Touched By Grace, Free From Guilt And Condemnation

I became a believer in 1996. Even though God showed me how He was real and had rescued me and been with me so many times, I struggled with His love for me, and always felt a sense of His displeasure and anger toward me.

If I did well, I felt God was pleased with me, but the reverse was also true. If I did not live up to what I felt were His expectations, then I felt a sense of His disapproval and anger toward me. I was always under guilt and condemnation because I felt like I was not doing enough and not allowing God to change me to be the person He wanted me to be.

For many years, I involved myself in what I was taught was spiritual warfare—fighting the devil, fasting, rebuking, and constantly pushing myself to pray and seek God for victory. I was able to get a measure of victory over condemnation after ten years in my walk, but I never truly believed in God’s love for me. I pushed myself to serve God and I thought He favored me because I worked so hard, more than anyone else in my church.

Then, in December 2012, my wife suddenly passed away due to pneumonia and I was devastated. A month later, in January 2013, I saw Pastor Prince’s broadcasts. Initially, he made me angry because of the way he “bragged” about God’s grace and how he seemed to easily receive everything he needed from God. I felt he didn’t deserve all the favor he was talking about for he didn’t work for them like I did.

Yet, that night after the program, something in me stirred and I began to cry out for God’s grace. I was so humbled. I cried out to God and received His touch! That night, He changed my thinking and that was when I began to follow Pastor Prince on television.

God has used so many of his messages to change and shape my life, beginning in 2013. Two foundational messages for me have been, For Inside Enjoyment, Look Outside To Jesus, and, Boast Of The Lord’s Love For You, Not Your Love For Him. These two messages changed my life forever. I learned to “speak to the Rock” and stop beating myself up.

I really love Pastor Prince because he pointed me personal and intimate relationship with Jesus Christ, based on Jesus’ finished work for me. I am still a work in progress, but I am so very thankful for the ministry of Pastor Joseph Prince. Only the Lord truly knows how blessed I’ve been through Pastor Prince’s ministry! Thank You, Jesus!