Where is He? Is Jesus Christ Really Real?

Where is He? If He's really real where is He?

Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation.” For when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water and by water, through which the world at that time was destroyed, being flooded with water. But by His word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men. 2 Peter 3 NASB

Where is Jesus? If He's really real, if there is really more to this life than what I see, where is He?

Read on...verse 9.

The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. 

Jesus is being patient with mankind.  It's not His desire that any spend eternity in torment in Hell.  He loved the world so much that He came in person to take the place of everyone.  Nobody was able to save mankind but a perfect sacrifice. Jesus became that sacrifice for you and I. 

But wait there's more. 

He left the choice in our hands. It goes without saying He is omniscient. He already knows who will accept and reject Him.  He's indeed omnipotent and could force this upon everyone but did not. He left the choice to obey in our hands.  

No He didn't! You may say. Actually, yes He did, Adam and Eve sinned. The penalty for sin is death.  God, as Creator, has that right to judge His creation and impose that penalty.  It would be carried on in every human being born since then. It's in our DNA. You were born in sin.

There are indeed promises that can be claimed in Christ but first you must come to Christ for Salvation.  The promise of His return will indeed be kept.  It breaks His heart when those He loves reject the gift He died to make available to them.  Consider that when you wonder where He is or if He is. He isn't being silent towards you or anyone. He's waiting for you to come to Him on the terms He established.

Power in Forgiveness

“And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.” Matthew 6:12 

Few things are more precious to receive than forgiveness. After carrying the burden of our sin, it is wonderfully freeing to know that the one we have wronged has completely forgiven us. Jesus told His disciples to ask God for forgiveness every time they prayed. Jesus knew that we would daily incur debts against God, as we inevitably fall short of God's standard. A day does not go by that we do not need to ask God to remove our debt against Him. Jesus warned that we should expect forgiveness from God as we forgive those who sin against us, for God will forgive us in the same way we forgive others (Matt. 6:15). God's nature is forgiveness (Exod. 34:6—7). If we are to be His disciples, we must follow His example. If God will forgive our most relentless enemy, we can do nothing less. Jesus did not say that certain offenses are unworthy of our forgiveness. We have no biblical excuse for allowing unforgiveness in our hearts. If you choose to withhold forgiveness from someone, your worship and prayers are futile (Matt. 5:23—24). Ask God to make you aware of those dark corners in your life where you are harboring resentment. A keen awareness of your own need for forgiveness will put the offenses of others in their proper light. Ask God to make you like Christ so that, even when you are being persecuted, you can pray, “Father, forgive them.”  - Blackaby Experiencing God Day by Day 

There's been some sharp disagreement on this but there is a bottom line to be seen.

It's interesting to me the timing of this subject in light of a world bent on doing the opposite.  Both within the Church and outside of it. 

I really like the way Blackaby puts it.  There is no excuse not to.

The point of view on it must be Christ's perspective.  We want to see some form of percieved justice.  We want to see some form of condemnation playing out.  

The greater question is: What is God hoping to see in this person?

Really, is it more important that so-called human justice is served rather than a person's soul is kept from Hell?  People can go on and on about what's fair.  Ok. So you want to go there. What is fair, by God's standards is that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.  We all stand condemned.  Everyone.  Only by coming to Christ for Salvation can we be pardoned, forgiven. So what right do any of us have to hold onto such thoughts as to demand something that is only in God's hands to do?  How dare we sit in judgment and not forgive?  Scripture says judgement is in God's hands.  We are free to make evaluations based on Spiritual discernment but that's the end of it.  

So many professing Christians bring dishonor to God by not forgiving others. 

We do so to our own detriment.  To our own hurt.  Has someone wronged you?  God says forgive.  How do you know how your forgiveness or lack of it will play into the plans of the Spirit in that person's life?

Your act of forgiveness may bring them one step closer to Salvation.  

It's completely human pride to start saying "I can forgive them but I won't forget!".  Go ahead on that train of thought.  Explain to me how a Christ follower who claims that Jesus lives in them cannot do what Christ does concerning forgiveness?  If Christ casts our sins as far as the east is from the west and remembers them no more, what about you?

The inevitable is next. "Well, I just can't!" So my friend, explain to me how YOU expect Jesus to forgive you.  How? Why should He forgive you when you won't obey? What makes you better than that individual whom you have the problem with whom Christ died for just as He did you?

There is no room for disobedience. 

My friend forgiveness brings freedom.  It pours out Grace that is greater than all our sins.  It brings the love of God to a wounded soul. Those Christ healed He forgave.  Those whom nailed Him to a cross He forgave.  He cried out to His Father to forgive them. 

There's one last person you must forgive. 

You.

I used to sit in judgment on myself.  Every single time that I knew that I had sinned and failed Jesus, I would sink into a deep depression.  Doing my best to hide it from others.  I would be totally consumed with guilt. Even after asking for Christ to forgive me I would condemn me.  Many years ago God squeezed me through some painful lessons on self forgiveness.  Yes I still sin daily but His grace continues to cover as I ask for forgiveness from Him.  Grace is God's unmerited favor.  We did nothing to deserve it. Yet as a child of God it's ours. 

When we stand in self-condemnation we reject His Grace.  

Forgiveness is very powerful.  It changes lives.  It changes the life of the one being forgiven and it changes us.  

It matters absolutely not as to the offense. 

Read that again.  It matters absolutely not as to the offense.  Christ forgave every single type of sinful offense when it was heaped upon Him on the cross.  From murder to sexual situations. And everything else.  Every sin known to God was forgiven.  

If you want a right relationship with Jesus start with forgiveness.  Ask Him to forgive you as you forgive others.  No excuses. 

Forgive yourself.  Let go of the chains that YOU are holding onto that are only there because YOU won't let go of them. 

Be Still and Know

To him be glory both now and forever. 2 Peter 3:18 

Heaven will be full of the unending praise of Jesus. Eternity! Your unnumbered years will speed their everlasting course, but forever and ever, to him be glory. Is Jesus not “a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek” (Hebrews 5:6 ESV)? To him be glory. Is He not a king forever—“King of kings and Lord of lords” (Revelation 19:16), the “everlasting Father” (Isaiah 9:6)? To him be glory . . . forever. His praise will never cease. That which was bought with blood deserves to last while immortality endures. The glory of the cross must never be eclipsed; the luster of the grave and of the resurrection must never be dimmed. Oh, Jesus! You will be praised forever. As long as immortal spirits live, as long as the Father’s throne endures—forever, forever you will be glorified. Believer, you are anticipating the time when you will join the saints above, singing all glory to Jesus. But are you glorifying Him now? The apostle’s words are, To him be glory both now and forever. Why not make this your prayer today? “Lord, help me to glorify you. I am poor; help me to glorify you by my contentment. I am sick; help me honor you by my patience. I have talents; help me to extol you by spending them for you. I have time; Lord, help me to spend it well that I may serve you. I have a heart to feel; Lord, let that heart feel no love but yours, and glow with no flame but affection for you. I have a head to think; Lord, help me to think of you and for you. You have put me in this world for something, Lord; show me what that is, and help me to work out my life’s purpose. I can’t do much, but like the widow who gave her two small coins, which were all she had to live on (Mark 12:41–44), I cast my life and eternity into your treasury. I am all yours—take me and enable me to glorify you now in all that I say, in all that I do, and with all that I have.”

- C.H. Spurgeon Morning and Evening 

It's so easy to cave in sometimes. 

To see a mountain and lose all hope of going over it. 

The Israelites saw Pharaoh as a mountain.  One coming with all his men to crush them.  The Red Sea opened and the way of Salvation was presented to the children of Israel.  That same Salvation destroyed that mountainous Pharaoh and his men. 

Quite often we are on the same trek as the Children of Israel after they were saved from Pharaoh.  The simplest way to really see their 80 year's in the wilderness is to realize two truths.  The land of milk and honey wasn't ready for them and they weren't ready for it.  

We will face mountains in our lives.  I sure did going on 6 and a half years ago.  Saw no way around it or over it. Felt like I was beat up before I got all the way to it. It's been a lesson that I have learned that I stay employed where I am until God makes it impossible for me to stay.  That's what happened.  

You too need to realize the seasons we go through in life are not permanent.  In reality good seasons are no more freedom than bad are prison sentences.  They are momentary.  They last for as long as Jesus deems necessary for your growth in Him and to touch the lives of people. 

In your prosperity remember to keep Christ first. 

In your poverty remember to keep Christ first. 

In your sickness remember to keep Christ first. 

In your everything remember to keep Christ first. 

That's what Scripture says.  That's what we are to do.  Not panic, not fret, not worry. Rest in the promises of God. 

In my case of 5 years in the wilderness of life Jesus gave me paid training while I healed from the wounds I received before leaving my longest held job.  He used that time to restore my soul.  To take me places with Him that I never dreamed possible. He showed me areas of my life that I was in bondage to that He carefully freed me of.  He removed many of my fears far from me. 

You may not think you have a future you can see.  Jesus still says the same to the blind as He did the seeing:  trust Me, I know the Way, I am the Way. 

You may be bedridden, that doesn't mean you are powerless. You now have a desk from which to launch a thousand prayers. 

You may be living day to day because you can't take anymore.  You have His promise that you are in His hands.  Rest as He works out His Plan for you. 

Whether you have much or little it matters not, you are still useful to the Master. Be still and know that He is God. No more if's and's or but's. Be still and know. 

That which is behind the Curtain

If any of you remember the book or the movie of 'The Wizard of Oz', there's a very interesting moment in it where one of the characters cries out "pay no attention to the man behind the curtain!".

The visual given is of one thing the audience sees and yet a completely different view of who was behind the curtains.  

Scripture says that we are to be on our guard because the Devil prowls around like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour. 

It's unfortunate that many believers crouch in fear of this so-called lion.  In Christ the Devil, or Satan as his real name is, is powerless.  He was defeated at the cross of Christ.  Yet people live as though he has powers and abilities that are beyond what Christ's resurrection power was able to do. 

In the movie and book, as Scripture does too concerning Satan, in the end he is found out.  The truth is revealed.  The light of truth is the Scriptures.  In everything we shine that light upon we reveal all unrighteousness. Scripture says that. 

We see horrific things tempting us.  Look behind the curtain.  The power of God confronts and defeats all the schemes of the Devil.  

Satan spent days and days trying to twist Scripture to make it say what he wanted in order to test Jesus in the wilderness.  Each and every time Jesus properly used Scripture to refute him. Through the years of His earthly ministry, Jesus was having the Law tossed at Him by the Pharisees and Sadducees the leaders of the people, Jesus brought them back to what the Scriptures really said. After all He wrote them. 

You will indeed see both within the sin nature within you and in others, sin. You will be seduced, if possible, to sin. Until we are with Christ, it's going to happen.  We will be like Peter that after we have been restored we will strengthen our brothers. 

It's going to happen to each of us. 

Yes we all go through it. 

Scripture says "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places." Ephesians 6:12

We are going to face trials and tribulations and temptations.  Satan knows the power within us is capable of resisting him. If we know what is going on and how to use it.

Being in the Word rather than the World is his first fear.

Being in Prayer with Jesus rather than in Worry within Ourselves, is his second fear. 

Having Spiritual eyes to see the truth rather than blindly accepting is his third fear. 

Taking Christ at His Word rather than trusting in the words of man is his greatest fear. 

We can easily be the one who is self deceived.  We can fool ourselves into believing that what we see in the person on the stage as the Oz like in the book and movie is real when in fact they are powerless. 

We do more harm to ourselves in not realizing the truth as Jesus shows us than anyone else.  We may be reminded of past sins, if we have confessed those, Scripture is what we tell them when reminded of them. That Jesus is faithful and just, He has forgiven us and casts them as far as the east is from the west.  Remembering them no more.  

Satan loves to dredge up the past.  When we solidly hold to the truth of God's Word he has no power.  Nothing.  Just like we read of him tempting Christ.  Powerless. 

Remind him of who you are in Christ. 

We are adopted, sons and daughters of God.  We are the redeemed. We are as white as snow before our Father in Heaven because He sees Jesus when He sees us.

Look anew at your life.  Look at it from Christ's perspective.  Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain other than to avoid him. Stay the course, run the race set before you.  Ignore the seductive exits along the way.  Let your light shine so that people will want to know the one who saved you.

No broken record here...

An idol is whatever comes first in your life. Anything that comes before Jesus Christ in your affections or priorities—that is your idol. In our materialistic age, millions of people are serving the god of money, possessions, and the accumulation of wealth. When our desire for financial success overshadows our love for God, it becomes just as idolatrous as bowing before a man-made image. Make no mistake—when we reject the Creator-God of Scripture, we must find a substitute. When we reject God, we turn away from His love and provision and become our own god. - Dr. David Jeremiah "The Book of Signs"

His book is a very interesting read.  This excerpt is from a section on the moral decline in our world.  

We live immersed in a culture of self deception.  We are taught to believe anything can be truth.  When the Spirit begins to convict, that mindset is challenged. We have the choice, because of the cross of Christ, to listen to the Spirit or ignore it. 

We are indeed our own worst enemy.  Yet in this war of the souls of men, we refuse to know our enemies.  We refuse because it means that our lies that surround our lives will be revealed for what they are.

Responsibility for actions.  This deception, at its roots is that truth.  If we are honest before God now, then later, when we stand before Him to give an account of our lives, it will go better for us.  Yet this world preaches a gospel of no accountability.  That anything goes, as Dr. Jeremiah was saying in that chapter.  

We are taught that there is no such thing as absolute truth.  It's the direct opposite of the Bible.  The Bible tells us that sin has consequences.  The world says that there's no such thing as sin so do what feels good. 

We are taught, even from some churches, that prosperity can be yours! That is unbiblical. We are taught to rely on God for our needs. We are taught, in some churches, that peace is what you should expect in life!  Jesus says the exact opposite.  That a man's enemies will be members of his own house. That we should expect tribulations and trials.  We who are in Christ are the enemies of those who are not of Christ.  If they have not given their lives to Christ they are under the influence of His enemy, Satan.  We are to be the light of the world.  Christ's light shining through us. Yet to keep from losing friends or family or even strangers we hide most of that light under a basket. Fear of losing what we can see is greater than what we cannot see. 

When we allow worldly thinking into our lives and minds we inevitably push aspects of the teachings of the Holy Spirit out.  Then things happen like creating God in our own image. We begin to have justifiable obsessions and label them as just being serious fans of them. Regardless of what man labels them they are all found under God's description of idolatry. 

When you can justify sacrificing sleep for some worldly thing or event which will indeed impact you on a Sunday morning then you are self-decieved. You are in denial of the truth that you have set up an idol in your life.  If worshipping God with a rested body, alert, intent on giving Him your all, is not possible because of a personal choice then you really need to rethink your life. God understands when your life has things happening in it that are not planned.  But when the choice is in our hands and we choose to give God our leftovers on Sunday then we have a problem. 

When we convince ourselves that wearing symbols of idolatry into Church is ok. We have a problem.  We shouldn't be the distraction of anyone visiting.  When we wear such things to a time of worship, we enable the weaknesses of others and show them not that they are accepted, but rather that they don't need to take God seriously.  We become their stumbling block.  People should see Christ in you.  Not you in you. 

Idolatry has beyond saturated our culture. 

To stand for what you believe, and it's not what a sinful world believes, puts a target on you.  You are mocked and made fun of. You are sued to shut you up.  To make you go away.  In many cases it's not enough to sue, such hatred exists for those living out their faith in God, that the opposition only wants to destroy them utterly.  It still has its roots in idolatry.  

We deceive ourselves when we have no conflicts.  We are indeed surrounded by Christ's angels, but quite often, in peaceful times we tend to get lax. We let our guard down and compromise ensues.  A few minutes here won't hurt.  If I do that, it's not so bad.  

Paul wrote that we are in a race.  Run in such a way as to win. 

Runners, professional athletes, trained to get to where they are.  Truth, to them, is victory and nothing else will do.

Their focus on that prize is with laser precision.  They remove all distractions.  The wear only what will not encumber them.  They prepare their minds, not just their bodies for the race set before them. 

We have so many distractions consuming us we have simply accepted them rather than fight against them.  We have accepted their lies of how good they will make us feel.  That it will be a tool to reach others for Christ.  That one is huge. 

Look in your life.  What idols exist there?  Is it the idol of self? I deserve so I will do...

I deserve so this is where I will go...

I want so I will do...

I love this...so I will wear what symbolizes it...

I...I...I...see the grand deception?

If you are divided in your love for Christ and your wants and desires, then you are not taking up your cross and following Christ. 

You cannot have a firm hold on your cross and the things and ideologies of this world. 

If you really are honest with yourself, you will ask God to show you the truth about you.  Get ready because He will. 

He did with me and He's not done yet. 

He showed me the idols in my life and He's not done yet.  He set before me a choice to fully follow Him or do what I wanted.  

This isn't a broken record message.  The world is beyond immersed in self-deception and idolatry...Scripture says in the last days it would be like in the days of Noah.  Go read Genesis about the way people were before judgment came. 

Will you stand firm in Christ or try to stand for yourself?  One is the Rock, the immovable truth which is Christ, the other is sinking sand that will cause nothing but pain and sorrow when you face Him one day. 

Feelings and Goodness matter not.

Feelings and Goodness matter Not 

See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are! But the people who belong to this world don’t recognize that we are God’s children because they don’t know him. Dear friends, we are already God’s children. 1 John 3:1–2 NLT See how very much our Father loves us. Consider who we were, and what we feel ourselves to be even now as corruption remains a power within us, and you will wonder at our adoption. Yet we are called God’s children. What a high relationship is that of a child, and what privileges it brings! What care and tenderness children expect from their fathers, and what love fathers feel toward their children! But all that, and more, we now have through Christ. As for the temporary drawback of suffering with Jesus, our older brother, we accept it as an honor: The people who belong to this world don’t recognize that we are God’s children because they don’t know him. We are content to be “unknown” with Him in His humiliation, because we will also be exalted with Him. Dear friends, we are already God’s children. That is easy to read, but not so easy to feel. How is it with your heart this morning? Are you in the depths of sorrow? Do corrupt desires rise within your spirit? Does grace seem like a tiny spark trampled underfoot? Does your faith almost fail you? Don’t be afraid! It is neither your goodness nor your feelings that matter: you must simply live by faith in Christ. Whatever things may be against us, now—in the very depths of our sorrow, wherever we may be—as much in the valley as on the mountain, remember this: We are already God’s children. “But,” you say, “see how I look! My behaviors do not glow; my righteousness does not shine with apparent glory.” But read the next part of our passage: “He has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is” (1 John 3:2 NLT). The Holy Spirit will purify our minds, and divine power will refine our bodies—then we will see Him as He is. - C.H. Spurgeon Morning and Evening 

God brought me out into a spacious place. Psalm 18:19

While out taking walks, writer Martin Laird would often encounter a man with four Kerry Blue Terriers. Three of the dogs ran wild through the open fields, but one stayed near its owner, running in tight circles. When Laird finally stopped and asked about this odd behavior, the owner explained that it was a rescue dog that had spent most of his life locked in a cage. The terrier continued to run in circles as though contained inside a confined box.

The Scriptures reveal that we’re trapped and hopeless unless God rescues us. The psalmist spoke of being afflicted by an enemy, entrapped by “the snares of death” with the “cords of death . . . coiled around” him (Psalm 18:4–5). Enclosed and shackled, he cried to God for help (v. 6). And with thundering power, He “reached down . . . and took hold” of him (v. 16).

God can do the same for us. He can break the chains and release us from our confining cages. He can set us free and carry us “out into a spacious place” (v. 19). How sad it is, then, when we keep running in small circles, as if we’re still confined in our old prisons. In His strength, may we no longer be bound by fear, shame, or oppression. God has rescued us from those cages of death. We can run free. - Our Daily Bread 

It was really interesting seeing these two devotionals tie in together. 

It surely is one of the first things that Satan tries to do with believers is basically to train them into believing in a cage that doesn't exist.  Of how we must be if we can just be convinced to live by emotions and sight rather than on faith. 

If we are trusting at all in our feelings or our goodness or lack of goodness,  the trap has been sprung. 

We absolutely must remember that until we are called home to be with Jesus, either in death or the Rapture of the Church, we cannot truly, fully, know all there is to be known of Christ.  We have the Bible to guide us. As Spurgeon called it, and I love that description, the Holy Spirit IS our Immanuel, 'God with us'. 

If we are relying on feelings we will either be lulled into a false sense of security or be in an emotional cage.  Not really much difference in the two except those in a false sense of security have floral wallpaper in their cage.

Walking by faith is more than what we see or feel.   It's taken much of my life to even begin scratching the surface with this.  My emotional cage had me beating myself up over every single sin...and those were just the ones that I was aware of!   If that wasn't bad enough, the constant reminder of past sin kept coming back.  I thought I was forgiven?  Why was this endless barrage happening to me?

Sin nature.  Satan can't indwell a believer but he can whisper in their ear trying to evoke a response out of our sin nature. 

Yes I was forgiven.  I look back on those times and wish I knew then what I know now.  To remind myself that when Christ forgives its permanent.  It's remembered no more.  It was nailed to the cross.  Left there for Jesus to pardon.  I am free in Christ to walk with God because of what Jesus did.  When I am asking for forgiveness, I appear in court before Him. He forgives, declaring Not Guilty.  I am to turn away from what that was and move on.

Paul described our lives as believers as a race.  Running in such a way as to win the prize. 

If we keep listening to our sin nature we will never be focused on the race.  That is when we miss the signs.  We miss the temptation crouching, waiting, because we're too consumed with what's no longer there in God's eyes. 

Keep your eyes on Christ or, like Peter, you will sink in the water.  Christ took hold of Peter's hand and immediately calmed him and he arose out of his circumstance. His emotions kept at bay.  The truth revealed. 

No guilt

Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow. Isaiah 1:18

In the seventeenth century, Sir Isaac Newton used a prism to study how light helps us see different colors. He found that when light passes through an object, the object appears to possess a specific color. While a single ice crystal looks translucent, snow is made up of many ice crystals smashed together. When light passes through all of the crystals, snow appears to be white.

The Bible mentions something else that has a certain color—sin. Through the prophet Isaiah, God confronted the sins of the people of Judah and described their sin as “like scarlet” and as “red as crimson.” But God promised they would “be as white as snow” (Isaiah 1:18). How? Judah needed to turn away from wrongdoing and seek God’s forgiveness.

Thanks to Jesus, we have permanent access to God’s forgiveness. Jesus called Himself “the light of the world” and said whoever follows Him “will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12). When we confess our sins, God forgives us and we’re seen through the light of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. This means that God sees us as He sees Jesus—blameless.

We don’t have to wallow in the guilt and shame of what we’ve done wrong. Instead, we can hold on to the truth of God’s forgiveness, which makes us “white as snow.” Our Daily Bread 

It is a horrible thing to insist we are guilty of that which Christ has forgiven us for. 

The verdict is read "Not Guilty".  Rather than rejoicing in the Grace and Mercy of God, we are actually challenging the ruling when we question it. 

I know.  That was me for many decades. 

I was pretty much obsessed with my every flaw, every failure in Christ.  The truth eluded me for the longest time.  The truth being if Christ has indeed forgiven me, I am washed by His blood. I am seen as being white as snow.  I certainly was missing His point in forgiveness. In many a book and movie the phrase "know your enemy" has been said.  Read for yourself the descriptions of Satan.  An angel of light. A liar and the Father of lies.  The Deciever.  The Accuser.  He cannot read the minds of believers,  nor inhabit them. He had almost full influence over unbelievers.  He can create temptations to snare believers by provoking their sin nature.  He has several thousand years worth of learned abilities in influencing humans.  He isn't creative.  He only uses what works.  He watches, he's a prowling lion seeking someone to devour.  He knows he has lost according to God's Word but will fight to the end, determined to try to make even one thing in the Bible not be true.  He is a sore loser.  

But realize the rest. 

He has to show up in Heaven every day to give an account.  Read Job.

He has to still obey Jesus.  Again read Job.

He can do nothing to those who are in Christ without permission from Jesus. 

He cannot possess a believer.  The Holy Spirit is already there.

When a believer focuses on the truths of God he is powerless.  

As long as we have physical bodies we will face sin and the effects of it.  He loves nothing more than for believers to get wrapped around the axle in self inflicted guilt trips.  He didn't have to do anything we do it ourselves.  We get going along those paths and forget about the Love, Grace and Mercy of our Savior Jesus Christ.  

We are a precious flower in the sight of our God and we convince ourselves to only look at what parts of us are dead, not noticing the beauty.

Yes the Spirit convicts us of sin. It's up to us to address it and move on.  Paul said we are to run the race set before us.  If we keep stopping to look at how bad our outfit looks we will never run the race. 

When we do this we are no different than the man entrusted with the talents from his Master who buried them until His return.  We wasted the opportunities granted to us to invest or do something with what we were entrusted, which is our faith. 

If you constantly berate yourself or your condition, you are saying your faith granted to you, which was able to raise Jesus from the dead, which washed away all the sin of all mankind, has no power left to help you.  That's what you are saying. 

You are telling God that He's abandoned you.  Is that something you really want to be saying to the world? The one who saved me left me to fend for myself? 

Conviction has its purpose, which is to steer believers back to the path set before them in their walk with God.  We were meant to experience it and repent, not live in it.

Let go, my friend, of any ideas that you may have on living guilt ridden.  Scripture says that where the Spirit is there is Liberty.  Freedom in Christ!

Stop making lists of what you have done wrong.  Jesus, after you asked for forgiveness, remembers them no more, why are you?  Start today in being thankful.  Start making a list of things that you are grateful for in Christ.  When you pray, pray that list back to Him.  

If you keep going around dejected, why would anyone look at your life and want Christ if your example is the way it is?

Time to look in the mirror and really take a hard look at what the world sees when it sees you.  Are you a reflection of a forgiven sinner or of someone with no outward signs that forgiveness has happened?  Look at you the way your Savior looks at you.