Is Someone Living Rent-Free in the Apartment of Your Unforgiveness?

   I often find myself judging others through a harsher lens than the one through which I judge myself. A basic human urge to not find myself worse than others can sometimes result in searching for their sin to assure my heart that I am at least no worse than them, and if I am honest, I admit to hoping to find them worse than me -- and by implication, finding my self better than them. This mindset is sin because it breaks God's command that we not judge. Jesus said -  Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. (Luke 6:37)

 

   So what's the antidote to the recurring sin of judging others? I find these things fruitful...

   1- Refuse to receive condemnation. Romans 8:1 says --- There is therefore no condemnation fo those who are in Christ Jesus...  In some places the bible speaks of Christ being in us and in others as us being in Christ. Both are true for believers. He is in us by His Spirit and we are in Him by faith. Pastor David Guzik wrote --

 

   The verdict is not “less condemnation.” That’s where many of us are at - we think that our standing has improved in Jesus. It hasn’t improved, it’s been completely transformed, changed to no condemnation.

 

   We don't have less condemnation. In Christ, we have none. Condemnation may be often offered to us by people and by Satan, but we can confidetly refuse it, citing this scripture.

 

    2- Forgive yourself of the sins God has forgiven. Forgiveness is a gift from God. A gift requires a receiver. God freely forgives as we repent, When we truely receive this gift, our sin guilt is erased. This is possible only by the Grace of God. Receive the gift of forgiveness. Let go of guilt and shame. Hebrews 4:15 says -- For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses....

 

    3- Stop collecting offenses. Start seeking opportunities to forgive others. Jesus told Peter to forgive 7 times 70 times in one day to one person's sin. Most of us will never offer that much forgiveness in a day, but we can make a choice to find opportunities to forgive each day. Pray for the Holy Spirit to prod you when those opportunities arrive. Don't allow the magnitude of the offense determine what you will forgive. Jesus forgave His killers even as they were killing Him.

 

   Often our habit of judging has been formed over many years when our flesh dominated our behavior. Now His Spirit dominates. The new has come, the old is gone... But the old flesh may try to claw its way back into our hearts. Intentionaly forgiving can replace the habit of judging.  

 

   Recieve the fullness of God's forgiveness, step out from under condemnation and live in the freedom of Christ.

 

  Who can you set free today from your judgement and condemnation?

 

   Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, [fn] and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. (Gal 5:1)

A Backfired Exorcism, A Beating from Hell, and the Descendants of the Seven Sons of Sceva

  Acts Chapter 19 recounts a weird story that occurred in Ephesus. There was a Jewish high priest named Sceva who had seven sons. These brothers formed an itinerant exorcism team and attempted to make a living casting evil spirits out of people. Apparently they stumbled across information that a guy named Paul was easily and consistently casting out evil spirits in the name of Jesus of Nazareth. The seven sons of Sceva decided to improve their brand by applying Paul's method, and they had some successful exorcisms by usurping the name of Jesus of Nazareth whom Paul declares. The Lord himself had predicted this possibility saying --- Many will say to me in that day, Lord have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in your name, and done many wonders in your name? And then I will declare to them -- I never knew you.... (Matthew 7:23-24a NKJV)

 

   Well, it didn't turn out too well for Sceva's boys. They attempted to cast out a demon in Jesus name and got a surprising response when the evil spirit asked -- Jesus I know, and Paul I know, but who are you? (Acts 19:15 NKJV) Then he beat them up! This might seem funny, but I'm sure it wasn't to them! One evil spirit possessed man, beat all seven of them senseless, beat them out of their clothes, beat them until they ran screaming like little girls, leaving a path of blood as they fled that house.

 

  It often happens that people obtain or lay claim to a Christian title but lack the authority and power that should accompany it -- power that only God can provide and will provide to those He knows. They create a calling that they think they'll enjoy or be successful at, and claim that God has called them, much like like the seven sons of Sceva claimed the power of the Name of Jesus, but never knew Him.   

 

  I recently read that the average American pastor spends ten minutes a day in both personal prayer and bible study with the Lord, and the average Christian spends three minutes a day. If these numbers are even close to accurate, it seems like Sceva's boys have multiplied, and taken over our churches, claiming the Name, the Authority, and the Power of someone they don't even know. They also claim a right to the benefits that accrue to Followers of Christ, without a clue of how to follow or even find Him. It would be like declaring yourself married to a spouse you never saw, couldn't describe, didn't really know where they lived or how they felt about you. That kind of marriage would result in a relationship that had very few benefits!

 

 Paul wrote that we should all - Desire the greatest gifts.... of God. That's a good thing. But we'll never acquire them unless we intimately know the Giver. That doesn't require much, but it's apparently more than many will give. It requires time spent daily in intimate prayer, and time spent in His Word. There is no substitute for either. Its really that simple.

 

   If you encountered a powerful minion of the Devil from Hell, how would he react to you? Would he see you like Paul, walking in the authority of one of Christ's own, or would he laugh and beat the hell out you?

 

   We aren't told what ultimately happened to Sceva's sons. It is possible that this experience turned their hearts to Jesus. I hope so. Their time has come and gone, but the end of our story is not yet written.

 

   Will your next chapters be written describing your intimacy with God? Will Jesus one day welcome you as an old friend, or will He wonder who you are?

 

 

Copyright 2013 Mission of the Master Ministries, Inc. May be reprinted in whole or in part if a link is provided to http://wordworkswednesday.blogspot.com