Tag Archives: there is no condemnation

July 15, 2026 · 5:55 AM

When Willpower Fails

There’s a lot of things I try to do in life with willpower. I’ve tried eating healthy, going to the gym, saving money, and trying to stay consistent in disciplines. Willpower works for a little bit, but then some kind of trigger happens and I’m eating the wrong food, making an excuse why I need to do something and then breaking the habit I’m trying to build. I’ve tried reminders, delayed messages and calendar invites. When willpower fails, I feel like I’ve failed. I get down on myself and promise to do better tomorrow. After losing so many times, I finally give up trying and just decide that’s who I am. It makes me feel incapable of change.

In Romans 7, Paul talks about how we try to use willpower to fight temptation. It’s a losing battle too. In verse 15 he writes, “I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate” (NLT). It’s like when Peter told Jesus he would never betray Him or abandon him. He even said he would die for Him. It wasn’t but a few hours later when a little girl accused Peter of being a disciple. Peter cursed and made a big scene denying Jesus. Luke 22:61 says that when Peter denied Jesus the third time, Jesus turned to look at him. Peter then remembered what Jesus said and left weeping bitterly. Peter found out willpower couldn’t help and beat himself up. However, instead of condemning him, Jesus found him and restored him.

Romans 7 ends with Paul saying he feels miserable trying to fight temptation with willpower and failing. Then in Romans 8:1 he reminds us, “So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.” Condemnation says, “You’re bad. You’re a failure.” The conviction of the Holy Spirit says, “You failed, but there’s forgiveness available.” Paul encourages us to not try to live by willpower, but by the Spirit. Verse 13 says, “But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live.” The Holy Spirit helps us resist temptation and reminds us we are God’s children. Don’t try to fight sin and temptation with willpower alone. Ask the Holy Spirit to help. He will provide a way of escape from temptation. Follow His leading and quit relying on willpower alone.

Photo by Mitchell Hartley on Unsplash

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December 3, 2025 · 5:31 AM

Combating Shame

I’ve talked with a lot of people lately who are struggling with shame and condemnation. Shame says, “You are bad because of what you’ve done.” Condemnation says, “You are guilty and should be defined by this failure.” Neither of these are from God. They are lies from the enemy to keep you from growing and guilting you into minimizing communication with God and others. These lies dig roots down into your life to make you ineffective as a Christian. Just like any lie, it must be confronted with the truth of who you are in Christ and by who God is. It’s not easy to break their power over your mind and life, but it must be done.

In Luke 15 Jesus told the story of a son who shamed his father and his family by asking for his inheritance early. When he got it, he took off to be far away from his father to waste his inheritance. About the time the money ran out, there was a famine in the land. Shame and condemnation would want to keep him there away from his father. Then it says, “When he finally came to his senses, he said to himself, ‘At home even the hired servants have food enough to spare, and here I am dying of hunger!’” (NLT) He returned with the plan to use shame and condemnation’s words, “I’m not worthy to be your son.” However when his father heard it, he called for the family ring To be put in his finger, sandals to be put on his feet and for a robe to be placed around him. The father rejected those lies and showed him that his heart is for his children.

Romans 8:1 says, “So now there is NO condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.” If you are hearing the voice of those lies, know they are not from God. I love the parable of the Prodigal Son because it proves this verse. Had the son done those things? Yes, but God did not define him by those actions. Instead he reminded him and everyone else of his sonship. You are not what you have done in the past. Don’t stay in a foreign place while God is waiting for you to come home. God gives conviction to point out sin with the purpose of seeking forgiveness the way the prodigal did. He defines you as His child and is ready to restore you to where you belong. Quit listening to the lies of shame and condemnation. Speak the truth and walk in the freedom God gives.

Photo by Ali Naderi on Pexels.

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November 24, 2020 · 5:56 AM

Unquestionably Free

Several years ago, before I did Bible verses on Friday’s, I did “Free Friday”. I had attended a conference and heard people discuss all kinds of fears and self limiting behaviors they had. My idea was to write each Friday about getting free from the things that hold us back or slow us down when trying to move forward. Hebrews 12:1 tells us to lay aside anything that hinders us, slows us down or ensnares us. The understood emphasis in the sentence is that it’s up to us to do it. The only way I have the power to lay aside any sin that’s holding me back is if I’m still holding onto it after I’ve been forgiven of it. Every one of us are holding onto things that hold us back and are keeping ourselves imprisoned because of guilt or shame. It’s a trap of the enemy to hinder our growth and freedom.

Remember that Romans 8:1 tells us that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ. That means once Christ has forgiven you, He no longer condemns you for that sin. If you’re feeling it, it’s usually self induced and needs to be later aside. Remember that according to Galatians 5:1, it was for freedom that Christ set you free. He freed you so you could live and walk in freedom from your past. Yet, so many of us rarely walk in that freedom because we allow shame to hold us back. We allow ourselves to be ensnared in a mind game that tells us we must live the rest of our lives paying for our past. Paul, who wrote those verses, called himself the chief among sinners. He killed Christians for a living. If he was able to live in that freedom, you’re allowed to as well.

In John 8:36, Jesus reminds us that we are God’s children who are no longer enslaved to our sin or our past. He said, “So if the Son sets you free from sin, then become a true son and be unquestionably free!” (TPT) If Christ has forgiven your sins, you are unquestionably free from the eternal effects of them. You don’t have to live this life paying penance for your past. Every time those thoughts come in, chase them out with these words of Jesus. Every time guilt creeps in, chase it out with Romans 8:1. You are no longer a slave to your past. The blood of Jesus is stronger than anything you’ve ever done. It has the power to forgive and to set you free. Begin today to live unquestionably free and let God use your life to accomplish the purposes He created you for.

Photo by Benjamin Davies on Unsplash

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September 3, 2019 · 5:53 AM

Surrendering

Having been raised in church, there’s a time in my life I like to refer to as halftime. It’s a period where I chose to quit making my life about God and decided to make choices that were selfish. I lived the opposite way of what I knew to be right. It wasn’t long before God started trying to get my attention. Things in my life started to go wrong. I was losing the blessings God had given me. Stubbornly, I kept going in the direction I was headed ignoring God’s attempts to get my attention. Finally, things started getting so bad that I had no choice, but to surrender. I laid down on my living room floor one night and prayed, “God, I give up. I can’t do this any more.” The storm stopped, but I still had to live with the consequences of that period in my life.

As I read through the book of Jonah, I see some similarities. He was a God fearing man who lived the way he was supposed to. When God asked him to preach, he ran from his calling. While he was going the opposite direction in a boat, God sent a great storm to get his attention, but he ignored it. The Bible says that he was sleeping in the boat when the others had to wake him. As the storm worsened, he knew the only choice was surrender. Jonah 1:15-16 says, “Then the sailors picked Jonah up and threw him into the raging sea, and the storm stopped at once! The sailors were awestruck by the Lord’s great power, and they offered him a sacrifice and vowed to serve him” (NLT).

Even when you’ve made choices to run from God, He can use it for good. These sailors would never have given their lives to the Lord if Jonah wouldn’t have run away. They saw a powerful God who would stop at nothing until one of His lost sheep surrendered and came back into the fold. If you’ve been running from God, don’t wait until the storm gets so bad that you lose everything before you surrender. If run away, but you’ve already surrendered, get rid of the condemnation. God can use that period in your life for good, plus He can still use you for His purposes. Jonah led an entire city to God after he had run away. Your choices in the past haven’t negated God’s calling on your life. It’s time to move past your mistakes and start moving towards your calling.

Photo by Jean-Pierre Brungs on Unsplash

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