like we should be deep down inside of our souls.
That's why God has taken such elaborate steps to eliminate condemnation from our lives as far as He is concerned. The absolute beauty and power of a savior is something I don't think we let ourselves ponder for very long.
You see, condemnation can only come from God when we choose how we want our lives to be judged. If we choose to be judged by what we do as proof of who we are, we can't help but to hear the condemning words from God Himself. We will never be able to do enough to measure up to the ideals of perfection required to commune with our creator. Choosing to be judged based on our actions is a strategy that assures defeat.
Jesus isn't a the founder of a religion. He is the eliminator of condemnation. The fact that he took on the punishment of all our imperfections makes us perfect. He stood in our place so that we could have communion with our creator no matter how good our bad our lives look at any given moment. No other religion can do what Christianity does. A follower of Christ can't be condemned because there are no expectations when it comes to performance as far as God is concerned.
Check out this simple Bible verse regarding condemnation.
The Lord will rescue his servants; no one who takes refuge in him will be condemned. Psalm 34:22 (NIV)
None of those who come to God will be condemned. It doesn't say as soon as you get your life in order condemnation will be gone. It doesn't even say that if you are good at what you do for God you won't be condemned. No, condemnation is gone when we simply come to Him. That's the beautiful message of Jesus Christ. Where all other religions require performance to be the benchmark of acceptance, Christianity stands out by making acceptance automatic by what God has done rather than what we might do.
If performance doesn't enter the picture when acceptance is concerned, then how can there be condemnation? Condemnation comes when we are chastised for not being good enough at what one person thinks we should be good at. Condemnation comes when a parent is disappointed at how we have turned out. Condemnation comes when an employer finds fault with our abilities and actions at work. Condemnation comes when a spouse rejects us because our love for them didn't rise to a level of acceptance to meet their needs. With Christ, condemnation is gone because performance isn't even part of the equation as far as acceptance, worth and love are concerned.
That's why our identity is crushed when condemnation is allowed to remain in our lives. It is God who made us. It is God who has given us an identity. The fact that we are God's children is what makes our victor status something we can live out whether we are performing up to a some standard of excellence in our lives or not.
If you are doubting who you are because of the condemning words someone has spoken over you life in your past maybe the issues is that you really don't believe who God says you are. Next time you are reacting to the hurtful words of your past say to yourself, "Does it really matter that I will never be able to __________ (fill in the blank)? I am a Child of God's"
Let the power of who you are overwhelm the lies spoken over your life. God is the only truth we will ever need to have in our lives. Why not believe who He says we are and then live the life of the victor He has made possible for us to live in this world today.
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