The end result of satan’s scheming after Christians is to render us as ineffective. One of our enemy’s greatest weapons against us is the constant reminder and crippling effects of guilt and shame. We, however, must hold fast to Jesus and find that the exaltation of His glory will be our greatest defense.
Observations:
- The goal of the enemy is to control you, to lead you into harm, to drive you away from life, love, and community
- The goal of the enemy is to push Jesus away
- The goal of the enemy is to discredit and diminish the name of Jesus
Conclusions:
- Any influence (spirit) that motivates you by fear away from community and self-care is not from God
- Any influence (spirit) that moves you away from Jesus is not from God
- Any influence (spirit) that recoils at God’s remedy of the blood of Jesus is not from God
Counterattack: for guilt and shame
- Guilt – Confess your sins by looking to Jesus
- Shame – Cover yourself with Christ
- Glory – Communicate your testimony of Jesus
Matthew 8:29
“What do you want with us, Son of God?” they shouted. “Have you come here to torture us before the appointed time?”
Luke 8:31
“And they begged Jesus repeatedly not to order them to go into the Abyss.”
John 15:5
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”
Psalm 103:11-12
“For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.”
Romans 8:1-2
“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.”
Luke 5:4-8
“When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.” Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.” When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink. When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!”
Genesis 3:21
“The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them.”
Romans 3:23-25b
“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith.”
Psalm 32:3-5
“When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy on me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer. Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.” And you forgave the guilt of my sin.”
Galatians 3:26-27
“So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.”
Philippians 3:13-14
“Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”
2 Corinthians 5:17
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”