Guilt, Conviction, and Freedom
After watching 10 episodes of The Staircase on Netflix, my wife and I feel like lawyers. Or jurors. We’ve been schooled in the difference between “guilty” and “not guilty” and a lot of other legal stuff.
Did you realize our legal system never says someone is innocent . . . just that there’s enough evidence to find the accused guilty beyond a reasonable doubt? Or not.
I doubt anyone reading this post sees themselves as innocent of sin. Come on . . . we all screw up! Some big. Some small. Some rarely. Some often. Sometimes we choose to disobey God, our conscience, or both. Sometimes we don’t mean to . . . we just kind of wake up and realize we said or did something we shouldn’t have. We feel a twinge of guilt in our spirit. We did it, we know it, and we regret it.
But now what? What do we do? How do we deal with it and move on?
I believe guilt is a catalyst for conviction, forgiveness, and freedom. Guilt happens the minute we ‘do the deed.’ Conviction happens when the verdict arrives. It says “you are guilty and this is the penalty for what you did.” Freedom comes after the price is paid and forgiveness is received.
There’s an old saying: “Keep short accounts with God and men.” Often the man we have the hardest time forgiving is ourselves. When I screw up, I try to force myself to confess, ask forgiveness from the other person and then forgive myself. That last step is the one many of us forget.
This happened to me just last week. I was meeting with a sharp young guy who was really paying attention to my input. Out of my mouth comes a filthy word that had no purpose other than to prove my manhood and hubris. I immediately felt the Holy Spirit kick me in the conscience. I had to confess and ask his forgiveness. It didn’t feel good. It still doesn’t. But it’s over. I dealt with it. I’m not carrying it around and letting the devil keep beating me up with it.
If we ignore these twinges of guilt, we cut ourselves off from one of God’s best ‘guidance systems’ for our lives. We can become callous in our words and actions and over time, become hard-hearted on the outside and guilt-ridden on the inside. Not where we want to be.
But if we’ll ‘keep short accounts,’ act when we’re convicted, and deal with our guilt, we can live in freedom, grateful for His love and forgiveness. Over time, we might even become a little more like Jesus, avoiding sin in the first place.
“It is the Holy Spirit’s job to convict, God’s job to judge and my job to love.” – Billy Graham
Scripture: Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. (James 5:16a)
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Responses (1)
Hey Regi,
Thanks for your heart with MENTORING Men. When it comes to shame and guilt I do believe the Holy Spirit Does convict us.Why is it then when it comes to some addictive behaviors the pattern is repeated time and time again. I believe one of the reasons is because in someway hearts are in denial. We don’t know what’s going on deep in the wounds of our soul. I have been the leading of Pure Desire group at my church for the last two years and what I’ve seen as men begin to understand their stories and address the wounds in their lives they are able to apply the grace of God to those areas. This though can’t be done in isolation but in a safe community of other men that are wanting freedom and healing as well. I went to a Pure Desire University last year and it changed me greatly in helping other men to overcome and have victory in this area. It also free’s them up to become the person they were created to be in Christ!
Just wondering If you would like to find out more about this and help us to promote this event in the New York area in the fall. I would love to talk to you about it. Details are below.
Pure Desire (PD) University Join us on November 2-3, 2018 at Shelter Rock Church for an informative two day conference (Friday 630 PM -9 PM and Saturday 9 AM – 530 PM). Location: 626 Plandome Rd, Manhasset NY 11030. According to recent stats, approximately 70% of men attending church struggle with purity issues. Traditionally, this was viewed as a man’s sin, but an increasing number of women and children are being trapped in the web of porn and sexual and love addiction. Also many husband and wives are struggling with betrayal issues. As such, we believe it is a moral imperative that the church is equipped with the knowledge and resource needed to fight this battle and restore a wounded heart to Jesus Christ in an atmosphere of grace and love.
· This conference is open to everyone, male and female, husband and wives, father and son, mom and daughter (14 years and older) because it effects the whole family.
· This conference is designed to reduce shame and allow God’s grace to work deeply in your life. It will also provide training in starting groups to begin the healing process.
· The information will be beneficial all! This is an excellent opportunity for Church leadership to bring healing to their congregations!
Sign up now for $89.00 (Early registration until Aug 1, $99 to October 1, $129 there after. This is open to all churches in the area, so register early, we expect event to sell out!
See you there and let’s reduce the shame and isolation and setting God’s children and the hurting world around us free! More information below and registration links!
Feel free to share all this material in your church! Pure Desire University Promo Video, 1 min 20 sec
https://vimeo.com/252584845
Facebook event page
https://m.facebook.com/events/2050784168472852/
Pure Desire website registration page
https://puredesire.org/pages/pd-university-new-york-ny
Pure Desire University (PDU) podcast! What’s it all about and why have a PDU IN NEWYORK (30min)
https://puredesire.org/blogs/podcast/episode-031-pd-university
Pure Desire University brochure
https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1869/0555/files/pdu-brochure-2018.pdf?2634314365783576937
Promotion kit can be used to print posters and all other material, get excited about sharing this and storming the gates of hell!
https://drive.google.com/drive/mobile/folders/1t2wLE7H6KNxzS9t8IRrZXWDCmoGoguMU?usp=sharing
Please feel free to contact me Phillip Majuk at 718-664-8353 or pmajuk@gmail.com
I would love to sit down with you and answer any questions that you may have. Our vision for this ministry is for God to all people free of Sexual sins all over Long Island in there Local Church!