Day 31

Today, we're fasting from the thought that says: "I feel guilty."

Ever thought that?

Or its cousin thoughts: "You don't do enough. You're not good enough. You don't say the right things. You don't take care of yourself. You don't measure up. You don't do as much for others as you should. You eat too much." All this line of thinking produces guilt, which leads to self-hatred, anger toward others, bad decisions, harsh words, procrastination and fear.

So often, we feel guilt because we THINK we don't do enough for God and for others. We're not good and holy enough.

This thinking has enslaved people for centuries.

Nothing seems to rob us of our true purpose more than thoughts and feelings of guilt.

God doesn't motivate by guilt. That's manipulation. God motivates by love. Romans 2:4 says "It's the love and kindness of God that leads us to change."

Often people put a guilt trip on us, to get us to do something or to give in to them. God isn't like that, and He wants you free.

Let's fast from guilt:

1. Jesus declares you: NOT GUILTY. This doesn't mean that you've never done wrong. This means, that He washes your wrong with His blood.

2. See what God sees. Accept Colossians 1:22 which says through His blood "He presents you holy and faultless and unblameable in the Father's eyes."

3. Meditate on Job 10:7a which says "According to your knowledge, I AM INDEED NOT GUILTY..." (NASB)

4. When you blow it, don't deny it. Admit it; confess it. 1 John 1:9 says "If you confess your sin, He is faithful and just to forgive you and to CLEANSE YOU FROM ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS."

5. It's already done! Believe that it is already done! Hebrews 1:3 says "He cleansed us from our sin."

6. Stop thinking that you have to FEEL GUILTY to be forgiven. Sometimes we think we owe it to people to feel guilty and feel bad for everything. Stop thinking that. You don't owe anyone. Don't think guilt somehow pays for something. The blood of Jesus paid it all. It's an insult to His blood, when we feel like we owe God guilt or we owe it to others to wallow in guilt.

7. Stop beating yourself up about what you haven't done. How? Live in the "now". Living in the now, stops your mind from bombarding you about the past and future. Enjoy that moment in the now. When you're praying, the devil says "you should be cleaning." When you're cleaning, the devil says, "you should be reading your Bible." Shut that garbage up. Live in the now. Hebrews 11:1 says "NOW FAITH IS the substance of things hoped for." And 2 Corinthians 6:2 says "NOW IS THE TIME OF SALVATION."

8. Rest in the fact that you don't have to be perfect. God is not holding you to a perfect standard. Jesus is your perfection. JUST REST!

THINK IT & SAY IT:

Jesus has declared me: NOT GUILTY. Even when I feel I don't do enough, or that I'm not good enough, God says FAITH IN HIM IS ENOUGH.

I don't have to feel guilt to be forgiven and I am not going to feel guilty when I blow it. I will receive God's forgiveness, since He already cleansed from my sin. I will admit it, receive His mercy and move on.

I stop TODAY, beating myself up about all that I haven't done, or have done. I choose to live in the now. I will enjoy the moment that I'm in and praise God in the midst of it.

I rest in the fact that He is my perfection. I don't have to be perfect. He already is, and I put my faith in Him.