Dealing with Guilt and Failure

Dealing with Guilt and Failure

We ALL have failings in keeping the Lord’s commandments. I fail all the time as well. That is why God sent his Son because we are unable to keep the law. Young Christians struggle even more because they are not mature in the Lord. Men that are not able to fellowship with other strong believers will have additional difficulties. God does not expect perfection from you or anybody else. He sent the Holy Spirit to help us because he knew we would need help. You are in the process of being “sanctified” and that does not come overnight. It takes years to grow in the maturity of the Lord and you will have many failings and guilt. BUT as the truth of the Word becomes strong in you, it will change you. You must believe that. You have been made righteous and a son of God “IN Christ”.

Galatians 3:24-26 “So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law. You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus,”

As you can see this comes by faith! God is not concerned with our performing the law because Jesus fulfilled the law. He only wants to see faith. Faith in what Jesus did at the cross sets us free! Our “righteousness” is already completed in the work of the cross.

2 Corinthians 5:17-21 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 18All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. 21God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Again, the old is gone, your sins are not counted against you, in Christ you have the righteousness of God! Do not discount or throw away this great promise! Jesus gave his life to give you this promise!

1 Peter 1:3-4,23 “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the , 4and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you…. 23For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.”

You have been born-again of a seed and a promise that cannot perish!

Romans 8:1-2 “There is therefore now no condemnation (guilt) to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and .”

Stop feeling guilty and realize who you are IN Christ Jesus. If you keep your thoughts on the things of the Spirit and the truth of His Word then you will not experience guilt. You have been freed from the Law and the guilt that it brings!

John 8:36 “Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.”

Galatians 5:1 (New Living Translation) “So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law.”

If Christ has made you free, don’t go back to Law!

1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” See also Psalm 51:10

If God says we are clean then we are clean.

Psalm 103:12 (New Living Translation) “He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west.” See also Ezekiel 11:19,20

Renew your mind with theses verses. Hid them in your heart. Do not be persuaded otherwise. Be filled with the fruits of the Spirit.

Galatians 5:22-25 (New Living Translation) “But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!
24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. 25 Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.”

I would also recommended reading Romans chapters 6,7,8 multiple times, until the work of the cross (chap. 6), the uselessness of the law (chap. 7), and the victory by the Spirit (chap. 8), burns deep in your soul.