Jesse Birkey

Come Alive With Jesus

  • About Jesse
  • Blog
  • VIM
  • STORE
  • Contact
  • PARTNER WITH US

Jan 19 2016

Stop Punishing Yourself

zIt’s interesting as I think back over my life and how I used to respond to sin.  I remember falling to a certain struggle and being down for days; pretty much until enough life passed to push my guilt and shame down to where I didn’t think about it anymore.  God’s mercy, love, and grace was a foreign concept to me at during that long stretch of my life.  Not to my brain but certainly to my heart.  There was a lot of buried self-hate.

As I had my experiences with God and grew in my understanding of him, I noticed a couple of things.  First, more and more time passed between the times I gave in to temptation and second, there were some new thoughts flowing through me the times that I did.

In the midst of viewing myself as disgusting, worthless, and more, I began to hear the voice of God break through and let me know I was forgiven.  The amount of time spent in depression and self loathing grew shorter and shorter.

In fact, I’ll share an experience that really inspired this post.

I’d messed up again.  Dang it!  I apologized to God right away and was prepared to feel very bad about myself.  Bring on the heaviness and depression and so on, right?  But instead I instantly saw a picture of Jesus holding white robes.  He told me that he forgave me and instructed me to put on the white robes of righteousness.

I did a double take.  A few minutes before I was caught up in the throngs of sin and now Jesus is saying I’m forgiven and can move on.  What about feeling bad about myself?  I hadn’t spent nearly enough time feeling depressed.  I wondered what to do.  Exactly how much time did I need to spend punishing myself before it was okay to accept forgiveness from God?

This is a real conflict being fought within way more people than just me.  How long do we need to feel bad about ourselves before we can move on into the love, grace, and mercy of God?

The answer is, “No time at all.”  The moment we turn to God is the exact moment we can silence the self-inflicted punishment.  If that’s only a few seconds after we did what we did, so be it.

If we truly turn to God with remorse, that’s all that’s needed.  The purpose of conviction is to accomplish that goal – to turn us into the loving arms of the Father where we can experience the freedom forgiveness brings.  Conviction does not want us to feel bad about ourselves but rather about what we did.  Self-punishment is not in the make up of the Holy Spirit so it’s not in the make up of conviction.

The lie is that we need to spend an appropriate amount of time believing the accusations our enemy brings before we are free to move into grace, love, and mercy.  But the truth is that grace, love, and mercy will sweep through us the exact moment we say, “YES” to them.  It can be a few seconds or hours or days.  That much is up to each one of us.

Jesus came to bring life. He didn’t come to say, “You must wallow in depression for this amount of time before it’s… Click To TweetJesus came to bring life.  He didn’t come to say, “You must wallow in depression for this amount of time before it’s okay to move on.”  He came to say, “I forgive you.  Now live in my abundance.”

Sin stinks.  It brings nothing good into our lives and many times it seems like the right thing to do is let it pull us into the pit of despair for an amount of time that proves we’re really sorry.  But that pit is not from God.  It’s from our enemy.  God doesn’t want us to take even one step there.  When we fall we lift our eyes to the mountain of love where our help comes from.  He is QUICK to forgive and toss our sins away.

And in case you’re wondering, all of this is the EXACT way to get free of whatever habitual sin you’re facing.  Stop focusing on how to beat the sin and focus on the love, grace, and mercy of God.  Focus on his open arms even after you fall again.  Revelation of his love is what’s going to set you free.

It’s tough to live in the abundance of Jesus when we feel dead after giving in.  It doesn’t have to be that way.  Sin is a big deal.  My intention is not to be flippant with it because it separates us from God like a stupid wall.  But the exact moment we turn to God the wall crashes and we can run into his arms.  It doesn’t matter if it’s only been a few seconds.

Blessings,

Jesse and Kara Birkey

Listen to Sheila’s incredible testimony of her healing from a stroke!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • Reddit
  • Email

Comments

comments

Written by Jesse Birkey · Categorized: Spiritual Growth · Tagged: Christian counselor, Christian fiction, christian life, Christian marriage, Christian marriage advice, Christian marriages, dead raised, deadraiser, emotional pain, family, fiction, god, healing, how to save my marriage, jesus, light force, marital counseling, marriage help, ministry, miracle, miracles, normal christian life, project afterlife, prophesy, raise the dead, resurrection, supernatural, supernatural healing, supernatural life, testimony, transformation

Comments

  1. Tim says

    January 19, 2016 at 12:13 PM

    Thanks Jesse! This is a good post that should help many be victorious.

    Reply
    • Jesse Birkey says

      January 19, 2016 at 12:21 PM

      I hope so! Thank for the response!

      Reply
  2. Jenna says

    January 19, 2016 at 1:40 PM

    I’m reading this in one of those pits–both self inflicted and put there by others making me take the blame for their actions. Everything you said was full of key words of what I’ve been feeling. I so needed to hear this and this is exactly what I needed today to be victorious in this situation. Thank you

    Reply
    • Jesse Birkey says

      January 19, 2016 at 1:46 PM

      Thanks for sharing how this ministered to you. You are a blessing and more than a conqueror!

      Reply
    • Marlin says

      January 23, 2016 at 7:41 AM

      When others want to pile guilt or blame on you, it is important to remember that guilt and gifts have something in common. Both require action from both parties. A gift extended does not become a gift for you until you receive it. It is the same with guilt. It can be extended to you, or thrown at you, but it cannot become guilt for you unless you receive it. So, if the guilt does not belong to you, you can simply say, “No thank you.”

      Reply
  3. Marlin says

    January 23, 2016 at 7:37 AM

    Good word, Jesse. Working in the mental health field, I have many opportunities to talk with clients about the difference between regret and guilt. Regret is something that we all have, and it tends to be momentary. It would be hard to live without some regrets. But guilt is something very different. Guilt has one, and only one purpose, which is to bring us to repentance and reconciliation. Once repentance and whatever reconciliation is appropriate have happened, guilt’s purpose is accomplished. If we hang onto it after that, it simply becomes destructive.

    Reply
    • Jesse Birkey says

      January 23, 2016 at 11:08 AM

      That’s really good!

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Inviting you to
Come Alive with Jesus

Wondering how to experience the abundant life Jesus came to bring? Sign-up below and I’ll share 7 steps you can take to come alive with Jesus.

Social

  • View jbirk’s profile on Facebook
  • View jessebirkey’s profile on Twitter
  • View jmbirkey’s profile on Instagram
  • View UCcFw5LYWyh7NZ3ok0-7VDsg’s profile on YouTube

Recent Posts

  • Word For February – A Month Of Solutions
  • A Word For January – All Will See How Great Is Our God
  • THE ENEMY CANNOT HAVE YOUR LEGS
  • THE SNOW AND ICE ARE MELTING – A WORD FOR DECEMBER
  • REMEMBER MY WORDS FROM THE PAST

Categories

  • ►All (145)
  • ►Guest posts (4)
  • ►Prophetic words (5)
  • ►Short Stories (5)
  • ▼Spiritual Growth (136)
    • "God Changed My DNA!"
    • 3 Reasons It's Hard To Step Into Our Calling
    • 3 Reasons We Get Mad When Pastors Have Nice Things
    • 3 Reasons You Shouldn't Breastfeed In Public
    • 3 Things I learned at a Wedding
    • 50 Shades of Black, White, or Grey?
    • A Glimpse Into Something Bigger
    • A God of Choice or Control?
    • A God Who Is Thankful
    • A Kingdom View of Economic Collapse
    • A Smoking Match
    • An Open Letter to Katy Perry
    • Angel Seein' Crazies
    • Ask and Argue
    • Be Content
    • Blessings And Exercise
    • Boiling Pots
    • Chivalry and Jesus
    • Clear The Dead Away
    • Climb The Mountain
    • Compassion And Miracles
    • Dealing With the Praise of Man
    • Desperate For Jesus
    • Don't Be Afraid Of The Classroom
    • Don't Let The Fire Go Out
    • Don't Muddy The Water
    • Don't Rush The Timeline
    • Dream But Don't Scheme
    • Drink From The Spirit
    • Encourage Me!
    • Fear Untangled
    • Finding Financial Breakthrough
    • Firefighter/Paramedic Sees the Dead Raised
    • Give Till It Hurts
    • Go Ahead And Care About What They Think
    • God and Obligation
    • God Doesn't Live In The Wow
    • God of Choice Part 2
    • God's Love Is An Ocean For You!
    • God's Normal
    • Guns, Self defense, and God's Ideal
    • Help Us Reach Our Goal
    • How To Become Validated
    • I Am Promise
    • I Don't Care What You Think
    • I Know You Feel Like Giving Up
    • I'm Just Not Sure...
    • If I Could Go Back
    • Ignoring The Question of How Much
    • Insincere Love
    • Is God Vulnerable?
    • It's a Throne of Grace
    • It's Not Enough To Just Desire Change
    • It's Not What You Think
    • Janus Christians - A Word For 2016
    • Jesus Is Aggressive But Never Violent
    • Jesus Is The Promised Land
    • Joy Is In You!
    • Let God Advance You
    • Let It GROW
    • Little Girls, You Are Free!
    • Loneliness or Life
    • Love God, Love Yourself
    • Love Makes All Things Beautiful
    • Michael Brown, Ferguson, and People Called to Love
    • Moment by Moment
    • My Name Is Jesse and I'm a Sinner
    • My Son saw an Angel
    • Oh...You're Healed
    • Open Your Hands
    • Pick Up That Axe
    • Pick Up That Phone
    • Pick Up The Keys To The Kingdom
    • Pickaxes and Mountains
    • Pillars Are Rising On The Earth!
    • Pressed But Not Crushed
    • Raise The Dead!
    • Reach Out not Up
    • Remember When God Laughed?
    • Revelation, Zeal, and Crow
    • Self-Righteous Ugliness
    • She Gave All She Had
    • Shift Your Eyes
    • Silence can be Golden
    • Soldier of Christ Jesus
    • Special Forces Wrestle with Loving Enemies
    • Spiritual Sight?  Everyone is Qualified!
    • Stains and Snow
    • Stones and Open Arms
    • Stop Letting Performance Define You
    • Stop Punishing Yourself
    • Strangers, Glory, and Compartmentalizing
    • Surgery
    • The Church's Greatest Threat
    • The End Times Strategy
    • The Fear of Expectation
    • The Hard Ground Is Ready To Break
    • The Kingdom:  I want it!
    • The Normal Christian Life
    • The Other Side
    • The Power of God and Intimacy of Worship
    • The Problem Of Forgiveness
    • The Problem With Loving Enemies
    • The Rapture:  Truth or Twisted Scripture?
    • The Reason Darkness Can't Win
    • The Road Isn't As Long As You Think
    • The Search for Truth
    • The Story Of A Girl
    • The Tools He Gives
    • The Transformation Zone
    • The Truth About Jealousy
    • The Ultimate Masquerade
    • The Writing On The Wall
    • This is Jesus
    • Three Things I'm Asking From The Church Leaders and Prophetic Voices
    • Through the Eyes of an Adulteress
    • Treasure In The Field
    • Tumbleweeds and Wind
    • Two Things We Should Never Be
    • Unnatural Sexual Immorality
    • Valuable Rocks
    • We Are Far Above The Darkness
    • We Need Him!
    • What Feeds Your Lake?
    • What If We're Wrong About Justice?
    • What It Means To Be More Than A Conqueror
    • Who's Got Answers?
    • Why Did God Abandon Jesus?
    • Why You Should Keep It To Yourself
    • Wrestle and Rest
    • You Are A Dead Raiser
    • You Are A Success
    • You Are Superman
    • You Got The Guts To Be Silent?
    • You're a Real Christian
    • You're All I Need
  • ►The Normal Christian Life (85)
  • ►videos (2)

Archives

  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • January 2015
  • December 2014
  • November 2014
  • October 2014
  • September 2014
  • August 2014
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • May 2014
  • April 2014
  • March 2014
  • 
  • 
  • 

© 2015 Jesse Birkey. All rights reserved. All logos are the property of their respective companies.

Jesse Birkey Logo
loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.