1 00:00:02,700 --> 00:00:03,790 Speaker 1: Life Audio. 2 00:00:05,190 --> 00:00:07,110 Speaker 2: Teach Us to Pray is brought to you by Life 3 00:00:07,210 --> 00:00:10,190 Speaker 2: Audio and is a part of our Faith Toolkit series. 4 00:00:10,970 --> 00:00:16,410 Speaker 2: For more inspirational, faith-affirming podcasts, visit lifeaudio.com. 5 00:00:20,500 --> 00:00:23,239 Speaker 1: As believers, it is important to know that God will 6 00:00:23,280 --> 00:00:24,000 Speaker 1: convict us. 7 00:00:24,640 --> 00:00:27,890 Speaker 3: But He does not condemn us. 8 00:00:28,660 --> 00:00:34,060 Speaker 1: In today's episode, learn the difference between conviction and condemnation 9 00:00:34,420 --> 00:00:39,030 Speaker 1: so you can ensure that you are accurately hearing from God. 10 00:00:48,150 --> 00:00:50,910 Speaker 1: Welcome back, friend. You are listening to the Teach Us 11 00:00:50,950 --> 00:00:54,920 Speaker 1: to Pray podcast. where we teach believers practical and real-life 12 00:00:54,940 --> 00:00:57,790 Speaker 1: tips on how to grow your faith and relationship with 13 00:00:57,830 --> 00:01:02,370 Speaker 1: God through the power of prayer. I'm Christina Patterson, host 14 00:01:02,490 --> 00:01:04,890 Speaker 1: of the Teach Us to Pray podcast and founder of 15 00:01:04,930 --> 00:01:08,229 Speaker 1: Beloved Women, where I have the honor of encouraging, equipping, 16 00:01:08,330 --> 00:01:11,400 Speaker 1: and empowering women all over the world in the love 17 00:01:11,540 --> 00:01:17,700 Speaker 1: and truth of Jesus Christ at BelovedWomen.org. Today, I want 18 00:01:17,740 --> 00:01:20,559 Speaker 1: to start off by asking you a question. Have you 19 00:01:20,840 --> 00:01:25,290 Speaker 1: ever felt bad? Like you did something wrong, but you 20 00:01:25,370 --> 00:01:29,650 Speaker 1: couldn't quite put your finger on what you did. And 21 00:01:29,730 --> 00:01:34,260 Speaker 1: now you're wondering if God's mad at you because you 22 00:01:34,280 --> 00:01:39,840 Speaker 1: feel guilty, but you don't have a clear reason why. 23 00:01:40,680 --> 00:01:44,580 Speaker 1: So then you might start to feel condemned. You might 24 00:01:44,640 --> 00:01:49,010 Speaker 1: start to feel scared or anxious or afraid that something 25 00:01:49,110 --> 00:01:53,460 Speaker 1: bad is going to happen to you Because you feel guilty, 26 00:01:53,580 --> 00:01:57,720 Speaker 1: but you're not sure exactly what it is. One thing 27 00:01:57,760 --> 00:02:00,540 Speaker 1: that I've had to learn in my relationship with God 28 00:02:01,280 --> 00:02:05,380 Speaker 1: is that He will convict us, but He does not 29 00:02:05,910 --> 00:02:10,320 Speaker 1: condemn us. If we are ever in the wrong and 30 00:02:10,380 --> 00:02:15,329 Speaker 1: we have a sincere relationship with God, He will let 31 00:02:15,410 --> 00:02:20,230 Speaker 1: us know. He will let us know through conviction. the 32 00:02:20,290 --> 00:02:25,540 Speaker 1: path that we should be taking instead. It's not a mystery. 33 00:02:25,980 --> 00:02:27,540 Speaker 3: It will not be a game. 34 00:02:27,980 --> 00:02:32,540 Speaker 1: God does not play games about things like this. Now, 35 00:02:32,740 --> 00:02:37,400 Speaker 1: on the other hand, the enemy will accuse us, will 36 00:02:37,440 --> 00:02:44,220 Speaker 1: try to condemn us and confuse us with feelings of 37 00:02:44,340 --> 00:02:48,330 Speaker 1: guilt and shame and making us feel like we are bad. 38 00:02:48,840 --> 00:02:52,560 Speaker 1: Because if we fall into it, into those thoughts of 39 00:02:52,760 --> 00:02:56,560 Speaker 1: guilt and shame long enough, we'll start to act on it. 40 00:02:57,639 --> 00:03:00,799 Speaker 1: And so as believers, it is so important for us 41 00:03:00,880 --> 00:03:08,220 Speaker 1: to know the difference between conviction and condemnation. So that's 42 00:03:08,280 --> 00:03:11,020 Speaker 1: what I want to talk about today so that you 43 00:03:11,060 --> 00:03:14,419 Speaker 1: can have that discernment to know the difference. And what 44 00:03:14,500 --> 00:03:17,480 Speaker 1: that will do is it will help you to clearly hear. 45 00:03:18,650 --> 00:03:19,170 Speaker 3: From God. 46 00:03:19,990 --> 00:03:23,340 Speaker 1: Because if you don't have the discernment to know the difference, 47 00:03:23,750 --> 00:03:28,040 Speaker 1: what will happen is the enemy can start accusing you 48 00:03:28,080 --> 00:03:31,780 Speaker 1: and condemning you even of things you didn't do, even 49 00:03:31,820 --> 00:03:36,059 Speaker 1: of things that you aren't guilty of or things you 50 00:03:36,260 --> 00:03:41,160 Speaker 1: are guilty of but have been forgiven of already. And 51 00:03:41,200 --> 00:03:47,650 Speaker 1: you'll find yourself in despair, in discouragement, And God hasn't 52 00:03:47,710 --> 00:03:49,930 Speaker 1: called you to all that. He's here to give you 53 00:03:49,990 --> 00:03:53,370 Speaker 1: abundant life, joy, and peace because he's covered you with 54 00:03:53,410 --> 00:03:59,340 Speaker 1: his righteousness through the sacrifice of his son, Jesus Christ. Now, 55 00:03:59,560 --> 00:04:02,800 Speaker 1: another thing that can happen when we don't understand the 56 00:04:02,840 --> 00:04:06,860 Speaker 1: difference between conviction and condemnation is that we might miss 57 00:04:07,340 --> 00:04:12,020 Speaker 1: God's conviction. God might be convicting us, but we feel 58 00:04:12,420 --> 00:04:15,540 Speaker 1: so sorrowful about it. Like there's no coming out of it. 59 00:04:16,000 --> 00:04:19,520 Speaker 1: that we miss the power that God is giving us 60 00:04:20,200 --> 00:04:20,940 Speaker 1: to do better. 61 00:04:22,220 --> 00:04:24,039 Speaker 3: God is never going to. 62 00:04:24,060 --> 00:04:27,260 Speaker 1: Call us to something that he's not going to empower 63 00:04:27,440 --> 00:04:30,680 Speaker 1: us to then do, even if it's to change a 64 00:04:30,720 --> 00:04:34,820 Speaker 1: behavior or turn from a sin. Especially, I would say, 65 00:04:35,060 --> 00:04:36,839 Speaker 1: in those things, he's going to give us the power 66 00:04:37,180 --> 00:04:40,620 Speaker 1: to do it. But if we don't understand that, we 67 00:04:40,660 --> 00:04:45,370 Speaker 1: might miss it. So first, I want to talk about 68 00:04:46,120 --> 00:04:52,130 Speaker 1: Conviction first. Conviction is a leading from the Holy Spirit 69 00:04:52,170 --> 00:04:56,170 Speaker 1: to move in a new direction. Conviction is to be 70 00:04:56,270 --> 00:05:03,350 Speaker 1: reproved or corrected from a sinful state by God to 71 00:05:04,500 --> 00:05:09,000 Speaker 1: do what is then right. It's the sense that you 72 00:05:09,040 --> 00:05:14,760 Speaker 1: need to stop doing something you're doing and correct that action. 73 00:05:15,460 --> 00:05:20,410 Speaker 1: All right. So conviction can come from a few places. 74 00:05:21,070 --> 00:05:24,890 Speaker 1: First and most importantly, conviction comes from the Holy Spirit. 75 00:05:25,790 --> 00:05:28,890 Speaker 1: In John chapter 3, Jesus is explaining to the disciples 76 00:05:29,110 --> 00:05:32,969 Speaker 1: that he has to leave because upon his departure, that 77 00:05:33,050 --> 00:05:36,760 Speaker 1: is when the Holy Spirit will come. And he says 78 00:05:36,839 --> 00:05:39,760 Speaker 1: that when he comes, speaking of the Holy Spirit, he 79 00:05:39,800 --> 00:05:44,380 Speaker 1: will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment. 80 00:05:44,900 --> 00:05:49,740 Speaker 1: So The Holy Spirit will correct the sinful nature, will 81 00:05:49,880 --> 00:05:53,580 Speaker 1: show us that we're heading in the wrong direction so 82 00:05:53,620 --> 00:05:57,000 Speaker 1: that we can then head in the right direction. Does 83 00:05:57,040 --> 00:06:00,620 Speaker 1: that make sense? That is one of the jobs of 84 00:06:00,680 --> 00:06:05,020 Speaker 1: the Holy Spirit. That when the Holy Spirit dwells in us, 85 00:06:05,120 --> 00:06:08,790 Speaker 1: we now have this sense from God to know within 86 00:06:09,120 --> 00:06:13,070 Speaker 1: us what is right and what is wrong, what is 87 00:06:13,190 --> 00:06:18,320 Speaker 1: pleasing to God and what is not. pleasing to God. Now, 88 00:06:18,400 --> 00:06:23,560 Speaker 1: conviction can also come from the word of God. Titus 89 00:06:23,560 --> 00:06:28,430 Speaker 1: 1.9 says he must hold firm to the trustworthy word 90 00:06:29,130 --> 00:06:31,710 Speaker 1: as taught so that he may be able to give 91 00:06:31,810 --> 00:06:37,640 Speaker 1: instruction in sound doctrine and to rebuke those who contradicted. 92 00:06:37,740 --> 00:06:41,560 Speaker 1: So to rebuke or to reprove or to correct. So 93 00:06:41,600 --> 00:06:46,599 Speaker 1: the word of God can also be used to convict. right? 94 00:06:46,700 --> 00:06:51,200 Speaker 1: To show that this is the right way to go, right? 95 00:06:51,640 --> 00:06:54,719 Speaker 1: And then by showing what is right and showing what 96 00:06:54,900 --> 00:06:58,860 Speaker 1: is true, the word of God will automatically then show 97 00:06:58,920 --> 00:07:03,260 Speaker 1: what is wrong. It will automatically reveal darkness. Does that, 98 00:07:03,440 --> 00:07:07,700 Speaker 1: I hope that makes sense. Second Timothy 3.16 says, all 99 00:07:07,870 --> 00:07:12,110 Speaker 1: scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, 100 00:07:12,750 --> 00:07:18,850 Speaker 1: for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness. So 101 00:07:19,010 --> 00:07:24,610 Speaker 1: by the very nature of God's word, it convicts. And 102 00:07:24,830 --> 00:07:27,870 Speaker 1: many of you have probably experienced this before. Have you 103 00:07:27,990 --> 00:07:32,450 Speaker 1: ever been reading the scriptures and been like, ouch, that 104 00:07:32,540 --> 00:07:35,720 Speaker 1: was for me, or opened up your Bible app and 105 00:07:35,780 --> 00:07:39,580 Speaker 1: it convicted you, it opened your eyes to realize that 106 00:07:39,640 --> 00:07:42,740 Speaker 1: something that you were doing or thinking or a behavior 107 00:07:42,750 --> 00:07:46,840 Speaker 1: that you were participating in was not in alignment with 108 00:07:46,900 --> 00:07:47,960 Speaker 1: God's will. 109 00:07:48,640 --> 00:07:50,700 Speaker 3: That is conviction, right? 110 00:07:51,460 --> 00:07:56,150 Speaker 1: At the same time, we can become convicted by our 111 00:07:56,290 --> 00:08:01,570 Speaker 1: own conscience, by ourselves. John 8, 9 in the King 112 00:08:01,590 --> 00:08:07,880 Speaker 1: James Version says about the situation where some religious leaders 113 00:08:07,940 --> 00:08:12,400 Speaker 1: brought a adulterous woman to Jesus to trick him and say, you. 114 00:08:12,340 --> 00:08:14,260 Speaker 3: Know, we just caught her in adultery. 115 00:08:14,310 --> 00:08:17,690 Speaker 1: What should we do with her? Jesus then starts to 116 00:08:18,170 --> 00:08:22,470 Speaker 1: draw what we don't know what it is in the sand. 117 00:08:23,010 --> 00:08:28,100 Speaker 1: And as he is doing this, the religious leaders see 118 00:08:28,150 --> 00:08:31,660 Speaker 1: what he is doing and they one by one walk 119 00:08:32,020 --> 00:08:35,780 Speaker 1: away because John 8 verse 9 in the King James says, 120 00:08:36,440 --> 00:08:40,500 Speaker 1: And they which heard it being convicted by their own 121 00:08:40,600 --> 00:08:45,330 Speaker 1: conscience went out one by one, being at the eldest, 122 00:08:45,520 --> 00:08:48,770 Speaker 1: even to the last. And Jesus was left alone and 123 00:08:48,790 --> 00:08:50,449 Speaker 1: the woman standing. 124 00:08:50,270 --> 00:08:51,390 Speaker 3: In the mist. 125 00:08:51,450 --> 00:08:53,449 Speaker 1: And we'll come back to this scripture in a little bit. 126 00:08:53,530 --> 00:08:58,010 Speaker 1: But essentially in themselves, based on what Jesus did, they saw, oh, 127 00:08:58,860 --> 00:09:02,140 Speaker 1: wait a minute. They were convicted by what they had done. 128 00:09:02,380 --> 00:09:04,880 Speaker 1: They knew it wasn't right and they didn't have solid 129 00:09:04,920 --> 00:09:07,710 Speaker 1: ground to stand on anymore. So they decided to leave. 130 00:09:08,250 --> 00:09:12,850 Speaker 1: So conviction can come from revelation that you have within 131 00:09:12,890 --> 00:09:18,030 Speaker 1: yourself about a particular situation. As we saw in John 8, 9, 132 00:09:18,030 --> 00:09:21,959 Speaker 1: conviction can come from the word of God and conviction 133 00:09:22,000 --> 00:09:26,179 Speaker 1: can come from the Holy Spirit. Now, a lot of 134 00:09:26,220 --> 00:09:29,300 Speaker 1: times you might hear the word conviction and you think 135 00:09:29,380 --> 00:09:31,880 Speaker 1: of it as a bad thing. You think of this 136 00:09:31,940 --> 00:09:34,120 Speaker 1: as something that you want to avoid, but you have 137 00:09:34,140 --> 00:09:37,719 Speaker 1: to remember that God sent the Holy Spirit with a 138 00:09:37,820 --> 00:09:43,240 Speaker 1: job to convict us. And the gifts that God gives 139 00:09:43,900 --> 00:09:47,300 Speaker 1: are good. Because if we don't have the conviction of 140 00:09:47,330 --> 00:09:50,470 Speaker 1: the Holy Spirit and we find ourselves on a path 141 00:09:50,510 --> 00:09:53,369 Speaker 1: that leads to destruction, guess what happens? We stay on 142 00:09:53,429 --> 00:09:57,190 Speaker 1: that path to destruction. It's the job of the Holy 143 00:09:57,250 --> 00:10:01,400 Speaker 1: Spirit then to convict us, to turn... us around. And 144 00:10:01,480 --> 00:10:05,560 Speaker 1: that is the purpose of conviction, to correct a wrong, 145 00:10:06,059 --> 00:10:10,250 Speaker 1: to set a better path. The purpose of conviction is 146 00:10:10,309 --> 00:10:13,670 Speaker 1: not to leave you in the same state, but to 147 00:10:13,809 --> 00:10:19,809 Speaker 1: transform you, right? Now, the issue is that that transforming process, 148 00:10:19,830 --> 00:10:23,410 Speaker 1: that revelation that I'm doing something wrong, I'm thinking something wrong, 149 00:10:23,429 --> 00:10:26,740 Speaker 1: I'm behaving in a way that does not honor God, 150 00:10:27,400 --> 00:10:31,640 Speaker 1: that can be painful. It can be painful. And because 151 00:10:31,740 --> 00:10:37,300 Speaker 1: both conviction and condemnation can be painful, we often confuse 152 00:10:37,350 --> 00:10:41,070 Speaker 1: the two. But we have to realize they are not 153 00:10:41,190 --> 00:10:41,689 Speaker 1: the same. 154 00:10:42,210 --> 00:10:43,550 Speaker 3: God will convict us. 155 00:10:43,970 --> 00:10:47,670 Speaker 1: Because the purpose is then to change us. But the 156 00:10:47,730 --> 00:10:55,170 Speaker 1: Bible says he does not condemn those who are in Christ. 157 00:10:55,490 --> 00:10:58,180 Speaker 1: So let's talk a little bit about condemnation then, because 158 00:10:58,200 --> 00:11:10,120 Speaker 1: this is where we're getting a little confused. Condemnation is 159 00:11:10,179 --> 00:11:15,860 Speaker 1: to exercise law against anyone. to judge against, to pass 160 00:11:16,120 --> 00:11:22,849 Speaker 1: judgment upon. All right. And so condemnation is to pass judgment, 161 00:11:23,130 --> 00:11:28,329 Speaker 1: to punish you for a law that you broke. That 162 00:11:28,390 --> 00:11:31,530 Speaker 1: is condemnation. But this is what the Bible in Romans 163 00:11:31,530 --> 00:11:34,830 Speaker 1: 8 verses 1 through 2 tells us about condemnation. 164 00:11:35,390 --> 00:11:39,599 Speaker 3: There is therefore now no condemnation. 165 00:11:38,760 --> 00:11:42,500 Speaker 1: For those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law 166 00:11:42,600 --> 00:11:45,550 Speaker 1: of the spirit of life has set you free in 167 00:11:45,590 --> 00:11:48,250 Speaker 1: Jesus from the law of sin and death. And we 168 00:11:48,290 --> 00:11:51,130 Speaker 1: know that the law of sin leads to death and destruction. 169 00:11:51,750 --> 00:11:55,380 Speaker 1: And so what it's saying here is that because we 170 00:11:55,620 --> 00:12:01,040 Speaker 1: are covered by the righteousness of Christ, we are not 171 00:12:01,200 --> 00:12:05,970 Speaker 1: condemned by the fact that we have broke the law, right? 172 00:12:06,520 --> 00:12:09,110 Speaker 1: And so that's why I'm very careful with my words 173 00:12:09,170 --> 00:12:11,390 Speaker 1: when I explain to you what condemnation is and that 174 00:12:11,490 --> 00:12:16,190 Speaker 1: although God will convict us, he does not condemn us, 175 00:12:16,830 --> 00:12:20,670 Speaker 1: but he can. I want that to be clear. He can, 176 00:12:21,130 --> 00:12:24,650 Speaker 1: but he has chosen not to for those who are 177 00:12:24,950 --> 00:12:30,950 Speaker 1: in Christ Jesus. Because now Jesus has fulfilled the law 178 00:12:31,429 --> 00:12:36,110 Speaker 1: for us so that the broken law that we have committed, 179 00:12:36,580 --> 00:12:41,590 Speaker 1: is covered by his righteousness for us. So now God 180 00:12:41,650 --> 00:12:45,230 Speaker 1: is saying, even though I can condemn you, I won't. 181 00:12:46,390 --> 00:12:49,630 Speaker 1: We can go back to that story in John 8 182 00:12:49,630 --> 00:12:53,880 Speaker 1: with the adulterous woman. When all of the religious leaders 183 00:12:54,000 --> 00:12:57,719 Speaker 1: walked away because they were convicted in their hearts that 184 00:12:57,820 --> 00:13:01,920 Speaker 1: what they were doing, that they were not perfect, right? 185 00:13:02,520 --> 00:13:05,800 Speaker 1: Jesus said to the woman in verse 11, does anybody 186 00:13:05,830 --> 00:13:09,630 Speaker 1: condemn you? And she said, no one, Lord. And then 187 00:13:09,690 --> 00:13:14,309 Speaker 1: Jesus said to her, neither do I condemn you. Go. 188 00:13:15,030 --> 00:13:19,790 Speaker 1: And from now on, sin no more. Now, I want 189 00:13:19,809 --> 00:13:21,790 Speaker 1: to stop here for a little bit because Jesus could 190 00:13:21,850 --> 00:13:25,590 Speaker 1: have condemned her because he had all the power and 191 00:13:25,670 --> 00:13:30,500 Speaker 1: authority to do so. Matthew 8, 28 tells us that 192 00:13:30,580 --> 00:13:33,500 Speaker 1: Jesus says, all authority in heaven and on earth has 193 00:13:33,520 --> 00:13:36,929 Speaker 1: been given to me, right? So in order to convict someone, 194 00:13:37,590 --> 00:13:40,630 Speaker 1: in order to condemn someone, you have to have the 195 00:13:40,750 --> 00:13:44,320 Speaker 1: authority to actually be able to do it. Jesus showed 196 00:13:44,380 --> 00:13:47,160 Speaker 1: those religious leaders they didn't have the authority to condemn 197 00:13:47,179 --> 00:13:51,120 Speaker 1: this woman. However, he did have the authority to do so, 198 00:13:51,660 --> 00:13:54,490 Speaker 1: to condemn her. But he says to her, I do 199 00:13:54,520 --> 00:13:56,530 Speaker 1: not condemn you. But you know what he did say? 200 00:13:56,730 --> 00:14:00,229 Speaker 1: He said, from now on, sin no more. What is that? 201 00:14:00,850 --> 00:14:05,290 Speaker 1: That's conviction. That's conviction. That's saying, I'm not going to 202 00:14:05,350 --> 00:14:10,730 Speaker 1: leave you in this sinful place that leads to death 203 00:14:11,170 --> 00:14:11,870 Speaker 1: and destruction. 204 00:14:12,370 --> 00:14:14,410 Speaker 3: That is God's heart. 205 00:14:14,990 --> 00:14:18,020 Speaker 1: That has always been his heart. It is not God's 206 00:14:18,100 --> 00:14:21,800 Speaker 1: will that people go to hell. He doesn't want that. 207 00:14:22,500 --> 00:14:23,600 Speaker 3: But he's a just God. 208 00:14:24,180 --> 00:14:27,040 Speaker 1: So if you don't follow the rules, if you decide 209 00:14:27,080 --> 00:14:30,020 Speaker 1: that you don't want to be with him in eternity, 210 00:14:30,060 --> 00:14:32,970 Speaker 1: he's not going to force you to. But if you do, 211 00:14:33,350 --> 00:14:36,670 Speaker 1: he's going to show you the path to take, which 212 00:14:36,750 --> 00:14:41,790 Speaker 1: is through his son, Jesus Christ. We are to be 213 00:14:41,850 --> 00:14:44,360 Speaker 1: disciples of his son. That doesn't mean we have to 214 00:14:44,390 --> 00:14:47,360 Speaker 1: be perfect and get everything right. But it means that 215 00:14:47,420 --> 00:14:51,120 Speaker 1: we walk in step with the spirit. We walk the 216 00:14:51,180 --> 00:14:56,280 Speaker 1: path that Jesus walked. We are his disciples. We follow him. 217 00:14:56,680 --> 00:14:59,489 Speaker 1: And whenever we get off path, the Holy Spirit is 218 00:14:59,550 --> 00:15:03,050 Speaker 1: right there to convict us to say, I don't condemn you, 219 00:15:03,560 --> 00:15:07,640 Speaker 1: but go and sin no more. Get back on path, right? Now, 220 00:15:07,720 --> 00:15:12,920 Speaker 1: sometimes our hearts will condemn us. 1 John 3.20 says, 221 00:15:13,220 --> 00:15:16,380 Speaker 1: for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than 222 00:15:16,400 --> 00:15:21,590 Speaker 1: our heart and he knows everything. And so sometimes that 223 00:15:21,650 --> 00:15:23,430 Speaker 1: goes into what I was sharing with you before, where 224 00:15:23,470 --> 00:15:26,330 Speaker 1: you feel condemned and you're like, why? What did I do? 225 00:15:26,390 --> 00:15:29,150 Speaker 1: You just feel guilty for no reason. And I told you, 226 00:15:29,190 --> 00:15:31,290 Speaker 1: God's not going to do that. He's not going to 227 00:15:31,350 --> 00:15:35,870 Speaker 1: guilt you. He will convict you and he will show 228 00:15:35,930 --> 00:15:39,870 Speaker 1: you which path to take. And so even when our 229 00:15:39,930 --> 00:15:44,690 Speaker 1: hearts condemn us, we then focus on God because he'll 230 00:15:44,730 --> 00:15:48,730 Speaker 1: show us where we need to go. Finally, the enemy 231 00:15:48,950 --> 00:15:52,310 Speaker 1: will try to accuse you. However, he does not have 232 00:15:52,350 --> 00:15:57,070 Speaker 1: the power or the authority to condemn you, but he 233 00:15:57,110 --> 00:16:01,750 Speaker 1: will try his best to make you feel condemned. He 234 00:16:01,790 --> 00:16:05,240 Speaker 1: will do his best to separate you from God so that, 235 00:16:05,250 --> 00:16:09,200 Speaker 1: and he's doing his best to separate people from God 236 00:16:09,280 --> 00:16:13,800 Speaker 1: so that they will be condemned. Because in Christ, there's 237 00:16:13,900 --> 00:16:18,250 Speaker 1: no condemnation, right? But as I've said before, all authority 238 00:16:18,270 --> 00:16:22,210 Speaker 1: has been given to Jesus. Ephesians 1.21 says, far above 239 00:16:22,350 --> 00:16:25,050 Speaker 1: all rule and authority and power and dominion and above 240 00:16:25,290 --> 00:16:29,700 Speaker 1: every name that is named, not only in this age, 241 00:16:29,980 --> 00:16:32,680 Speaker 1: but also in the one to come. They're talking about 242 00:16:32,740 --> 00:16:38,090 Speaker 1: the reign of Jesus, that he has all authority. Jesus 243 00:16:38,170 --> 00:16:42,730 Speaker 1: and the enemy are not equals at all. Jesus has 244 00:16:43,170 --> 00:16:46,010 Speaker 1: all authority. And so the enemy can come at you 245 00:16:46,090 --> 00:16:48,680 Speaker 1: and condemn you and accuse you all he wants to. 246 00:16:48,720 --> 00:16:52,240 Speaker 1: But Jesus has the last say. In fact, he already has. 247 00:16:52,980 --> 00:16:59,920 Speaker 1: And he says, neither do I condemn you. And if 248 00:16:59,960 --> 00:17:04,590 Speaker 1: that's what Jesus says, then that's what it is. Who 249 00:17:04,630 --> 00:17:09,909 Speaker 1: can condemn us? Jesus could if he wanted to. But 250 00:17:09,930 --> 00:17:13,750 Speaker 1: he doesn't want to. Instead, he laid his life down. 251 00:17:15,119 --> 00:17:15,820 Speaker 3: To save us. 252 00:17:18,060 --> 00:17:22,000 Speaker 1: I want to close with a few verses from Romans 253 00:17:22,300 --> 00:17:26,220 Speaker 1: chapter 8. Remember, verse 1 in chapter 8 started off 254 00:17:26,300 --> 00:17:31,850 Speaker 1: with the declaration, therefore, now, there is therefore now no 255 00:17:31,910 --> 00:17:35,210 Speaker 1: condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. But I 256 00:17:35,450 --> 00:17:40,030 Speaker 1: want to go down to verses 31 through 35 that says, 257 00:17:40,310 --> 00:17:43,220 Speaker 1: what shall we say to these things? If God is 258 00:17:43,260 --> 00:17:46,590 Speaker 1: for us, Who can be against us? He who did 259 00:17:46,630 --> 00:17:49,889 Speaker 1: not spare his own son, but gave him up for 260 00:17:50,310 --> 00:17:54,149 Speaker 1: us all. How will he not also with him graciously 261 00:17:54,210 --> 00:17:58,840 Speaker 1: give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against 262 00:17:59,140 --> 00:18:02,439 Speaker 1: God's elect? That's condemnation, right? To bring charge against. 263 00:18:03,100 --> 00:18:05,580 Speaker 3: It is God who justifies. 264 00:18:06,260 --> 00:18:10,940 Speaker 1: Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died. 265 00:18:11,280 --> 00:18:14,570 Speaker 1: More than that, who was rised. who is at the 266 00:18:14,690 --> 00:18:20,470 Speaker 1: right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. 267 00:18:21,150 --> 00:18:24,100 Speaker 1: Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall 268 00:18:24,380 --> 00:18:28,639 Speaker 1: tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or 269 00:18:28,700 --> 00:18:31,380 Speaker 1: danger or sword? And then he goes on to say, no, 270 00:18:31,420 --> 00:18:33,360 Speaker 1: in all these things, we are more than conquerors through 271 00:18:33,380 --> 00:18:34,119 Speaker 1: him who loved us. 272 00:18:34,680 --> 00:18:38,590 Speaker 3: Jesus could condemn. He has the authority to do so. 273 00:18:39,010 --> 00:18:43,770 Speaker 1: But instead, he died for us. And now he is 274 00:18:43,990 --> 00:18:50,180 Speaker 1: interceding for us because God is for us. I hope 275 00:18:50,220 --> 00:18:54,260 Speaker 1: that gives you some clarity today in your walk with 276 00:18:54,340 --> 00:19:00,290 Speaker 1: God that for those who are in Christ Jesus, you 277 00:19:00,950 --> 00:19:07,149 Speaker 1: are not condemned. However, if you are convicted, it is 278 00:19:07,369 --> 00:19:10,169 Speaker 1: only because God loves you and he wants you to 279 00:19:10,260 --> 00:19:14,200 Speaker 1: walk a path towards him so that you can experience 280 00:19:14,880 --> 00:19:19,250 Speaker 1: His life-changing love. It is my hope that today's episode 281 00:19:19,290 --> 00:19:22,210 Speaker 1: has provided you with insightful and helpful tips on how 282 00:19:22,270 --> 00:19:23,990 Speaker 1: you can pray. As a gift to you, be sure 283 00:19:24,010 --> 00:19:26,489 Speaker 1: to download my free five-day prayer guide and take my 284 00:19:26,550 --> 00:19:29,260 Speaker 1: prayer personality quiz to learn how you best hear and 285 00:19:29,300 --> 00:19:32,280 Speaker 1: connect with God. You may find all links in today's 286 00:19:32,440 --> 00:19:34,380 Speaker 1: show notes. We have so much more to talk about 287 00:19:34,400 --> 00:19:35,859 Speaker 1: when it comes to prayer, so I hope that if 288 00:19:35,900 --> 00:19:38,399 Speaker 1: you were encouraged by today's episode, you'll share it with 289 00:19:38,420 --> 00:19:40,459 Speaker 1: a friend and subscribe so that you don't miss any 290 00:19:40,500 --> 00:19:42,860 Speaker 1: future episodes of the Teach Us to Pray podcast. where 291 00:19:42,880 --> 00:19:45,040 Speaker 1: we will continue to learn how just like breathing, prayer 292 00:19:45,080 --> 00:19:47,689 Speaker 1: can become a natural, consistent, and life-giving part of our 293 00:19:47,770 --> 00:19:49,980 Speaker 1: everyday lives. Until then, be sure to connect with me. 294 00:19:50,140 --> 00:19:53,060 Speaker 1: at BelovedWomen.org and join me on the Beloved Women app 295 00:19:53,440 --> 00:19:56,460 Speaker 1: for unlimited videos to grow your faith, learn God's Word, 296 00:19:56,619 --> 00:19:59,040 Speaker 1: and encourage your soul. Available now in the Apple and 297 00:19:59,080 --> 00:20:03,040 Speaker 1: Google Play stores or at BelovedWomen.tv. Thank you so much 298 00:20:03,080 --> 00:20:05,139 Speaker 1: for taking time to listen today. God bless you, and 299 00:20:05,160 --> 00:20:10,320 Speaker 1: I'll talk to you in the next episode. Teach Us 300 00:20:10,359 --> 00:20:13,660 Speaker 1: to Pray is a production of Life Audio and Salem Media. 301 00:20:14,260 --> 00:20:16,420 Speaker 1: If you liked what you heard today, please take a 302 00:20:16,480 --> 00:20:19,540 Speaker 1: second to rate and review this podcast in your favorite 303 00:20:19,560 --> 00:20:22,760 Speaker 1: podcast app so that more listeners like you can find 304 00:20:22,800 --> 00:20:28,360 Speaker 1: the show. For more faith-filled, inspirational podcasts, visit us at lifeaudio.com.