The Lie of Penance

The enemy of your soul is very real and very astute. He knows that you are weak, imperfect, and that, although righteous, you are far from holy. He knows that residual strongholds of deception within your belief system are the fertile ground of sin.  

When you were born of Me, the enemy lost all legal right to dominate and coerce you because his only inroad into your life was through your own disobedience. I’m using disobedience as a positional term: You were a “Son of Disobedience”. That was your nature. What father doesn’t have the right to influence and guide a son in the world in which he lives? Thus your father, the enemy, guided you in this dark world. 

Once you were born anew of My Spirit, the enemy’s legal rights were revoked. A spiritual wall was erected. You are a child of light, the enemy is the father of darkness, and nary shall the two have communion.

When you are disobedient to Me, My Words, and your nature, a door in the wall is opened through which the enemy can enter and you have no legal right to stop him. 

The only action that will close this door is repentance. The minute you repent that open door can be shut. You can order the enemy out of your life and he must obey because he no longer has a spiritual right to be where he is.

Since the door that allows the enemies influence can be slammed shut so quickly through repentance, don’t think that the enemy hasn't thought of a way to keep the door open. 

He has, and it’s a good one: Condemnation.

The minute you feel remorse and wish to repent of your disobedience the enemy launches an all-out attack of condemnation. He wants you to feel that you cannot come to your Father and receive my forgiveness. But you can.

The enemy knows that that when you repent that My forgiveness is complete and he has no legal right to be in your life. But he also knows (better than you I might add) that the authority to remove him from your life resides in you. If you can be convinced some way, after having repented, to not use your authority, to take no action to drive the enemy from your sphere of influence, he will remain and continue to disturb you.

To strengthen his position and prolong this unlawful period of influence, the enemy uses a very simple line of deception. 

He tells you that even though that you have been forgiven, that the damage has been done. That, because you did decide to disobey Me (and make no mistake about it, you are disobedient because you decide to be), that for a certain season you should expect a harvesting of the seeds of disobedience that you planted. He even will use My Word against you: what you sow you will reap. And, because you believe the enemy, you step back from your use of authority thus giving tacit permission to continue to bring his destructive influence into your life. 

You are duped into laying your authority aside for a “certain season” because you believe that you must pay penance for your disobedience in the natural even though the bill has been cancelled in the spiritual.

Of course the enemy never tells you just how long this “certain season” is: one week, one month, one year… your whole life. He cleverly lures you into thinking that you can, and should, pay for your disobedience in the natural by letting him walk on you for an indefinite period of time. 

Nonsense.

The price I paid for your disobedience is enough. I don’t need, or want your help in paying it. You aren't getting any brownie points letting the enemy kick you around in the name of penance. My willingness to forgive you is everlasting. 

If you disobey, repent. Fast. Then tell the enemy to get out of your life and slam the door behind him.