Ways to stay in bondage.
In John 8:3-16 there is a story of the woman caught in adultery and brought before Jesus for judgment. When you read the story, you will see that the Pharisees wanted judgment, but Jesus gave her light.
"When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, 'Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?' She said, 'No one, Lord.' And Jesus said to her, 'Neither do I condemn [final condemnation] you; go and sin no more. Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, 'I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life'" (John 8:10-12).
Jesus did not come to give a new law; He came to bring a whole new way of living which is called "walking in the light" or "walking in the Spirit." The best the Law can do is to convict us of sin, but it cannot remove it. The light cleanses us from all sin. The light reveals the blood of Jesus that washed our sins away. 1 John 1:7 says, "But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin."
In a later chapter of this book we will cover the idea of walking in the light and walking in the Spirit. One of the keys is to "follow Jesus." This woman called Jesus "Lord," which was her commitment to follow Him.
If Jesus' mission is to encourage people to walk in the light, which is the opposite of judgment, then that should also be our mission.
What is judgment? There is a dangerous judgment and a righteous judgment.
The New Testament word used for judgment means final condemnation or damnation as a judge would issue a final decree in the courtroom. Only God can issue final judgments. Only God knows how some person will end up. Some of the most wickedwicked criminals have been gloriously saved and have received God's mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment. We need to be careful not to judge people in this sense. We should not be holding final decrees over them. Judgment starts with our mind, but is confirmed by our words. Even if you have a "feeling" about another person, do not speak it out, but rather give it to God and ask Him to protect you from judging that person. Be honest with God about your feelings and He will help you work through it. Be very sensitive lest you will pay a high price.
Romans 14:10 says, "But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ."
James 4:11-15 says, "Do not speak evil of one another, brethren. He who speaks evil of a brother and judges his brother, speaks evil of the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. There is one Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy. Who are you to judge another? Come now, you who say, 'Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit'; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, 'If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.'"
Matthew 7:1-4 says, "Judge not, that you be not judged or with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me remove the speck from your eye'; and look, a plank is in your own eye?"
The speck that you are criticizing and judging in your brother's eye is perhaps his fault or sin. However Jesus said here that focusing on that sin is the plank in your eye. Which is more serious, the speck of your brother's sin or the plank of your judgment and criticism? Like my friend and co-editor Michael Vincent says, "Judgment is like throwing a ping pong ball at a wall and having it come back and hit you like a bowling ball."
Judgments used in the wrong way can be very dangerous as this chapter goes on to describe. There is a sowing and reaping principle involved and we can be in danger if we take judgment into our own hands. However, in an effort to really hit the mark, I want to attempt to define judgment from a Biblical viewpoint. While we need to be very cautious about wrong judgment, we also need the true Biblical viewpoint in order to be protected from people with evil intentions.
Righteous judgment.
Jesus said, "Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment" (John 7:24). Jesus said to judge, but to do it righteously. The only thing righteous judgment could mean to me is to judge just exactly like Jesus does.
All judgment has been entrusted to Jesus, and Jesus is the Word of God. "For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son" (John 5:22). Jesus was rarely critical. Some of the exceptions were when He confronted the Pharisees.
How does Jesus judge?
He judges according to the Word. He took the penalty and the judgment for everyone's sin. That is His judgment for people. It will continue to be His judgment for them until their death, and then they will be judged for whether or not they accepted Him as their sacrifice.
However, Jesus does judge and condemn demons, devils, and Satan himself as in the Book of Revelation and also when He confronted them in the Gospels. He always separated the person from the devil or demon.
Judgment on the flesh and the demonic world.
Bad fruit may or may not be demonic activity. We know that demons cannot "possess" a child of God, but they sure can influence, to varying degrees, in their behavior.
What you have seen or experienced in another person may not be demonic but may be their old flesh nature. What is the judgment on that? It is the same as Jesus' judgment. Confess the Word for these people, as an example, "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me" (Galatians 2:20). Call those things that be not as though they were, Romans 4:17. Speak the Word of God over the victim for victory and against the demons and/or the flesh for their destruction.
Righteous judgment is having mercy for the sinner, confessing their sin on Jesus, and at the same time speaking the Word of judgment against the active demon and the flesh. That kind of judgment will tend to separate the human from the demonic activity and/or the flesh nature. 1 John 5:16 says, "If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin which does not lead to death, he will ask, and He will give him life for those who commit sin not leading to death. There is sin leading to death. I do not say that he should pray about that."
If we sense a negative criticism flaring up against another, and even if we have discernment regarding a inappropriate activity in another, our judgment, our righteous judgment is to confess the truth over them. It is to confess that Jesus is the Lamb that bore their sin. Righteous judgment is similar to forgiveness. It is putting another person's sin on Jesus, and believing that Jesus will redeem that person, perhaps even aided by your testimony and righteous judgment.
The benefits of judging righteously.
Isaiah 58:6, 9-11 says, "Is this not the fast that I have chosen: To loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke?"
"Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer; You shall cry, and He will say, 'Here I am.' "If you take away the yoke from your midst, The pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness, If you extend your soul to the hungry And satisfy the afflicted soul, Then your light shall dawn in the darkness, And your darkness shall be as the noonday. The LORD will guide you continually, And satisfy your soul in drought, And strengthen your bones; You shall be like a watered garden, And like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail."
Judgment is not:
1. Discerning of spirits as described in 1 Corinthians 12:10 which is a gift given by the Holy Spirit for ministry purposes. God may give you, as he has me, and millions of others in the past, a supernatural revelation, either in the Word or just in your spirit, that there is a certain type of spirit or demon operating in a person or in a situation. This is not judgment; this is simply listening to God for wisdom. It may also be the revelation by the Word of Knowledge to know something about that person's life. Usually its purpose is for healing the situation and/or helping you to construct boundaries in your life.
Some judgments may start with discernment. For example, God gives someone discernment to speak the truth into someone else's life, but instead of being obedient they combine the discernment with fear and their own stinking thinking, and it then turns into a judgment. For what God meant for good they turn into evil.
Discernment produces conviction, which is good, but judgment produces condemnation. Judgments are often based out of fear. There is a difference between godly judgment and being judgmental in an ungodly manner. I know people who have a supernatural gift of discernment, yet they are not judgmental.
Be very careful when judging another person. Very often we can misjudge others because we tend to use ourselves as the standard for judging others.
Romans 2:1 says, “Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things.”
2. Detection of bad fruit in others. Detection is simply recognizing a trait in another person by experience. For instance, if you have seen a pattern of con artists who raise money for ministry in a certain manner, you certainly do not want to get involved. However, that is not judgment, it is simply being smart, detecting their fruit, and staying away.
As an example, Jezebel spirits usually operate in people who exercise inordinate authority and manipulation.
I have seen this quite often. When I see it, I detect it, and just take note of it. This is not judgment because I am simply listening to God and waiting to act or not act in obedience to what He says. If God had not revealed this spirit to me one time in my life, I know that my life would have been devastated. He saved me by discernment and detection. Detection and discernment of this kind surely lets me know how to pray and how to construct boundaries for my family and myself. My "judgment" on this is: I confess that Jesus is the Lamb that bore the sin of that person, but I pray the Scripture against the demon unto its condemnation.
Jesus warned us to look at fruit for our safe keeping.
Matthew 7:15-23 says, "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them. Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'"
Romans 16:17-20 says, "Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them. For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple. For your obedience has become known to all. Therefore I am glad on your behalf; but I want you to be wise in what is good, and simple concerning evil. And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen."
However, even with discerning of spirits and detection you should not run around broadcasting what you have discovered. You should hold your information primarily for intercession and for the protection of those around you. Once you begin to focus on the wrong you see in people and discuss it with others, you could be in danger of being a judge in the dangerous sense of the term. You would also be guilty of gossip and slander. God reserves judgment for Himself, and you are robbing God of His position whichposition, which is very dangerous. There is only one lawgiver and judge, the One who is able to save and destroy. Christ is called to judge because He is qualified: He alone has all the information. He alone is just.
Make sure that you put your feelings on the altar and ask God to show you some bitter root that you may have towards others or yourself that could be causing unhealthy judgment that could be disguised as fruit inspection. I act upon what I believe about myself and judge others out of that belief. If I believe that I am rejected then I will get myself rejected. I will teach people how to treat me based on the judgments I have made. It is a self-fulfilling prophecy that operates by the power of the law that we will reap what we sow.
Some examples of dangerous and inordinate judgment.
Some good examples are Job's friends.
Three of the four friends thought that they knew the reason for Job's sufferings. They told him that the reason he was suffering was because he had sin in his life. Only one, Elihu, spoke truth to Job and that was because he was anointed by the Holy Spirit. God spoke to his friends in Job 42:7 which says, "After the LORD had said these things to Job, he said to Eliphaz the Temanite, 'I am angry with you and your two friends, because you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has.'" Notice all three friends attempted to help Job understand his horrible circumstances, but God was angry with them because they misrepresented God and judged Job. Job 32:3 says, "Also against his three friends his wrath was aroused, because they had found no answer, and yet had condemned Job."
We never really know the complex issues in another's life. We may know 98%, but only God knows everything in someone's heart. I know many who been grossly misjudged and misunderstood by others. It would have been better for these "judges" just to take their suspicions to God and leave the judgment to Him. Our judgment, if it does not come as a revelation from God, is usually clouded with our own complex personalities; we usually judge out of our own motives, Romans 2:1. Judgment can be in one's heart, but when the words are spoken it is much more serious.
Another example of dangerous judgment is the way Moses handled the provision of water from the rock in Numbers 20:10. "And Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock; and he said to them, 'Hear now, you rebels! Must we bring water for you out of this rock?'" God wanted to give the people water out of His mercy and told Moses not to strike the rock. Moses conveyed the idea that God was mad. Because of this Moses did not enter the Promise Land. Heavy!!
The danger of unrighteous judgment.
We are called to be witnesses. A witness will bring testimony to a court. A witness is not the judge. Our testimony about our brother is that Jesus took the judgment of their sin. Even more, we should shudder at even attempting to know for sure that sin is active in their lives. Rather we should judge ourselves that we do not come under judgment.
For example, if you see a brother who has a wayward child, it would be easy to "judge" and say, "Oh, maybe brother so and so was not a good parent and that why his child is a prodigal." That could very easily come back to curse your own child. You should rather say, "That child is the seed of the righteous and the seed of the righteous is blessed, taught of the Lord and is delivered." Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap (Galatians 6:7).
We need to error on the side of mercy and be harmless as doves, and at the same time be wise as serpents so that Satan cannot take undue advantage over us. When you judge righteously, the law of sowing and reaping will bring righteous judgment back to you as a reward.
A friend of mine told me a story of a horrible reaping of judgments he had witnessed.
There was a boy who used to laugh and mock at people who were overweight. He really gave them a hard time. He developed a thyroid problem and gained so much weight that he became obese without even trying.
I have personally witnessed people in churches judge and condemn people who were divorced. They had no idea whether the divorce was Scriptural or not, or anything about the circumstances. They had taken a Pharisee-type view. We have witnessed many of these people experience divorce in their lives and/or in their children's lives.
Vows.
Vows are usually made with judgments we make against others. Vows we make always follow a judgment. A judgment tears others down and a vow builds me up. The judgment says look at them, the vow says what about me? We make vows to help us feel better about ourselves. The vow is permanent in nature therefore it is not in our control once we have made the vow. For instance, if you judged your father for being critical, you might vow that you will never be that way. But because we reap what we sow we end up being critical. Sometimes it takes years to manifest itself into our lives but then it becomes very strong until we break the judgment and renounce the vow in Jesus' name. So many of our bad attitudes are rooted in our vows we made when we were judging others.
When we stop judging it doesn't mean what others have done is right; it just sets us free from the cords that bind us to them because of our judgments and inner vows. The most devastating judgments and vows we make are against our parents. Deuteronomy 5:16 says, 16 "Honor your father and your mother, as the LORD your God has commanded you, that your days may be long, and that it may be well with you in the land which the LORD your God is giving you." To honor means to obey, to do your best to try to respect, it means to love, cherish, and to forgive. Sometimes parents have hurt us but God tells us to try from the heart. If we judge our parent with an evil heart we are dishonoring them. God's law of vows will take effect and life will not go well with us. We either become exactly the opposite of everything we judge: by upholding every standard we have established and fulfilling every vow we have ever made/ and as a result we become completely self righteous and bound to performance. Or we become exactly like everything we judged: by violating every standard we have established and breaking every vow we have made and as a result we become self-condemning and bound to shame. Matthew 5:33-37 says, "Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord.' But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God's throne; nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. "But let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No.' For whatever is more than these is from the evil one."
When a person makes a vow, they have then relied on their own strength to fulfill it. This brings a curse. Jeremiah 17:5 says "Thus says the LORD: 'Cursed is the man who trusts in man And makes flesh his strength, Whose heart departs from the LORD.'"
If you make a vow to God you might be attempting to make a payment for God's grace, which cannot be purchased. If you make a vow to never, never do something; most likely you will end up doing it. Or if you say, "I will always" do something you will also be bound by that vow. That is because in effect a vow is a judgment and it is subject to the law of sowing and reaping.
While Colossians chapter 2:20-23 primarily deals with the religious works of the flesh, it also gives us an example of the vanity of trusting in our flesh, which includes vows.
Colossians 2:20-23 (Amplified Bible)
20 If then you have died with Christ to material ways of looking at things and have escaped from the world's crude and elemental notions and teachings of externalism, why do you live as if you still belong to the world? [Why do you submit to rules and regulations?--such as]
21 Do not handle [this], Do not taste [that], Do not even touch [them],
22 Referring to things all of which perish with being used. To do this is to follow human precepts and doctrines.
23 Such [practices] have indeed the outward appearance [that popularly passes] for wisdom, in promoting self-imposed rigor of devotion and delight in self-humiliation and severity of discipline of the body, but they are of no value in checking the indulgence of the flesh (the lower nature). [Instead, they do not honor God but serve only to indulge the flesh.]
How do you make a commitment without it becoming a vow?
Marriage vows, and other vows that are ordained by God are good and healthy, but even then we should make them counting on God's grace and power and not our own abilities.
The solution to the sin of judgments and vows.
Stay very sensitive to the Holy Spirit and ask Him to reveal to you any negative judgments you may be carrying, or being tempted with. Ask forgiveness and repent from them. Do the same with vows you have made in the past. Keep a close watch on your mind and emotions for "creeping judgments."
Quoted from Inner Healing by Dunklin. 2
Whatever judgments we sow against another, we will receive from others. Knowing this, we should desire to sow love and mercy wherever we go, knowing we will receive love and mercy in return.
Whatever is incubated within our souls is created in our circumstances. Whatever we project out through our souls to others is received by their souls and sent back to us. For this reason, we should keep our souls soaked in Divine love.
"Who shall bring a charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies" (Romans 8:33).
Quote from the devotion, The Cross of Christ, June 22.
The Unchanging Law Of Judgment
"With what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you" (Matthew 7:2).
This statement is not some haphazard theory, but it is an eternal law of God. Whatever judgment you give will be the very way you are judged. There is a difference between retaliation and retribution. Jesus said that the basis of life is retribution- "with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you." If you have been shrewd in finding out the short-comings of others, remember that will be exactly how you will be measured. The way you pay is the way life will pay you back. This eternal law works from God's throne down to us (see Psalm 18:25-26). Romans 2:1 applies it in even a more definite way by saying that the one who criticizes another is guilty of the very same thing. God looks not only at the act itself, but also at the possibility of committing it, which He sees by looking at our hearts.
It is wise to begin this process of breaking judgments and vows with the root judgments we have made against our parents. These have affected our lives more than any other judgments we have made. Pray and allow the Holy Spirit to show us what judgments and vows we have made against our parents. Then repeat these prayers to break the power they have in our lives.
Breaking judgments prayer:
I judged ____________ for ________________. I break that judgment in Jesus name.
I vowed that__________________. I renounce that vow in Jesus name.
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