LifeLink Devotions for Wednesday, April 30, 2025

Are you filled with power? And if you are, what would that even mean or look like?

When Stephen is described in Acts chapter six as being filled with power it stimulated a study of what the Bible says about the power of God that is at work in those who follow Jesus. So far we have discovered six truths that can define our lives. There are four more to dive into.

7.   God’s power is at work so that we might patiently endure all things with thanksgiving and joy.

I don’t know about you, but I don’t like to endure hardships. I embrace them when they happen, but with a fixit mentality. I even try to fix other people’s troubles. I’m not good at endurance.

But the power of God at work in us can teach us to have GREAT endurance and to do it with joyful thanksgiving. The Apostle Paul teaches us this in Colossians 1:11-12.   “Being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.”

Being filled with God’s power produces satisfaction with our circumstances knowing that they cannot change our eternal qualification or inheritance, AND THAT GIVES US GREAT JOY!!!

8.   God’s power in us also gives us supernatural ability to overcome sin. This power principle is found in Ephesians 6:10-11.  “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.”

God’s power is our defense against every scheme of Satan to tempt you to forsake your faith and follow your flesh. But His power is not only a defense. God has given us two weapons of attack – the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, and prayer. Ephesians 6:18 says, “Praying at all times in the Spirit.”

God’s power gives us the ability to not only understand His Word, but to also apply it to our daily lives and speak it into the lives of others. It is our weapon of defeating the Enemy, for He cannot stand against what God says. In addition, as fully equipped members of God’s army, God ‘s power grants us access into the eternal war room through prayer so that we may receive our daily marching orders directly from our Commander-in-Chief. Every step we take can be ordered by Jesus Christ and empowered by His Holy Spirit in us so that we can not only stand against the enemy, but we can advance against him.

Is your walk with Christ advancing, or is it stagnant? Are you enduring but not progressing? God’s power will equip you to do both if you will trust Him and not lean on your own understanding. Stop being the fixer for things that have already been conquered.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions for Tuesday, April 29. 2025

When Stephen is described as being full of power in the book of Acts, what does that mean?  In our last two devotionals we have already discovered four ways in which the power of God is at work in us. Here are the next two.  

5.  God’s power is at work so that we may stand up against any and all opposition and endure suffering for Christ’s sake.

Let’s look at two promises from Scripture. 2 Timothy 1:7-8 says. “ For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God.” 

And in Philippians 3:10 we read, “I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death.”

Notice the two promises of power in these verses. God’s power in us makes us unashamed of Jesus in the face of worldly opposition, to the extent that we would willingly suffer for the sake of the Gospel because we know it brings us a greater experience of God’s resurrection power.

By embracing the power we already have to engage our culture with the Gospel we will gain even more power to stand up faithfully for Jesus. That is why we were called into faith so that we might fulfill God’s purpose of being His witnesses in the world no matter what it costs.

And that leads us to power principle number 6.

6.  God’s power is at work in us so that we may live by faith alone and bring glory to Jesus Christ.

In 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12 the Apostle Paul challenges the new believers in that city with this prayer.  “With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may count you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may fulfill every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith.   We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.”

Not only do we have a Divine purpose to share the Gospel with our culture, but we all have individual goals and desires as well. Paul says the power of God is at work in us to bring all of those goals and activities under His guidance so that everything we do or say is done for His glory. We make a lot of decisions every day that are solely based on our own preferences. What if every idea that springs into our minds, every plan we make to accomplish something we want to do, and every choice we make to pursue that plan, was brought into the context of God’s purpose for us? How would life change for us? I can guarantee one thing according to the Scripture. We would know more of God’s power and our lives would be lived in the glory of God’s presence.

So stand strong in the power of God. Live by faith in God alone. Do not trust your own understanding of life, but rather trust His power to fulfill every desire of your heart that matches His purpose for you. That’s real living.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions for Monday, April 28, 2025

Last Friday in our study of the life of Stephen in the book of Acts we discovered that he was a man full of power. I shared with you the first two ways that the Bible says the power of God is at work in us. There are ten total.  Let’s look at the next two power principles.

3.  God’s power is at work to facilitate participation in the divine nature and escape evil desires.

2 Peter 1:3-4  says it this way. “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.   Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.”

When we turn to Christ in faith, believing Who He is and what He has accomplished on our behalf, we are immediately indwelt by the Spirit of God. The power He brings is sufficient to provide us everything we need in life, including the ability to live righteously according to the Divine nature that lives in us. We no longer need to strive for excellence to earn God’s presence, we embrace God’s presence which produces excellence. That’s what Peter calls living according to the great and precious promises.

That leads us to power principle number four, where the Apostle Peter gives us another way in which the power of God is at work.

4.  To know we are secure in Christ.

It is very difficult to find security in this world. Financial markets fluctuate. Political powers rise and fall. Meaningful employment may be hard to find. Relationships are fickle. If only there was a way to feel secure.

There is. We can know that we know that we know with never a doubt that we are secure in the power of God. 1 Peter 1:5  says, “Through faith we are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.” The rescue from all of the insecurity we experience is available by putting confidence in the promise of an unchanging and all-powerful God who fulfills every promise.

Someday, maybe soon, Jesus is returning, and we will be hoisted out of all this mess and dwell in eternal glory forever. That’s guaranteed.  We are being kept by God’s power, not our own, and certainly not by our circumstances. We have confidence in what God is doing in us, not in what is happening around us. He is shielding us from the insecurities that come from looking at the inconsistencies in the world by keeping our hearts and minds fixed on Who He is. He cannot fail. His power is keeping us!

God’s power is at work in us to turn us into representatives of His divine nature by escaping the corruption of the world. His power is keeping us secure because we no longer trust in what we can do for ourselves or what the world can do for us or to us. We are secure. May that truth lift you up to new heights of living today and provide you with the attitude adjustments that are necessary.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions for Friday, April 25,2025

“Stephen was a man full of grace and power…” Acts 6:8a

Stephen’s faith was correctly placed in Jesus Christ. He had completely experienced God’s grace. He was overflowing with the fullness of the Holy Spirit. And as a result, he was filled with God’s power.

Here are three bullet points of truth from which we will let the Holy Spirit teach us about God’s power in our lives. 

• Faith and grace must always be our focus ahead of power. Power produces pride if not held in the context of faith and grace.
• We must be in love with the God who gives power and not the power God gives. The love of power will quickly become an idol and set itself up against an honest knowledge of God.
• The Bible describes how power applies to our lives. Don’t be confused by emotionalism or public displays of what appears to be supernatural abilities.

There are ten ways the Bible tells us that the power of God is working in us. Let’s look at the first two today.

1.  The power of God is working in us so that we may experience Jesus Christ living in and through us.

In Ephesians 3:16-17 we read this. ”I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.”

Through the power of the Holy Spirit, with whom we are filled, we can experience the literal life of Christ dwelling in us, giving us peace, joy, love, patience, gentleness, self-control, kindness, faithfulness, and goodness. The power of God is producing the character of Christ in us. We so often look for the display of power in miracles or answers to prayer, but the first way that God’s power works in us is to make us like Christ in character. Our external displays of power mean very little if they are not supported by a life of grace.

2.  To know the fullness of the love of God and be filled with Him.

The Apostle Paul continues his thoughts in Ephesians 3:17-19.  “And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”

The power of God that is producing the character of Christ in us is also giving us a deeper understanding of what God’s love is like and how to be filled with it. What good is great preaching if it is not done in love? What benefit is truth if it is not spoken in love? What value is there in miracles if they do not represent the love of Jesus? And how does exalting or promoting oneself reveal anything but love for self rather than the love of God.

God’s power is at work in us to fulfill grace and love in us. Are we embracing His power to produce His results in our lives?

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions for Thursday, April 24, 2025

I have a favorite beverage I drink in the summer. It is healthy, sugar free, and tastes great. It comes in a small packet filled with just enough powder to mix with a 16.9 ounce water bottle. I mix it in a tall glass. It changes the color of the water from being crystal clear to deep red. Most of the time, much to the frustration of my wife, a small amount of the powder falls on the countertop. It is almost invisible while dry. But when I wipe the counter with a wet paper towel, everything turns red – the paper towel, the counter top, and my fingers.

“We cannot be filled without the very real experience of that with which we are filled.”

“…Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power…” Acts 6:8a 

Being filled with grace is only possible if we have truly experienced grace. Grace is defined as “unmerited favor.” Grace is an undeserved gift. Grace is a gift that is completely, irrefutably, undeserved. There is absolutely nothing that makes it a reward for any action or value. It cannot be earned. Absolutely everything about the recipient is contrary to the very nature and character of the gift. Unless we understand that, and have experienced that, we cannot be filled with it, which means we have no such gift to give to others.

Recently a convict, who has just finished his prison term, applies for a job as a night watchman at a jewelry store. With all his heart he wishes to lead an honest life. He hides his past from the potential employer. He is hired. He has full access to the store through the quiet hours of the night when he has everything under his care and every opportunity to rob his employer. On the first evening, he meets one of his old companions, who questions him, “What are you doing here?”

“I’m the night watchman.”

“Over this jeweler’s shop?”

“Yes.”

“Does he know what you are?”

“No, keep quiet; if he knew, I should be dismissed.”

“Suppose I let it out that you are a returned convict!”

“Oh, please don’t; it would be my last day here, and I wish to be honest.”

“Well, you have to give me some money to keep quiet.”

“Very well, but don’t let anyone know.”

This man still has his job, but he lives in constant fear of being found out, because he does not know that his past can be forgiven.

Let’s change the story hypothetically. Let us suppose that instead of the employer hiring the man in ignorance of his character, he chose instead to go to the prison and visit the man in his cell. He then said to the convict prior to his release, “Now I know you—what you are, what you’ve done, every robbery you’ve committed, but I am about to give you a chance of becoming honest. I’ll trust you as my night watchman over my valuable goods.” When he is released from prison, the convict is faithful at his post. He meets an old companion who threatens to inform his employer about his past. The guard asks, “And what will you tell about me?”

“That you were the ringleader of thieves.”

“Yes, but my master knows all that; he knows me better than I know myself. Yet he forgave me of my past and gave me this post as a gift, and I intend to be faithful to him.

Of course, this silences his former companion forever.

The real reason more grace isn’t seen in people’s lives is that they are still thinking about themselves from a position of pride and self-worth. Only when we become truly broken in spirit and recognize that we are totally and irrefutably empty of anything that demands God’s recognition will we experience true grace. Then, and only then, will Jesus Christ visit us in the prison of worthlessness and offer us the gift of eternal life. Jesus Christ is the only Master who is “full of grace and truth.” Jesus Christ is gracious to you and me because He knows the truth about us, that we deserve nothing but hell. But through His grace heaven can be our share, if we personally and by faith appropriate His grace. And once we understand His grace, we too will be filled with grace towards others.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions for Wednesday, April 23, 2025

The second thing that marked the life of Stephen was that he was filled with the Holy Spirit. Acts 6:5 says, “Stephen (a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit)”

For some reason many people in the Christian church today are avoiding the truth of this blessing from God. They have either decided to be content with a complacent form of Christianity, or they have so emotionalized their experiences that they bear fruit only for themselves. The truth is that from the moment of our salvation we have been given full access to the nature of God through the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit. The problem is that we have not given the Holy Spirit full access to us.

Author A. W. Tozer said something very honest and convicting. He said, “Before we can be filled with the Spirit, the desire to be filled must be all-consuming. It must be for the time the biggest thing in life, so acute, so intrusive as to crowd out everything else. The degree of fullness in any life accords perfectly with the intensity of true desire. We have as much of God as we actually want.”

Let me repeat that last line. “We have as much of God as we actually want.” So many people claim to want to be completely committed to Christ yet they aren’t. So many Christians think they desire to be filled with the Holy Spirit, but they aren’t. Far too many of us are in a state of denial about what we really want. We may get all emotional in church and shed a few tears, and honestly at that moment pray for a new sense of commitment and filling, but as soon as the car door slams and we head for dinner, the world invades our minds and we are once again captivated by new desires. We have as much of God as we actually want.

Suppose you had been house hunting in a development of new homes. Several are already filled with families, but some are empty. When you find an empty one you try to get in to see whether you like it or not. If the house was full, occupied by people, you wouldn’t dare try to get in. But an empty one is one that is available for occupancy, and you want to know if it’s right for you.

That’s exactly what Satan does. He looks for empty houses. He looks for unoccupied space. He will enter through any unguarded door or window and take up residence in any unoccupied room. He doesn’t care if it’s a closet. In fact, those are his favorite places because they are the least noticed and usually already hiding something. Satan is always house hunting, and he doesn’t politely knock. He assumes, and rightly so, that any unoccupied space is rightfully his. You may not understand this, but you have given him permission to be there unless you have already given permission for the Holy Spirit to be there.

Jesus told a parable about this in Luke 11:21-26.  “When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are safe. But when someone stronger attacks and overpowers him, he takes away the armor in which the man trusted and divides up the spoils. He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me, scatters. When an evil spirit comes out of a man, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’  When it arrives, it finds the house swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and takes seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that man is worse than the first.”

So many Christians are in a state of despair because they have allowed Satan continued access to their lives. They may not even know they are doing it. But unless we are intentionally and consistently inviting the Holy Spirit to control every nook and cranny of our hearts and minds, we are intentionally giving permission for Satan to have that space. Any unoccupied space is our choice, and whether or not we intentionally send out an invitation, our choice to not let the Holy Spirit occupy it is a choice to let the enemy have it.

You see, we are naturally of the flesh, and therefore the Father of the flesh needs no special permission to invade our space. But as children of the heavenly Father, we have the privilege of inviting the Holy Spirit of God to fill every space of our hearts and minds. And when He does, Satan cannot enter. “Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world.” All the enemy can do is knock. He flees when we send Jesus to answer the door.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions for Tuesday, April 22, 2025

Fifteen years ago my wife and I were headed for Swaziland, Africa, on a missions trip. It was incredibly meaningful, and I want to spend a few days sharing with you some of the enduring lessons of faith the Lord taught me on that trip. I am going to start with what God taught me the day after we returned.

I went to my office to seek the Lord for what He wanted me to preach on the following day in church. The Holy Spirit reminded me of the story of Stephen in the book of Acts. It hit me very hard, and I have taken it as my personal challenge for spiritual growth in my life. It encompasses much of what God showed me on the trip to Swaziland. Stephen’s life may have been short, but it was certainly full and fruitful. Let me tell you why.

There are four things that the Scriptures say were true of Stephen. I desire the same four things to be consistently true of me. Here’s the first one for today:

1. He was a man full of faith.  This is how he is described in two passage in the book of Acts. “Stephen (a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit)…Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power…” He completely trusted his life into the hands of his Savior. He needed nothing else but his faith in Christ. Faith brings fullness of life. He didn’t need possessions to bring fullness to his life. He didn’t need prestige. He didn’t need pride and power. He simply trusted the trustworthy One. He sought the Kingdom of God first and God provided all else that he needed to accomplish the work of the Kingdom.

So many times we get distracted by the things of the world. They may even be good things, like family, friends, and career. But if our top priority isn’t the desire to serve as an ambassador of the King in His kingdom work, then we need to carefully evaluate where we have placed our faith. As you read the story of Stephen in Acts chapters six and seven, you will find that his faith was fully in Christ alone.

• He upheld the truth over traditions. He did not compromise for the sake of keeping people happy.
• He stood up to criticism. He boldly proclaimed his faith in Jesus and the message of the Gospel.
• He was a sincere student of God’s word.
• He accepted responsibility and served in the local church.
• He kept his focus on the eternal and not the things of this life. As the tempers flared and the tension increased, and Stephen began to feel physically threatened, he never turned his focus from his faith in Christ. He never tried to defend himself or protect himself. He simply focused on the glory of God as it says in Acts 7. “But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed steadily into heaven and saw the glory of God, and he saw Jesus standing in the place of honor at God’s right hand. And he told them, “Look, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing in the place of honor at God’s right hand!” 
• He served his Savior no matter what the cost, and the cost for him was being stoned to death.

I encourage you to read the story of Stephen and review the characteristics of a life of faith in Christ alone. Are they evident in your life?

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions for Monday, April 21, 2025

There was one more box. It was out of sight in the back of the storage area in the basement. We knew it was there, but there was no urgent need to go through it. But now the last minute had arrived. We would be leaving on our trip right after the rest of the family left our home after Christmas, and we needed to sort through the stuff in the box. Some of it would become keepsakes for my brothers and others would be mine.

We dragged the box out into the family room and sat down. Piece by piece we removed items and checked for colored stickers that would indicate which brother had chosen that item as their own. Memories started to roll. A few tears started to flow. Each item had some significance in the married life of my mom and dad. Each item had a story connected to it.

Some of the items had a hot pink sticker to indicate no one had specifically claimed it. One such pink-stickered item was a small desk plaque made out of marble. On the front of the plaque is a laser-engraved face of Jesus created by Joe Castillo that is formed out of scenes from Christ’s life.

The beard is a scene of Joseph, Mary, baby Jesus, and an ox in the manger.

The angels heralding His birth form the right side of His face.

Jesus hanging on the cross forms the left side of His face.

His forehead and hairline are created with the scene of Jesus kneeling in prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane.

One side of His nose and both eyes have highlighted crosses in them.

Underneath the picture these words are engraved from Psalm 105 verse 4 – “Seek the Lord and His strength; seek His face continually.”

I remembered seeing that plaque in my parent’s home, but it wasn’t until that moment that the significance of it really struck me. What strength it took for Him to come to earth and leave the glory of God’s presence.

What strength He displayed when He battled all the temptations of sin and self so that He might save us.

What strength He had to keep His heart and mind focused on God’s purpose for His life so that His eyes were always looking forward to the cross.

What strength He had to so passionately pray through the final temptation to run from God’s will that His sweat turned to blood.

What strength it took for Him to endure the beatings, the thorns, and the nails so that He could intentionally shed His blood for the forgiveness of our sins.

I knew right then and there that I wanted that plaque on my desk where I would look at that created face of Jesus every day. Not as an idol, but as a constant reminder of my salvation and the strength that is now mine in Christ Jesus my Lord. Strength to endure temptation. Strength to press on towards the prize of the high calling in Christ Jesus. Strength to endure any and all hardships for the sake of serving my Savior.

As the writer of Hebrews puts it – let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. (Hebrews 12:1-4)

So if you come to my home and look at my desk in my office you can see this simple little desk plaque. But be prepared. As we talk about it I will most certainly ask you if you are seeking the face of Jesus. I guarantee I will ask you if you are living in His strength or yours.

As for me, I will seek His face continually and stand in His strength confidently.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions for Friday, April 18, 2025

After spending the last few days digging into the truth of forgiveness, let’s look at the means by which forgiveness is available – the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. The sacrifice Jesus made on the cross became the payment for all of our sin.

Philippians 2:5-8  “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”

Let’s focus on one word in the last verse – even.

There is no doubt in my mind that I would put my life at risk to save my wife. I would do it for my children. I would do it for my grandchildren. I would like to believe I would do it for you, too.

But our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ went far beyond what I am willing to do. He put His life at risk for His enemies. He voluntarily sacrificed His life for those who hated Him, mocked Him, and abused Him. He wasn’t just put to death, but He willingly went to the cross to die for is enemies. It’s one thing for us to be willing to die for those we love, but quite another for Jesus to die because He loved even His enemies.

Yet even in that, we have not discovered the meaning of the word even. If all we understand is that Jesus obeyed the will of the Father and died for sinners, we have sufficient faith for salvation if we identify as a sinner and receive His forgiveness. But Paul says there is more than just obedience to the point of death, there is obedience even to death of a cross.

It was not sufficient for Jesus to die for sinners: He had to die as a sinner. He not only died for His enemies, He literally became His own enemy and died. He had to, for our sake. Our salvation depends upon the Father declaring Jesus guilty and deserving of death. Paul says it this way in 2 Corinthians 5:21.

“For our sake he[God] made him[Jesus] to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

This is the story of Good Friday. This is the meaning of sacrifice. We see Jesus, the perfect Son of God, becoming obedient to the Father to die not just for us, but as one of us. He was, by death on a cross, publicly declared to be merely human. He was judged guilty of sin. He was condemned as nothing more than a mortal deserving of death. Yet His unjustified condemnation was God’s purpose to save those who are justifiably condemned – you and I. His sacrifice as one of us makes possible our exaltation as one of His children.

I believe most of us, if not all of us, would be willing to sacrifice our life for the sake of those who love us. But I am equally convinced that we also put limitations on how much risk we will endure for the sake of those who hate us.

On this day of commemorating the death of Jesus on the cross, remember the word even. Jesus died for even His enemies. He died even as the enemy of God. He died even for me.

Pastor John

LifeLink Devotions for Thursday, April 17, 2025

With age comes wisdom. With wisdom comes discernment. With discernment comes self-reflection. With self-reflection comes two possibilities: regret and shame, OR praise and progress.

Here’s what I’m thinking. There’s a certain line of thinking within the church that we need to live in a constant state of brokenness. Scripture passages are quoted that seem to indicate that unless we are constantly reflecting on what we once were in our sin we will never know the splendor of God’s grace. This can cause a serious spiritual problem when we forget to live in the victory over sin that Jesus has provided. It is very dangerous to fixate on why we are unqualified for eternal life and not live in the reality that the Father has qualified us!

Just like anything in life, the problem becomes one of balance. The backward look at what we once were is necessary, but it must not become the standard by which we measure our spiritual sensitivities. The backward look is only necessary for one primary thing in our lives – to make us appreciate the current status of our relationship with Jesus Christ and live in the joy of our salvation.

The backward look at our past sin, when combined with the satanic influence of shame for that sin, can cause serious spiritual problems.  Yes, I said satanic influence of shame. You see, once God has forgiven our sin in Jesus Christ, ALL condemnation is removed. Shame is Satan’s weapon to condemn us. Shame is not the same as godly sorrow that leads to repentance. Shame is the chain with which Satan binds us to our past.

I hear a phrase coming from the lips of Christians far too often. “I know God has forgiven me, but I just can’t seem to forgive myself.” Nowhere in the Bible are we told to forgive ourselves. In fact, it is a deception of Satan to think that we must. It is how he holds us in spiritual bondage.

As long as we continue to look backward in a self-gratifying brokenness and believe we are still guilty and unworthy we have not truly accepted God’s forgiveness. We are choosing to look at our lives from our perspective rather than from God’s.

The person who believes they have not forgiven themselves is really guilty of not accepting God’s forgiveness. They are still trying to justify their own life and actions, when from God’s perspective they were justified in Christ and made to be His child forever. For some reason in their mind they believe their opinion of themselves is more important than God’s opinion of who they are. Their insecurities, guilt, and shame become the chains with which Satan holds them captive, and the only key he claims to have for deliverance is self-forgiveness and self-justification.

When God forgives there is no need for any additional forgiveness. When we try to forgive ourselves we are in a hopeless state. But the blood of Jesus Christ, the perfect spotless Lamb of God, was poured out for the forgiveness of sin. None of us is required to or capable of forgiving ourselves. We can only – and wondrously – accept the forgiveness already provided by the Father.

My friend, if you are suffering today because you are trapped in the chains of believing you must forgive yourself for what you have done, you are in a futile pursuit. You will never be free. You must realize that what you are really doing is rejecting the forgiveness God offers you. When God says you are forgiven – accept it. When God says you are justified – accept it. When God says you are worthy – accept it. When God says you are qualified – accept it. There is no need and there is no way for you to improve upon what God offers. You do not make yourself worthy of God, so stop trying to make yourself worthy of people, including yourself. When you repent of your sin, God forgives. To believe anything else denies the very nature and character of God.

REJOICE! Your sins are forgiven, and God declares you righteous. Stop arguing with Him.

Pastor John