UNCLOGGING GUILT FROM YOUR HEART
Spiritual Heart Care
“Above all else, guard your heart, for it affects everything you do.”
Proverbs 4:23
GUILT: “I OWE YOU”
I. WHAT IS GUILT?
“My guilt has overwhelmed me like a burden too heavy to bear.” Psalm. 38:4 (NIV)
Guilt is A WARNING LIGHT.
There are two kinds of GUILT.
• GENUINE GUILT.
• FALSE GUILT.
“You began your life in Christ by the Spirit. Now are you trying to make it complete by your own power? That is foolish.” Galatians 3:3
How do I tell the difference? Is the focus on…
People or God? Vague or Specific? Rules or Relationship?
II. OUR WAYS OF HANDLING GUILT.
“… they sewed fig leaves together and made something to cover themselves… [they] hid from the LORD God … `I was
afraid because I was naked’ … `she gave me fruit from the tree, so I ate it.'” Genesis 3:7-8; 10; 12 (NCV)
SHAME HIDING BLAME
Rationalize – Comparison – Suppression – Distraction – Isolation – Escapism
III. GOD’S WAY OF HANDLING GUILT: CONFESSION
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9 (NIV)
A. CONFESS YOUR SINS.
“Finally, I confessed all my sins to You and stopped trying to hide them. I said to myself, I will confess my rebellion to the Lord and You forgave me, and all my guilt is gone.’” Psalms 32:5
* TELL GOD WHAT YOU HAVE DONE WRONG
“God, you know what I have done wrong; I cannot hide my guilt from You.” Psalm 69:5 (NCV)
* TRUST HIM TO FORGIVE YOU
“Let us come near to God with a sincere heart and a sure faith, because we have been made free from a guilty conscience…” Hebrews 10:22 (NCV)
HOW DOES GOD FORGIVE?
1. God forgives Instantly.
“… You are a God of forgiveness, always ready to pardon, gracious and merciful… full of love….” Nehemiah 9:17 (TLB)
“… God; is merciful and quick to forgive.” Isaiah 55:7 (GNT)
2. God forgives Completely.
“He has forgiven… all your sins: [He] has utterly wiped out the… evidence of broken… commandments which always hung over our heads, and has completely annulled it by nailing it [to the] cross.” Colossians 2:13-14 (PHILLIPS)
3. God forgives Repeatedly.
“If we confess our sins to God, he will keep his promise and do what is right; he will forgive our sins and make us clean from all our wrongdoing.” 1 John 1:9
“[Christ]… is always… interceding on [our] behalf.” Hebrews 7:25 (PHILLIPS)
4. God forgives Freely.
“… All [of us] have sinned … yet now God declares us `not guilty’ Of offending him IF we trust in Jesus Christ, who… freely takes away our sins.” Romans 3:23-24 (TLB)
“For it is by God’s grace that you have been saved, through faith. It is not your own doing, but God’s gift. There is nothing to boast of, since it is not the result of your own efforts.” Ephesians 2:8-9
B. CONFESS TO OTHERS.
“Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you might be healed.” James 5:16
“… I finally admitted all my sins to You and stopped trying to hide them. I said to myself, `I will confess them to the Lord.’ And You forgave me! All my guilt is gone.” Psalm 32:5 (TLB)