E44 - Hope’s Harbor Gritty Bible Devotions - Satan’s Tool - Self Condemnation

Hope’s Harbor

Gritty Bible Devotions

Episode #44

Title: Satan’s Tool – Self-condemnation – Part 1 of 4

Date: March 7th, 2022

Contact: info@hopesharbor.net

Key verse(s): Romans 7:14 – ‘For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin.’

Sold in this verse means ‘to sell into slavery.’ This is what sin does.

Intro: Jesus said in John 10:10 – “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” Thief in this verse alludes to Satan and his one aim: to gather in every soul not safe in Jesus.

He comes to steal: one way is causing a Christian to have self-condemnation –

Satan is GOD’s enemy. We as Christians are GOD’s children. What do you think this makes Satan to us?

Devotion focus: To recognize Satan’s schemes and therefore not do his work for him.

Self-condemnation – at the heart of this feeling is unbelief. On the surface I feel bad when I fail in my Christian duty to be any of the following or more:

Loving - Kind – Gentle – Patient – Empathetic – Generous – etc.

But at the root of this feeling is unbelief and this leads me to a prideful result of condemning myself, punishing myself, for a sin or sins Jesus already paid for.

This is a lie of Satan. To get us to doubt we are actually and completely forgiven. This lie steals our peace that would otherwise be ours that comes with the faith that Jesus’s death on the cross was a complete atonement for all sin.

All sin.

And conscientious people are most susceptible because we want to do right. But since we know (in our old nature) we are far from perfect, we measure ourselves by a standard GOD never intended for us.

The results of remaining for long in this toxic belief of imperfection are anxiety, fear, depression, loss of joy, etc. This is where we play into Satan’s hands by doubting GOD’s forgiveness.

What can we do about this?

First, go to the Bible and read this passage: John 19:28 – ‘After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, "I thirst!"

John 19:29 - ‘Now a vessel full of sour wine was sitting there; and they filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on hyssop, and put it to His mouth.

John 19:30 – ‘So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, "It is finished!" And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.’

And then this passage: Luke 24:1 – ‘Now on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they, and certain other women with them, came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared.

Luke 24:2 – ‘But they found the stone rolled away from the tomb.

Luke 24:3 – ‘Then they went in and did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.

Luke 24:4 – ‘And it happened, as they were greatly perplexed about this, that behold, two men stood by them in shining garments.

Luke 24:5 – ‘Then, as they were afraid and bowed their faces to the earth, they said to them, "Why do you seek the living among the dead?

Luke 24:6 - “He is not here, but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee,

Luke 24:7 - “saying, 'The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.’"

If you want GOD’s power to help you become free of self-condemnation you must read this passage and others concerning the crucifixion, burial, and resurrection on your own. Think through the verses – what is GOD saying to you?   

Summary: Self-condemnation is a method of Satan to kill your peace of mind, the peace of mind that comes with knowing without a doubt you are forgiven by GOD as soon as you ask forgiveness in and by faith.

But faith in what? In the fact, Jesus’s death on the cross was sufficient punishment for all your sin and mine, past, present, and future sin, for all time and eternity.

Action to consider: To rid yourself of self-condemnation you must displace the lies of Satan. This is done concerning your standing before GOD. You are justified to stand innocent of all charges against you – those of Satan and those of your misguided beliefs.

Displace Satan’s lies by learning GOD’s truth about you, about His love for you.

Do this by writing down verses from the above passages on a 3x5 card and reading them throughout the day. And do this for as long as it takes.

I once had to read John 15:9 first thing in the morning and last thing every night just before bed, for 18 months until I finally believed GOD loved me.

It takes work and that is a small price to pay for freedom from self-condemnation. Be careful here: self-condemnation often leads to self-hatred.

Next week’s devotion: Part 2: Satan’s Tool – Self-hatred