The Importance Of A Clear Conscience

1 Tim 1:18-20

Giving ground to the enemy. (Eph 4:27) (Review)

· Satan is defeated, but he is still at war with God to dishonor Him & destroy His believers.

· Our biggest problem is ourselves... we hold on to sin & thereby give Satan ground.

o It is the little foxes that can destroy the whole harvest. (SofS 2:15)

· When you give ground to Satan, you give him legal permission to attack you with lies, etc.

Unforgiveness & bitterness. (1Pet 4:12-19) (Review)

· Unforgiveness & bitterness are usually triggered when we are called to suffer…

· We must look to Jesus’ example of how to respond to suffering & avoid bitterness.

· Jesus suffered unjustly, yet He committed himself to Him that judges righteously. (2:23)

1. Identify & release those who have hurt you. (Rm 12:19)

2. Forgive from the heart. (Mt 18:21-22)

· We must forgive from the heart… we must get in touch with the pain & release it to God.

· We are to forgive the way Jesus forgave us … completely.

· Make a list of names, the things that happened, & any ongoing consequences. Pray thru that list & forgive the people on it… including God & yourself if necessary.

· God is not asking us to feel something, but to do something. (Eph 4:32)

To fight the good fight, you must have a clear conscience. (1Tim 1:18-19)

· Today we’ll look at the flip side of forgiveness… our need to ask forgiveness & thereby clear our conscience.

· Two things you must have to keep from being shipwrecked in your Christian life… faith & a clear conscience. (1Tim 1:19)

· We must seek out those we have offended & ask for their forgiveness. (flip side)

· When we seek forgiveness for hurt we have caused, we may free them up from bitterness.

· Make a list of people who have something against you… pray thru list.

o Scope of forgiveness needs be no larger than scope of the offense.

o You may not be led to seek forgiveness from some… in those cases, go straight to God.

· Without a clear conscience, Satan gains an advantage & ground.

Letting go of guilt. (Phil 3:13)

· The problem of guilt… what to do with memories of past sins & their consequences.

· We must let go of the past… not pretend it didn’t happen, but let go. (Phil 3:13)

· Let go (forget) means to disregard the significance, to put it away & move on.

· With a clear conscience you can look others in the eye, & you can stand & resist Satan.

· Follow Paul’s example: Before his conversion, he persecuted the church (Acts 22:4); Paul never forgot what he did, but when accused, he acknowledged his past sin, & thanked God for His abundant grace & forgiveness. (1Cor 15:9; Eph 3:8; 1Tim 1:12-15)

· When accused by Satan, pray “God, Thank You for allowing me to remember what happened when I run my own life. I want to rededicate my life to Jesus Christ… to have Him sit on the throne of my life. When He is in charge, I won’t do those things again.”

Clearing your conscience of rebellion. (1Sam 15:22-23)

· Teenage rebellion is almost an American institution, right of passage, accepted practice.

o Many continue in rebellion against authority thru much of their adult life.

· But rebellion is serious & very dangerous sin… one that gives control & ground to Satan.

· King Saul’s disobedience & rebellion brought severe spiritual consequences upon Saul.

· We are commanded to walk in obedience to earthly authorities & God. (Rom 13:1)

· Most of us have rebelled against constituted authority at some time (parents, boss, teacher)

· Rebellion is like the sin of divination (witchcraft). (v.23)

o Can’t practice witchcraft without opening yourself up to control of Satan & his demons.

o Spiritual authority provides spiritual protection when we are in submission to them.

o When we rebel against God or his constituted authorities, we step out from under His protection & leave ourselves wide open to demonic attack.

· When you rebel, you break fellowship & are separated from God.

· Family & church are constituted authorities that are intended to give spiritual protection.

o When you rebel against them, you move out from under their covering.

· Biblical concepts of authority, submission, & obedience are not popular today.

· We justify our rebelling because the authority is unfair, unjust, unwise, unqualified, etc.

· We are to honor & obey the office, not person. Authority is instituted by God. (Rm 13:1-2)

o When you rebel against authority, you rebel against Sovereign God.

· Pray for all those in authority over you. (1Tim 2:1-2)

· God can change the heart of the authority over you. (Pr 21:1)

· Ask God to forgive your rebellion… it is like the sin of witchcraft.

· Ask forgiveness of the authorities you have rebelled against. (If still under their authority, tell them that by God’s grace you will submit to them. Ask for their prayer.)

· Who is going to be the final authority in your life?

o You must choose Jesus Christ (winning side)… or it will be Satan.