If you have been in the church world for any length of time, you have heard that we are "justified by the Lord Jesus Christ. Many preachers have explained justification this way: "just-as-if-I'd-never-sinned" and that is a valuable definition. However, there is more - MUCH more. I am going to teach you a simple, yet VERY effective way to use this truth to triumph over your enemy! Also, I'm going to teach you how to turn this truth against your enemy so you overcome his evil with the good Christ brought to you.
The scriptures tell us that Christ paid for our sins and stubborness, but there is more to what Christ did. Look at this...
Rom 4:25, "He who was delivered over because of our transgressions, and was raised for our justification."
When the Holy Spirit raised Jesus Christ from the dead, it was the validation to all mankind that Father God had accepted the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for ALL mankind. God's good report says that I am justified. I am justified whether I feel like it, or whether or not I think so, and certainly whether or not the enemy is accusing me. The truth is... I AM JUSTIFIED.
The point I'm trying to make today is that I can say what my Savior says, "I am justified" which means I'm free from the accusing voice of my enemy and my own self. When I am saying the same thing as my Savior, it is called "confession" CON means "with" and fess means "to say". Confession means "saying the same as". We confess / say the same as Christ. I say with Christ, "I am justified".
However, there is a subtle, crafty slant on justification that my enemy is all too eager to supply. When I say I am justified, but I'm meaning I'm justified to feel bitter because of what a person said. Or I'm justified in holding a grudge because of what a person did to me. Or I'm justified in holding an offense until that person makes it right. Or I'm justified to accuse them because they are wrong.
We all know who is the accuser of the brethren. His name is Satan. He is a crafty liar and a deceiver, so when I agree with his accusations; or when I agree with his mindset; I am behaving like him. I am speaking like him. I am thinking like him and because of that, I get the result of his handiwork which is turmoil, discord, bitterness, depression, strife, hatred and overall misery.
I experience misery whenever I believe my enemy in any way. Conversely, I will have peace when I believe my Savior in any way. Even in the smallest degree of believing my Savior, I experience peace. I experience joy.
Rom 15:13 "Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."
I can say with my Savior, "I am justified" and experience freedom. I can say, "I am justified" in the face of my accuser and see his arguments fall to the ground.
If I believe the lie of my enemy that I am justified in being offended or cold to that person or judgemental, I have strengthened his hold on my life, my mind, my body and my soul. Don't give your enemy an inch - don't give him a toehold - don't give him even ONE of your thoughts. Instead, bring every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.
Take it another step further and think on these things that are "true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. Phil 4:18
Then take it yet another step further and get free from that offense (that snare) by praying FOR the very one you are tempted to judge.
By taking these steps that are clearly laid out in His Word, you experience the truth that He ALWAYS leads you in triumph and He ALWAYS gives you the victory. (2 Cor 2:14 and 1 Cor 15:57).
My job description as a Christian says:
I am a believer ( I believe Christ above what I think or what I feel or above what circumstances say).
I am a follower ( I follow the example of Jesus Christ who prayed for those who despitefully abused Him when He said,"Father forgive them, they don't know what they're doing.").
I can follow His example OR my subtle enemy's example. The results will be vastly different even though they started from the same circumstance. The result of following Christ's example is joy and peace and LIFE!
John 20:31 "But these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name."
When I agree with my Savior., I get to enjoy the benefits of my salvation, HOWEVER, when I agree with my enemy - I get to eat the fruit of his way and my own doing. My justification is still the truth, yet I'm not enjoying the freedom that truth brings me if I'm agreeing with my enemy.
So today, if you have believed you are justified in nursing that grudge or "chatting" about that person's shortcomings or criticizing another human; you have taken the bait and the enemy is trying to hoodwink you into giving up your freedom and submitting to his slavery. As the J. B. Phillips translation so aptly says:
Rom 6:15 "You belong to the power which you choose to obey, whether you choose sin, whose reward is death, or God, obedience to whom means the reward of righteousness."
So are you justified or are you justified?
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