Walking in Grace & Mercy Out of Stuff, Struggles, & SinEsimerkki

[IMAGE CONTENT] ## God's Platform We Stand Upon... > There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. Romans 8:1 Why are God’s grace and mercy the first steppingstones to greater freedom in our lives? Because during our struggles to break free from debilitating behaviors, they are His platform we stand upon to gain our footing. Once firmly standing, we can then focus on the Holy Spirit’s work on our issues rather than be perennially stuck in the quicksand of guilt. How many times have we succumbed to areas of weakness through temptation, only to be bound hopelessly for hours, days, weeks, or years in the pit of condemnation? Guilt is the strategy of our adversary – the devil. No wonder the Scriptures call him the accuser of the brethren (Rev. 12:10). Guilt and condemnation are his twin sisters that work to keep our eyes focused upon ourselves, our stuff, and our struggles so that we give up hope that God can set us free. Jesus’ finished work on the cross exemplifies His once-for-all sacrifice to grant forgiveness and never-ending grace and mercy (Heb. 10:10-13). We grow in faith when we ruthlessly choose to believe this truth from God’s Word instead of our feelings of guilt and condemnation . Yes, difficult to do at first, but oh so necessary. This broad platform silences the enemy’s accusations. Then, we can turn our full attention toward freedom from captivity as the Lord directs our next steps forward. Guilt and condemnation are far different from the Holy Spirit’s conviction or convincing ability to reveal our shortcomings and need for God’s healing touch. The Spirit’s conviction doesn’t drag us down into a pit. Instead, it points us upward to the Savior by providing hope and revealing His way out of our stuff. Holy Spirit's conviction draws us to Jesus’ Lordship because of His righteous ability to help us, and it also convinces us of the enemy’s defeat in our lives (John 16:7-11). When we make the platform of God’s grace and mercy our foundation and starting point – especially when we fall into old unhealthy patterns of living – we can confidently dust ourselves off in confession and look for Jesus’ cleansing work in our lives (1 John 1:9). Then, instead of sinking into guilt like we may have done in the past, we now take steps forward, defeating the enemy with every footfall that grace and mercy provide us. What phrase from today’s lesson spoke to your life the most and why?