1 00:00:02,640 --> 00:00:06,360 Speaker 1: Life Audio. Hey friend, Heather Creekmore Here. We're still in 2 00:00:06,360 --> 00:00:10,000 Speaker 1: our Waiting for Weight Loss series through Easter and today. 3 00:00:10,039 --> 00:00:12,960 Speaker 1: Our topic is so important because if you don't know 4 00:00:13,039 --> 00:00:15,800 Speaker 1: how to do this, you will stay stuck in your 5 00:00:15,960 --> 00:00:20,159 Speaker 1: head and your health goals. Even if you're on your 6 00:00:20,200 --> 00:00:23,560 Speaker 1: way to meeting them your weight loss goals, you'll still 7 00:00:23,720 --> 00:00:27,840 Speaker 1: feel lousy along the way. So stay tuned. This is 8 00:00:27,920 --> 00:00:31,320 Speaker 1: perhaps one of the most important episodes of this series. 9 00:00:31,480 --> 00:00:34,120 Speaker 1: How can you tell the difference between the Holy Spirit's 10 00:00:34,159 --> 00:00:38,040 Speaker 1: conviction and condemnation from the enemy. That's where we're going today. 11 00:00:38,040 --> 00:00:54,640 Speaker 1: I'm glad you're here for it, and today we're talking 12 00:00:54,760 --> 00:00:58,280 Speaker 1: about a very important topic. In fact, as I've worked 13 00:00:58,280 --> 00:01:02,320 Speaker 1: with women over the years, is one thing that is 14 00:01:02,720 --> 00:01:06,720 Speaker 1: simple and yet mind blowing over and over and over 15 00:01:06,760 --> 00:01:09,640 Speaker 1: again for the women I work with, and that is 16 00:01:09,680 --> 00:01:16,640 Speaker 1: this concept of conviction versus condemnation. You see, most of 17 00:01:16,720 --> 00:01:21,200 Speaker 1: us have never paused or stopped to actually figure out 18 00:01:21,200 --> 00:01:24,680 Speaker 1: what the difference is in what we are hearing in 19 00:01:24,720 --> 00:01:28,640 Speaker 1: our heads and in our hearts. And so to help 20 00:01:28,680 --> 00:01:31,679 Speaker 1: make this clear, I've actually written about this in my 21 00:01:31,880 --> 00:01:36,200 Speaker 1: forty Day Body Image workbook. Looks like this. If you're 22 00:01:36,280 --> 00:01:40,399 Speaker 1: watching on YouTube, and this book's available everywhere books are sold. 23 00:01:41,000 --> 00:01:43,360 Speaker 1: But it's forty days worth of content. And I actually 24 00:01:43,480 --> 00:01:46,320 Speaker 1: walk you through this in something called the forty Day Journey, 25 00:01:46,319 --> 00:01:49,280 Speaker 1: and you can sign up for that. It starts April sixth, 26 00:01:49,360 --> 00:01:51,760 Speaker 1: so it's coming right up. But today what I want 27 00:01:51,760 --> 00:01:54,120 Speaker 1: to do is I can't read the whole book of course, 28 00:01:54,400 --> 00:01:56,320 Speaker 1: that I want to read you just a little bit 29 00:01:56,960 --> 00:02:01,280 Speaker 1: from the chapter. It's actually day twenty two, and it's 30 00:02:01,400 --> 00:02:04,920 Speaker 1: called Renewing your Thought Life, and this is separating the 31 00:02:05,040 --> 00:02:10,840 Speaker 1: difference between condemnation and conviction. It starts like this. In 32 00:02:10,880 --> 00:02:12,920 Speaker 1: the C. S. Lewis book The Screw Tape Letters, we 33 00:02:12,960 --> 00:02:16,919 Speaker 1: read stories of scheming demons. But I realize there's no 34 00:02:17,000 --> 00:02:19,120 Speaker 1: need for the enemy to spend a lot of thought 35 00:02:19,160 --> 00:02:22,000 Speaker 1: and time trying to take me out. All he needs 36 00:02:22,040 --> 00:02:25,000 Speaker 1: is a box of thin mints. Allow me to explain, 37 00:02:25,560 --> 00:02:28,160 Speaker 1: Girl Scout, cookie season always falls toward the beginning of 38 00:02:28,200 --> 00:02:30,440 Speaker 1: a new year. You know, the time of year when 39 00:02:30,440 --> 00:02:32,840 Speaker 1: you're still trying to keep the resolutions you've made about 40 00:02:32,880 --> 00:02:36,320 Speaker 1: being healthier. That sweet girl in her cute little green 41 00:02:36,400 --> 00:02:39,000 Speaker 1: uniform calls out from the cookie laden table outside the 42 00:02:39,040 --> 00:02:42,560 Speaker 1: grocery store do you want to buy some thin mints? Well, 43 00:02:42,600 --> 00:02:46,120 Speaker 1: of course I do, precious, But what happens next is 44 00:02:46,160 --> 00:02:49,280 Speaker 1: as predictable as spam in my inbox. I call it 45 00:02:49,480 --> 00:02:52,720 Speaker 1: promise busting. You see, by the time I've handed that 46 00:02:52,760 --> 00:02:55,679 Speaker 1: little girl a twenty dollars bill, I've already broken a 47 00:02:55,760 --> 00:02:58,360 Speaker 1: vow I made to myself last December while washing out 48 00:02:58,400 --> 00:03:02,280 Speaker 1: those Christmas cookie tins. I swore no more cookies for me. 49 00:03:02,560 --> 00:03:06,320 Speaker 1: I'm done. It was a ridiculous vow, no doubt, But 50 00:03:06,400 --> 00:03:08,840 Speaker 1: by filling my pantry with a rainbow of Girl Scout 51 00:03:08,840 --> 00:03:12,160 Speaker 1: cookie boxes, I flirt with the very food I swore 52 00:03:12,200 --> 00:03:15,560 Speaker 1: off just six months ago, six weeks ago. Now I 53 00:03:15,600 --> 00:03:18,800 Speaker 1: have a decision to make to cookie or not to cookie, 54 00:03:19,360 --> 00:03:22,640 Speaker 1: That is the question. The two lawyers in my head 55 00:03:22,639 --> 00:03:26,680 Speaker 1: begin negotiations. The cookie defense team explains how Girl Scout 56 00:03:26,680 --> 00:03:30,040 Speaker 1: cookies are a special treat, only available for a month 57 00:03:30,080 --> 00:03:33,959 Speaker 1: a year. How foolish I would be to miss that opportunity. Meanwhile, 58 00:03:34,000 --> 00:03:36,840 Speaker 1: the cookie prosecution reminds me that I'll never meet my 59 00:03:36,880 --> 00:03:40,160 Speaker 1: body goals if I indulge. The judge sends them to mediation. 60 00:03:40,720 --> 00:03:43,760 Speaker 1: An agreement is reached. I'll just eat a few today, 61 00:03:43,880 --> 00:03:49,080 Speaker 1: only just my favorites, can you relate? Of course, there 62 00:03:49,080 --> 00:03:52,120 Speaker 1: aren't that many cookies in those little boxes, So the 63 00:03:52,160 --> 00:03:54,760 Speaker 1: next time I run into a desperate little girl scout, 64 00:03:54,800 --> 00:03:58,400 Speaker 1: I buy more, and the process repeats, like that one 65 00:03:58,480 --> 00:04:01,000 Speaker 1: episode of the TV show that you didn't really enjoy. 66 00:04:01,080 --> 00:04:02,920 Speaker 1: Yet it seems to be the only one that's on 67 00:04:03,040 --> 00:04:05,800 Speaker 1: every time you flip through the channels. So what's really 68 00:04:05,800 --> 00:04:07,840 Speaker 1: happening in our heads? We've talked about the ways we've 69 00:04:07,840 --> 00:04:10,040 Speaker 1: been lied to, but let's take a closer look at 70 00:04:10,040 --> 00:04:11,880 Speaker 1: what's happening in our heads. See, a shame is part 71 00:04:11,880 --> 00:04:14,080 Speaker 1: of it. Guilt hangs out there too. But as we 72 00:04:14,120 --> 00:04:16,599 Speaker 1: get better at picking out the lies of the enemy, 73 00:04:16,920 --> 00:04:21,400 Speaker 1: we must learn to distinguish condemnation from conviction. Simply put, 74 00:04:21,560 --> 00:04:24,800 Speaker 1: condemnation comes from the enemy and conviction comes from the 75 00:04:24,800 --> 00:04:27,760 Speaker 1: Holy Spirit. It's often difficult to tell them apart, and 76 00:04:27,800 --> 00:04:31,880 Speaker 1: sometimes we can even convince ourselves that the enemy's condemnation 77 00:04:32,120 --> 00:04:35,279 Speaker 1: is helpful. When you feel bad after eating a whole 78 00:04:35,320 --> 00:04:39,480 Speaker 1: can of pringles, it may seem deserved that condemnation would 79 00:04:39,480 --> 00:04:44,240 Speaker 1: come and help you shape up your eating habits. That's 80 00:04:44,279 --> 00:04:47,920 Speaker 1: the tricky thing about the enemy's lies. They always contain 81 00:04:48,160 --> 00:04:51,080 Speaker 1: some element of truth. If the enemy tried to tell 82 00:04:51,120 --> 00:04:54,479 Speaker 1: you that pringles are a vegetable, you wouldn't fall for it. 83 00:04:54,520 --> 00:04:57,440 Speaker 1: But by convincing you that you shouldn't eat tomorrow because 84 00:04:57,480 --> 00:05:02,760 Speaker 1: you eat pringles today, Satan becomes a weight loss accountability partner. Wait, 85 00:05:03,360 --> 00:05:09,159 Speaker 1: what for Jesus' followers. Condemnation is never from the Lord, 86 00:05:09,839 --> 00:05:12,080 Speaker 1: so we never have to listen to it. In fact, 87 00:05:12,279 --> 00:05:15,200 Speaker 1: Scripture tells us that there is no condemnation for those 88 00:05:15,240 --> 00:05:18,120 Speaker 1: who are in Christ. Romans eat one. We don't have 89 00:05:18,200 --> 00:05:21,320 Speaker 1: to live as those who are condemned. We've been declared 90 00:05:21,400 --> 00:05:24,680 Speaker 1: righteous and free. Too many of us live condemned for 91 00:05:24,720 --> 00:05:28,000 Speaker 1: our food choices, as if eating something culture labels as 92 00:05:28,120 --> 00:05:31,880 Speaker 1: bad as a scarlet letter, even though all those green 93 00:05:32,000 --> 00:05:38,280 Speaker 1: diet powders and clean protein bars are actually processed too. Oops. 94 00:05:39,440 --> 00:05:42,560 Speaker 1: But I can find nowhere in my Bible that says 95 00:05:43,000 --> 00:05:46,880 Speaker 1: this is a Christian, healthy or helpful way to live. Instead, 96 00:05:47,080 --> 00:05:50,080 Speaker 1: I read that Jesus doesn't condemn us for what we eat. 97 00:05:50,800 --> 00:05:54,040 Speaker 1: Can you believe that he even spells that out for us? 98 00:05:54,560 --> 00:05:57,040 Speaker 1: It is not what goes into the mouth that defiles 99 00:05:57,080 --> 00:05:59,719 Speaker 1: a person, but what comes out of the mouth that 100 00:05:59,720 --> 00:06:04,400 Speaker 1: defiles a person. That's Matthew fifteen eleven. So let's get 101 00:06:04,480 --> 00:06:09,320 Speaker 1: back to condemnation versus conviction. Condemnation accompanies shame. It makes 102 00:06:09,400 --> 00:06:11,440 Speaker 1: us feel like we should hide or run to an 103 00:06:11,440 --> 00:06:13,920 Speaker 1: idol to save us. If those voices in your head 104 00:06:13,960 --> 00:06:16,920 Speaker 1: start scolding you or convincing you that there's something deeply 105 00:06:16,960 --> 00:06:19,359 Speaker 1: wrong with you because you didn't say no to a 106 00:06:19,440 --> 00:06:23,680 Speaker 1: thinn mint, this is condemnation. It's not from God. Conviction, 107 00:06:23,880 --> 00:06:25,800 Speaker 1: on the other hand, is the way the Holy Spirit 108 00:06:25,880 --> 00:06:28,840 Speaker 1: gently leads us and guides us to right living. We 109 00:06:28,880 --> 00:06:31,119 Speaker 1: can trust that if we lean not on our own 110 00:06:31,240 --> 00:06:35,359 Speaker 1: understanding Proverbs three five and six and ask the Lord 111 00:06:35,400 --> 00:06:38,960 Speaker 1: to guide us, he will help us. But his conviction 112 00:06:39,200 --> 00:06:42,920 Speaker 1: won't lead to shame or unhealthy solutions. The Holy Spirit's 113 00:06:42,960 --> 00:06:46,040 Speaker 1: role is to instruct you toward holiness, not in the 114 00:06:46,120 --> 00:06:49,279 Speaker 1: rules of the Keto plan. Praise God that he offers 115 00:06:49,360 --> 00:06:51,240 Speaker 1: us grace as we learn to relate to food and 116 00:06:51,320 --> 00:06:54,920 Speaker 1: healthier ways. His mercies are new every morning. Know that 117 00:06:54,960 --> 00:06:57,479 Speaker 1: God is not the one replaying in your head what 118 00:06:57,600 --> 00:07:01,040 Speaker 1: you ate yesterday or how bad your food choices were 119 00:07:01,040 --> 00:07:05,560 Speaker 1: from last weekend. This is the enemy guilt and shame 120 00:07:05,680 --> 00:07:08,760 Speaker 1: are never Jesus's answers to the way we struggle. He 121 00:07:08,880 --> 00:07:11,520 Speaker 1: provided a cure for our sin and shame on the cross. 122 00:07:12,200 --> 00:07:16,640 Speaker 1: His answer is to confess any sin, return to Him, 123 00:07:17,160 --> 00:07:20,760 Speaker 1: and walk in the spirit again forgiven. If you rely 124 00:07:20,880 --> 00:07:23,520 Speaker 1: on God to help you make decisions around food, you 125 00:07:23,600 --> 00:07:27,120 Speaker 1: can trust that his gentle conviction will tell you when 126 00:07:27,160 --> 00:07:30,600 Speaker 1: you've had enough. But the Holy Spirit won't call you 127 00:07:30,720 --> 00:07:34,600 Speaker 1: fatty or remind you repeatedly that you have finished the 128 00:07:34,640 --> 00:07:37,160 Speaker 1: rest of the box after you've said you'd only eat two. 129 00:07:38,880 --> 00:07:41,000 Speaker 1: That's where I'll stop. You can read the rest in 130 00:07:41,120 --> 00:07:44,000 Speaker 1: this forty Day Body Image workbook. I also have a 131 00:07:44,080 --> 00:07:48,400 Speaker 1: chart here on condemnation versus conviction, and I think this 132 00:07:48,440 --> 00:07:50,320 Speaker 1: is really helpful, and this is where we're close today. 133 00:07:51,040 --> 00:07:55,480 Speaker 1: So conviction always brings us closer in connection with God. 134 00:07:56,520 --> 00:07:58,600 Speaker 1: Are those voices you're hearing in your head that are 135 00:07:58,640 --> 00:08:00,840 Speaker 1: saying mean things? Do you bring you clin your connection 136 00:08:00,920 --> 00:08:05,120 Speaker 1: with God? If not, then they're probably condemnation, which attempts 137 00:08:05,160 --> 00:08:10,200 Speaker 1: to separate us from God. Conviction protects us while condemnation 138 00:08:10,360 --> 00:08:17,480 Speaker 1: guilds us. Conviction is hope filled. Condemnation brings shame, depression, 139 00:08:17,640 --> 00:08:23,080 Speaker 1: and anxiety. Conviction is also specific and targeted to lead 140 00:08:23,200 --> 00:08:28,160 Speaker 1: us to repentance. You did this specific thing, and here 141 00:08:28,360 --> 00:08:33,240 Speaker 1: is the resolution. The way out is repentance. But condemnation 142 00:08:33,400 --> 00:08:37,319 Speaker 1: is different. Condemnation is hopeless. You'll never get better. You're 143 00:08:37,360 --> 00:08:41,440 Speaker 1: such a loser. It's vague, and it's generalizing. You're so lazy, 144 00:08:42,240 --> 00:08:47,960 Speaker 1: you have no discipline. You know what it sounds like. So, friend, 145 00:08:48,480 --> 00:08:52,400 Speaker 1: as we consider condemnation versus conviction today, I just want 146 00:08:52,440 --> 00:08:54,200 Speaker 1: to encourage you. Hey, go grab this book. If this 147 00:08:54,240 --> 00:08:56,640 Speaker 1: is a problem for you, join us on the next 148 00:08:56,679 --> 00:09:00,960 Speaker 1: forty day journey. But this is important, right. So many 149 00:09:01,040 --> 00:09:03,040 Speaker 1: of us have been raised in what I would call 150 00:09:03,160 --> 00:09:07,240 Speaker 1: diet culture, where we've almost come to believe that those shaming, 151 00:09:07,360 --> 00:09:11,800 Speaker 1: negative voices are helpful on our weight loss journey. But 152 00:09:11,840 --> 00:09:15,800 Speaker 1: did you hear what I read there? Condemnation is from 153 00:09:15,840 --> 00:09:19,440 Speaker 1: the enemy. So if those shaming, guilting voices are what 154 00:09:19,480 --> 00:09:23,079 Speaker 1: you're considering helpful on your weight loss journey, who have 155 00:09:23,200 --> 00:09:29,800 Speaker 1: you made your weight loss accountability partner? Satan? Really yikes? No, 156 00:09:31,120 --> 00:09:34,400 Speaker 1: don't make the enemy your weight loss accountability partner. Front. 157 00:09:35,160 --> 00:09:37,320 Speaker 1: You don't have to listen to any of his lies, 158 00:09:38,000 --> 00:09:40,280 Speaker 1: even if they have a shade of truth in them. 159 00:09:40,640 --> 00:09:43,640 Speaker 1: We are not to live by lies. He is not 160 00:09:43,800 --> 00:09:47,280 Speaker 1: to be our accountability partner, our coach, our advisor in 161 00:09:47,360 --> 00:09:51,080 Speaker 1: any way. God has given us the Holy Spirit for 162 00:09:51,160 --> 00:09:55,200 Speaker 1: that job. He's our comforter, he's our counselor know the 163 00:09:55,280 --> 00:09:58,800 Speaker 1: difference between his voice and the voice of the enemy, 164 00:09:59,360 --> 00:10:01,200 Speaker 1: and that's going to be make this journey a whole 165 00:10:01,240 --> 00:10:04,040 Speaker 1: lot different for you. And I'm so glad you listened today. Again, 166 00:10:04,120 --> 00:10:05,920 Speaker 1: join us on that forty day journey, friend, I think 167 00:10:06,000 --> 00:10:08,080 Speaker 1: I think it could be life changing for you. You 168 00:10:08,120 --> 00:10:11,120 Speaker 1: can sign up at Improvedbody image dot com look for 169 00:10:11,160 --> 00:10:13,240 Speaker 1: the forty day Journey tab. And if you're not in 170 00:10:13,240 --> 00:10:15,600 Speaker 1: the waiting for we Lost community yet, maybe today's your day. 171 00:10:15,920 --> 00:10:18,440 Speaker 1: Or maybe you're there you've joined or hanging out, but 172 00:10:18,440 --> 00:10:22,040 Speaker 1: you haven't commented yet. What did you think about this episode? 173 00:10:22,480 --> 00:10:26,240 Speaker 1: Are you listening to condemnation or are you living by conviction? 174 00:10:26,920 --> 00:10:29,440 Speaker 1: Can't wait to talk with you over there. Thanks for listening. 175 00:10:29,840 --> 00:10:37,280 Speaker 1: Bye bade Mari two Podcasts is proud to be part 176 00:10:37,280 --> 00:10:39,880 Speaker 1: of a Life Audio podcast network. For more great Christian 177 00:10:39,920 --> 00:10:48,640 Speaker 1: podcast go to life audio dot com.