Freedom From Guilt – Shut Out From God's Presence Series

FREEDOM FROM GUILT – Shut Out from God’s Presence

Psalm 32

[1] Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.

[2] Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord does not count against him

and in whose spirit is no deceit.

[3] When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long.

[4] For day and night your hand was heavy upon me;

my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer.

[5] Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said,

"I will confess my transgressions to the Lord"—and you forgave the guilt of my sin.

[6] Therefore let everyone who is godly pray to you while you may be found;

surely when the mighty waters rise, they will not reach him.

[7] You are my hiding place;

you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance.

[8] I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;

I will counsel you and watch over you.

[9] Do not be like the horse or the mule, which have no understanding but must be controlled by bit and bridle or they will not come to you.

[10] Many are the woes of the wicked,

but the Lord’s unfailing love surrounds the man who trusts in him.

[11] Rejoice in the Lord and be glad, you righteous; sing, all you who are upright in heart!

INTRODUCTION:

Noel Coward, a well known British playwright and comedian in the 20th century, once played a prank on ten famous men in London. He sent each of these distinguished men the same note which read: “We know what you have done. If you don’t want to be exposed, leave town.” Within six months all ten men had moved out of London.

Guilt is a powerful emotion; it holds us captive and excludes us from sharing an intimate relationship with God and others. While nothing more than a cruel prank Noel Coward’s note exposed the guilt each of the recipients carried. Fear of exposure caused each of them to move so they could keep their sin hidden.

What is the key to unlocking the chains of guilt that hold us captive? Guilt and shame become a self-made prison that excludes us from entering into the joy of God’s presence. What is the key that will open the door of God’s presence in our lives?

This morning we are going to cut a key to unlock our guilt. You may be surprised, but the key to freedom from guilt is GUILT—G.U.I.L.T. Let’s unpack how we can use the key of GUILT to set us free from the prison of guilt.

I. Go to God first.

1. What is the purpose of guilt?

a) The answer to the question depends upon who you ask! Satan’s purpose for guilt is to keep you away from God, to shut the door to God’s presence, lock it and throw away the key! The devil wants to use your guilt to push you further and further away from God.

b) God has a very different purpose for guilt. The Holy Sprit wants to use our guilt to draw us to God. That’s why the key to unlocking the chains of guilt is GUILT! God has a purpose for guilt in our lives.

c) Guilt is something that is defiantly two sided. On the one hand I want to break free from the guilt Satan would bring into my life to keep me away from God. Satan uses guilt to condemn us; his purpose is to shame us, to fill us with remorse that keeps us from wanting to seek God.

d) On the other hand I don’t want to be free from God’s use of guilt in my life. God uses guilt to expose the sin in my life that I might be free from the power of sin and dwell in God’s presence. The Holy Spirit uses guilt, not to shame us or condemn us for our sin, but to convict us of our sin and show us our need for God’s mercy and love.

• Psalm 32:1-2 (NIV)

[1] Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. [2] Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit.

e) When our guilt brings us to God instead of pushing us away from God, DAVID SAYS WE ARE BLESSED! I want to use the key of GUILT and come into God’s presence to enjoy His blessing in my life.

2. God’s blessing is found when we face our sin for what it really is.

a) What is sin? In these opening verses of Psalm 32 David uses four different words in Hebrew to describe his sin. David left nothing hidden, but brought his sin into the light where it could be exposed and delt with. Only then could he receive God’s blessing.