The Holy Spirit put this message on my heart to make the distinction between guilt and conviction. As I began praying through it and processing this thought, an image of a river formed in my mind. I saw a person walking over to the river with the purpose of testing the water. If the water was good, coming from a fresh source, this person could use the water for a variety of reasons. If the water was bad, it’s source was tainted and defiled, which could not be suitable for anything.

I understood the meaning of this image to help clarify today’s post. While guilt and conviction seem to have similarities, their source is vastly different. A river can have fresh drinkable water or it can be tainted with garbage, chemicals, or bacteria. One leads to sustaining life the other can contaminate or even kill life. In our daily life, we must discern whether in what we feel is either guilt – which is from the enemy, or conviction – which is from the Holy Spirit.

Why would drinking from the ‘waters of conviction’ be life-giving? It’s necessary so we don’t hold onto the junk we’ve carried from our sins. The reason why Jesus Christ came to die on a cross and rose again was to defeat Satan and sin. Therefore, when we do sin we have the ‘Helper’ – the Holy Spirit within us to remind us that what we have done is wrong and to bring that to the cross. Regardless of what we have done, our conviction leads us to Christ. We can bring to Him our sins, our struggles, our disappointments, and our failures and He will renew and refresh us because He loves us.

Guilt is much different as it comes from completely another source. This is one of the favorite tools the enemy uses to keep us in bondage and to make us feel ashamed. Sometimes the guilt is so fierce, that we do not even think God could forgive us. This is a ploy that Satan uses to tie us down and for us to not walk in our identity Christ has given us. What exactly is a part of our identity that he so desperately doesn’t want us to actualize?

IT IS FREEDOM.

“So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” – John 8:36

Amen to that!

You see, the enemy wants you to think that you are not good enough from a mistake that you made years ago. It could be something out of your control and you feel guilty about what took place. He may use guilt as a slave driver to do more good works for God and the church than you are called to. Perhaps the reason why you cannot step up or step out is that there is a sense of disgrace. All of these statements are tactics Satan uses to have you not advance the Kingdom of God and to not walk in who Christ has called you to be.

Yet we have hope…

Romans 8:1 – “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

None. Zilch. Absolutely zero.

Bring those thoughts of guilt before the Savior, for He will free you from the enemy’s grasp. There is no valley too low and no mountain too high where His love cannot reach in, help and heal you.

Here are a few other distinctions between guilt and conviction:

• Guilt keeps a person in bondage, while conviction informs the person of that bondage.

• Guilt points to unworthiness whereas conviction points to wholeness.

• Guilt can lead to amassing more guilt… ultimately feeling as if a giant weight is holding you down. Conviction leads to abounding grace – the realization that Christ carried the sin for you and He wants you to give it to Him.

• Guilt assumes that there is no remedy, while conviction IS the remedy – the cross has carried your sin.

• Guilt attacks your character, whereas conviction thrusts you towards forgiveness, thus restoring the person.

• Guilt says, “You won’t escape” but conviction says, “Let me show you a better way…”

• Guilt works with shame so that a person is buried in isolation and secrecy. Conviction works with restoration so that a person is released into community and transparency.

• Guilt can motivate a person to external behavior to ‘fix’ what they feel inwardly. Conviction motivates a person to repentance – the inward transformation of freedom.

As you read this, perhaps the Holy Spirit is speaking to you about a feeling of guilt that you may be dealing with. What are you feeling guilty from? Have you given this to God? Remember, there is no condemnation for you are in Christ. You are free and you are greatly loved by your Heavenly Father. May you be freed from all that the enemy tries to use against you as you walk towards the calling Christ has given you.

Have a blessed week!