A Nugget from New Life Network
(by Dr. Larry Ollison)
Scripture for the Day (December 18, 2018)
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. (Romans 8:1)
One of the greatest tools the enemy uses to destroy lives is condemnation. He is the king of guilt and he feeds on the insecurity of those who are already fighting for survival. He takes the failures of the past and brings them into the present, then uses these thoughts to bring guilt, regret, and condemnation.
The definition of condemnation is a sense of guilt and the feeling that punishment is deserved. It’s understandable how a non-Christian can have these feelings. Because a non-Christian does not have the Holy Spirit living within him, he is defenseless against these attacks. However, a Christian is equipped with the anointing and authority to rise above this.
Which brings us to the question: If a Christian has the authority over the power of the enemy to repel guilt, regret, and condemnation, then why are there so many men and women of God who are fighting depression? The answer can be summed up in one word: Deception!
Deception will cause what is right to look wrong and what is wrong to look right. It creates an illusion and by definition, the illusion is not truth.
A Christian is righteous and has been cleansed from all past sin by the blood of Jesus. In other words, we have been made righteous because of what Jesus accomplished when He put His blood on the altar and it has nothing to do with our past accomplishments or failures. Our past is irrelevant and His act of sacrifice is the foundation of our righteousness. When God looks at us, He sees us through the blood of Jesus and we are clean. We are the church. We are the body of Christ.
But here is where the deception develops. It’s when we place our faith in what we see instead of what God says. When we say what we see instead of speaking God’s promise to us, we open the door for the enemy to enter our mind and bring with him discouragement, disappointment, despair, and depression. The only way these four soldiers of the enemy can be defeated in battle is by the Word of God. This battle takes place in the mind in the realm of the soul and you have a choice. You can allow the enemy to build a fortress or with one swing of the sword of the Spirit, you can decapitate every enemy attempting to destroy your life.
The purpose behind the enemy’s attack is to steal the anointing, to kill your dreams, and destroy your life (John 10:10). But as a Christian, you have the ability to defeat the enemy with ease. The enemy uses lies to try to convince you of your worthlessness and bring captivity. But the Word of God uses the truth to defeat the enemy and bring freedom (John 8:31-32).
Of course we know that freedom is better than captivity and the truth is better than a lie, but deception brings confusion, and confusion brings defeat. God is not the author of confusion (1 Corinthians 14:33) and by staying in His Word, the mental fog in the battlefield of the mind will be cleared and you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.
There are some who feel they have no control over what they think. But that statement in itself is not true. God would never command a person to do something that they did not have the ability to do. And in the Word of God we are told clearly what to think and what not to think. We are told in Philippians 4:8 that we should think on things that are good, lovely, and pure. On the other hand, we are told to take captive any thought that rises up against the knowledge of God and cast it out. If God tells us to do it, then we can. And if we can, we should. And if we do, we have freedom.
