Keys to Victory series

Tips on Overcoming Condemnation and Discouragement

By MariaMaria #528 CM/FM 3286 1/2000

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If you've been battling, wondering if you're doing "enough" along the lines of using the new weapons or reaching the goals the Lord has set before us, don't worry! Take a deep breath, lie back in His strong arms as you read these mess­ages, and listen to Him tell you personally how much He loves you and appreciates your love, and everything will fall back into the right perspective.

My dear Family,

1. You're each making tremendous progress as you do your best to follow Jesus, because step by step the Lord is continually leading you higher along the path of His will. He's given you goals to shoot for and given you so much counsel about how to use the new weapons‚ which are helping you to be more loving, more unselfish, and ultimately more effective witnesses. He's so proud of each of you for doing what you can to reach for these goals. (See "Goals for 1998" [ML #3160, Lifelines 24], and other recent GNs listing goals you're trying to reach personally or as a Home.)

2. The Lord has given so many promises of His rewards for your obedience in these areas, and has also given you strong warnings that the only way you're going to make it through the days ahead is if you're putting these things into practice and using the new weapons.

3. The Lord has put these goals before you to help you make progress and be happier in Him, and He's given you the new weapons to make your lives easier and more full and beautiful. So of course the Enemy's going to come in and try to steal that joy and beauty by making you feel condemned that you're not doing something enough, or that you're not good enough to attain! Of course he's going to play on your pride to try and get you to push hard in your own strength, and thereby miss the whole point of it all—which is to just let Jesus take over!

4. I know that the Enemy is hitting some of you very hard with condemnation and feeling that you've failed in some major way—when things are difficult in your Home or personal life, or when you're faced with a battle and you just can't seem to pull out of it, or when you feel you're not making enough progress toward the goals the Lord has set out or in your use of the new weapons. Dad always said that the Enemy's favorite weapon among Christians is discouragement—and condemnation follows close behind.

5. "Condemn" in the Bible is based on a Greek word that means, among other things, "to know something against." When you feel condemned‚ it's often because you know something against yourself; you feel bad, guilty, or remorseful because you did something wrong, or at least think you did. Often the problem is in the "thinking," because the more you dwell on it, the worse it gets, leading to intense discouragement, dumps, and despair.

6. When we yield to the Enemy's con­demnation, he effectively cancels out our faith to ask the Lord for victory, because we feel we don't deserve it and thus have no right to ask for it. Like Dad brought out in "The Halloween Wheel" (ML #363), when we give in to the Enemy's lies, dis­courage­ment and condemnation, we relinquish our power to fight back. Once you're in the pits of condemnation, it's very hard to climb out, because the Enemy tries to convince you that that's right where you belong.

7. I know many of you are struggling with condemnation specifically in regards to using the new weapons. Some of you might feel that the goals the Lord has set forth are too high and too numerous to be able to attain in all of them—or that you're just too bad or unspiritual because you haven't attained in them all.

8. Maybe you've been really trying to put the New Wine into practice, but there's just so much coming out that you feel you're not able to keep up with it all. Or when you really make a push in the area of using the new weapons, some days you're able to praise consistently; other days you're able to attack on turning your thoughts into prayers; other days you really reach out in accordance with the Law of Love and do all you can for others; other days you're faithful to try to ask the Lord about everything in prophecy—but you feel that doing all of them every day in every instance is imposs­ible for you!

9. I've been concerned for you because I realize that this could be almost too much for you to bear: the pressure of wanting to do every­thing the Lord was asking of you and the feeling of failure that you weren't able to do it, as well as feeling that you were disappointing the Lord and others in not being able to measure up. I knew the Lord could pull you out of this pit of discouragement and condemnation with His wonderful Words of wisdom, so I prayed for you and asked Him to give you what He knows will bring hope‚ peace and assurance to your heart.

10. I prayed, "Precious Jesus‚ our wonder­ful Husband, many of Your dear brides feel a bit guilty most of the time, a bit condemned that they can't come up to the standard‚ and feel that the goals that You've proposed are unreachable‚ unachievable; therefore they always feel lousy and feel like they're failing. They want so much to please You and to please us and not to fail, but they constantly feel they're failing.

11. "We're supposed to turn every thought into a prayer. We're supposed to praise constantly. We're supposed to pray after every subject we discuss in a meeting. We're supposed to hear from You every day, as well as do a lot of other things. You're asking us to be Your intimate Bride, loving You deeply and passionately. You're asking us to be completely unselfish and loving to others at every turn‚ and we want to do these things‚ but of course we're not going to be successful in every respect all the time. Many of us fall far, far short of that—most of us, in fact. So how do we change our mindset in this? If You don't want us to feel like this, can You tell us how to get rid of these feelings?"

12. In this GN I want to share with you some of the answers the Lord gave in response to those questions and our feelings, which I think will greatly encourage you! We have such a wonderful Husband, He knows us so well and loves us unconditionally. He isn't out there with a measuring stick and a clipboard, charting our progress; rather, He rejoices each time we make a step to follow Him, and He loves our love for Him—plain and simple.

13. So if you've been battling, wondering if you're doing "enough" along the lines of ­using the new weapons or reaching the goals the Lord has set before us, don't worry! Take a deep breath, lie back in His strong arms as you read these messages‚ and listen to Him tell you personally how much He loves you and appreciates your love‚ and everything will fall back into the right perspective.

14. Following are the beautiful messages the Lord gave on the subject, which I think will be a great encouragement to you. These are not to say that we're not supposed to take the steps the Lord is asking of us or put forth the effort that He requires, heed His checks when He reminds us, etc. But the Lord knows that we can't be perfect‚ and we never will be perfect! The Lord said, "Different people are at different ­levels of spiritual growth. Some are at the bottom‚ just beginning to climb the mountain of progress, while others are further up, because they've been following closely—but as long as they're climbing, these messages are for them!"

It's Not My Will for You

To Feel Condemned!

15. (Jesus speaking:) My dear children, the Enemy is the accuser of the saints. No matter how close you are to Me, how desperate you are with Me, how much you love Me, or how willing you are to do anything for Me, he will try to convince you that you're not doing enough. He'll try to condemn you, and in condemning you, discourage you, and in discouraging you, make you feel like quitting‚ like there's no use in even trying. That's his goal—to get you to quit.

16. It's not My will for you to feel condemned—period! It's as simple as that. I don't condemn you. I don't look at your faults and shortcomings. I'm your adoring Husband, and I'm thankful for whatever you do to show your love for Me.

17. Now, as your Father David told you‚ there are times when the Enemy works for Me. (See "Sheepdogs," ML #1439, GN Book 3.) There are times when he'll come around accusing you of something that you've done or not done. And while I don't condemn you for it‚ there's a lesson for you in the situation‚ or there's some way that you could have done better.

18. The way to know the difference is to ask Me. Don't just brush it off as the Enemy's condemnation, but don't believe his lies and carry around that burden—simply ask Me. I'll lovingly tell you if there's some way that you could have done better, and I'll show you My perspective on things. I'll give you My promises for how I'll work things out for your good, and if you believe My Words, you'll then feel encouraged and have the right perspective on things. You'll have learned, you'll have made progress in the spirit, and you'll not be condemned.

19. In some cases when you feel under condemnation, there is something you could do better on. Like your Father David taught you, the Enemy usually mixes the lies with the truth, and there's often some basis in fact when he comes in with condemnation. It's true that you're not perfect! You make mistakes! But I love you anyway, and I'm willing to help you in any area you need, and to overlook your faults when I see that you're sincerely trying to please Me.

20. If you feel that you're not doing what you can, or that there are many areas where you really need to do better‚ then read the GNs on how to make spiritual progress, take the steps outlined there‚ and go on the attack! But don't listen to the Enemy's condemnation, because it won't do anything good for you. It won't help you make progress any faster!

21. The way to grow spiritually is found in humility. The way to make progress is to surrender to Me whatever area you feel you need to grow in, bring it before Me, receive My Words of counsel and instruction, and then do your best to put them into practice. Don't listen to the Enemy! He'll try his utmost to condemn you. It's not My will for you to feel condemned! I don't condemn you! Can you believe that? In believing My Words you will find the victory over condemnation. (End of message from Jesus.)

What to Do When You're Hit

With Condemnation!

22. (Jesus speaking: ) My dearest ones, if you're falling into condemnation and guilt, if you're feeling lousy, these things are not of Me. And if these things are not of Me‚ then I ask you to reject them!

23. The solution is to simply not accept them, and this you do by yielding your all to Me. Refuse to believe the Enemy, and instead ask Me if there's something that I want you to do better on, or if you simply need to trust Me and continue walking by faith. Ask Me about it, and I'll give you My Words of comfort, reassurance, and counsel. That way, instead of falling into the trap of condemnation which the Enemy lays for you, you'll turn it into a positive experience of spiritual growth by learning more from My Words, receiving faith from what I tell you, and going on encouraged in Me!

24. I'll give you another key, My children, to change this mindset. Allow Me to define for you what failure is in My eyes. You must realize that I don't condemn you for the times you fall, therefore you need not feel bad or condemned when you do. I don't judge you for the times you stumble, therefore you need not feel guilt.

25. In My eyes‚ should you stumble‚ this is not failure. In My eyes, the only failure is the one who falls and fails to get up to try again. I don't even expect you to pick yourselves up should you feel you don't have it in you. I'll reach down and pick you up by My Own hand. I only ask that you desire to walk on. I only ask for a believing will. In My eyes, the one who fails is the one who never tries. In My eyes‚ the one who fails is the one who quits.

26. Therefore, as long as you keep going‚ as long as you keep getting up, as long as you keep trying, you're a success! You only fail when you don't lean on Me for help, or when you don't let Me pick you up and help you when you've fallen. When you realize what failure is in My eyes, there can be no condemnation in Me, for I don't condemn you.

27. The way to change your mindset, My loves, as your Father David taught you, is to simply say to Satan when he tempts you with these ill feelings, "You're right, you damned Devil. I can't do this, but Jesus can! I'm a mess, but Jesus is my salvation. I don't have enough love. I, on my own‚ don't pray enough. I can't, by myself, love enough. But Jesus in me can‚ and He's my victory!" Ask Me what I think about what the Enemy is telling you, and if there's anything that you can do better in, I'll tell you. Then throw his lies out the window and refuse to think about them anymore! That's the victory.

28. When you're hit with condemnation, remember these steps:

1.Admit that you alone can't attain these goals, and that only I in you can make it.

2.Simply refuse to believe the Enemy when he comes around with remorseful feelings of con­dem­nation and guilt. Instead, ask Me about it, and receive My Words in faith!

3.Remind yourself what failure is in My eyes. Failure is not falling; failure is when you don't get up to try again.

4.When you stumble, refuse to quit. Humble yourselves before Me; lay down your pride before Me, and yield Me your all. Lean hard on Me. Get up and try again.

29. This is what will gain you the victory! (End of message from Jesus.)

Our Imperfection

Keeps Us Humble!

30. (Mama:) Thank You, our sweet and never-failing Husband, for Your wonderful Words! In this next message from Jesus, He explains that He's able to use even our weakness in sometimes forgetting to pray or do things as we should, to keep us humble, desperate and dependent upon Him.

31. It's like the story of the Sultan and Satan, when Satan came to wake up the Sultan for his prayers. It surprised the Sultan so much that the Devil would want him to pray. When he asked Satan why he was waking him to pray‚ the Devil gave him all sorts of phony excuses at first. When the Sultan persisted‚ the Devil ­finally explained that if the Sultan accidentally overslept one day and missed his prayers, he would be penitent and humble, and thus even closer to the Lord. But if he was perfect in every area of his prayer life and never missed a day, he would become proud and self-righteous and would be the worse for it. So thank the Lord that we're not perfect! It keeps us humble and desperate with Jesus, and reminds us constantly how much we need Him!

32. (Jesus speaking:) I see the humility of spirit, the weakness of spirit, the dependence on Me—and this is pleasing to Me. I look at your hearts above all, and I know that your heart is toward Me and desires to please Me. I know your desire is to serve Me to the best of your ability, to give your all for the sake of My lost sheep‚ to uphold the standard, to use the new weapons to the full. And yet sometimes you fail, or think you fail. Sometimes you make mistakes, you don't follow closely enough, or you don't re­member. You're too slow or too fast, too busy‚ or you're not as loving or giving as you feel you should be. These mistakes are a part of human nature.

33. I use these areas to help you to be weak in yourself so that you'll come to Me and call on Me to be strong through you. Don't be afraid of the weakness of your flesh, or even personality traits that you don't like, because these are the things that I use to help you to come to Me, to depend on Me. These are part of your gift of weakness to keep you close to Me.

34. When you forget or fail or make a mistake, it doesn't mean that you're not doing well‚ that you're not doing all you can to please Me and serve Me‚ but rather I allow you to make mistakes, to forget, so that I can help you to stay dependent on Me. As long as you're desperate with Me and humble, I won't allow you to make too big a mistake—one that will hinder My work or your service to Me. As you do your best for Me and strive to up­hold the standard of My Word to the best of your ability, yet you slip and blow it in some way, big or small, just trust that it's part of My plan to keep you soft and weak so that My Spirit can continue to speak to you.

35. It's good to try your best, to make the effort and obey when I ask something of you. But know that when you slip and feel you don't measure up, this isn't a setback or failure in My eyes, if you allow Me to use it to speak to you and help you. I allow the little slips as a way to help you to use the new weapon of weakness.

36. So even when you make mistakes, or you don't use the new weapons all that you could have in a certain area, or you fall short in loving as I've asked you to love, don't let the Enemy come in with condemnation. Rather use it as a steppingstone to humble yourself before Me, seek Me and love Me, and remember clearly how weak you are in yourself. Then it will be a good experience—one that I can use to draw you even closer and make you even stronger in Me, not yourself. (End of message from Jesus.)

37. (Mama: ) Our sweet Husband is so under­standing. He knows we'll slip and fall, make mistakes and fail sometimes. But He uses such experi­ences as steppingstones that draw us closer to Him, enabling His strength to be made perfect in our weakness.

38. He looks at our hearts, and when He sees that we're sincerely trying to please Him, He rewards and blesses us accordingly, despite any stumbles and falls. So Lord help us all to continually remember how weak and incapable we are, and that it just has to be the Lord in us! Like Dad said, "It's all gotta be a miracle of the grace of God!" (ML #1951:22, Vol.16). Even our obedi­ence to Him is a miracle, for which we have to give Him all the glory! Praise the Lord!

Each Step of Obedience

Brings You Closer

To the Heavenly Life!

39. In this next message the Lord explains that it's impossible for us to completely "attain" in the goals He's set before us‚ because they're from the Heavenly realm—and we're still here on Earth, in the physical, carnal dimension. But each time we take a step of obedience we're partaking more and more of the Heavenly life. Isn't that beautiful?

40. (Jesus speaking:) All have sinned and come short of the glory of God, and there is none righteous, no, not one. The only righteous­ness a man has is that righteousness which I have put within—the righteousness of love, My Spirit, My truth.

41. You're not capable of attaining all the things of the spirit and of the Heavenly realm, but I've given many of them to you so that you can have a taste of My Spirit, a taste of My love, and a taste of the life to come—the life where all is peace and harmony, love and contentment.

42. Many times following these things that I've laid out for you is a struggle‚ because you're still in the flesh, and the flesh wars against the spirit. Your pride fights hard against letting Me have full control, your independence fights com­plete yielded­ness to Me, and your carnal mind fights against simple childlike faith. This is the struggle you have to endure during these days—to continually let My Spirit reign in your heart.

43. But as you try to live the Words that I've poured out to you—the instruction, the guidance, the counsel—as you try to uphold these things that I've shown you to uphold, as you work to live the life of the spirit, you gain more of My Spirit and more of the Heavenly life. No, you don't attain the complete fullness of that Heavenly life, but you attain a measure of it, and this measure brings you happi­ness, joy‚ peace, calmness and longsuffering. It brings forth goodness. It brings forth the fruits of the Spirit, the fruits of the spiritual life.

44. Yet it's impossible to attain to its fullness, its totality, until you pass on over, shedding the life of the flesh and living in the life of the spirit. So don't feel bad or condemned when you don't attain the full spiritual life, but rather rejoice that you've attained a large measure—much larger than most.

45. The goal is not to attain perfection. For even if you follow every rule, every jot and tittle, every iota of the law, you don't attain the full spiritual life, for it is unattainable in the flesh. But the goals that I've laid down for you and the new weapons I've given to you can help you to attain a large portion of the life of the spirit.

46. Therefore rejoice that I've given these things to you‚ and use them to pull down much of My Spirit, many of the attributes of the spiritual life. But don't feel condemned that you can't attain them all‚ for that's impossible. You must see that I don't expect you to attain perfection‚ but I do wish for you to partake of as much of the life of the spirit as possible so that you'll be connected to Me and to My Spirit and to the things of the spirit and the people of the spirit.

47. Thus you can become more spiritual, more mightily used of Me. For you are My vessels—vessels of My love and vessels of My Spirit, vessels of the life of the spirit—whom I use to portray this life to others. So continue to yield to Me and work toward attaining more and more of My Spirit through obedience to My Word‚ through doing those things that I say to do. Continue to press toward the mark of the high calling I have set before you, even though you may stumble or fall sometimes.

48. Just do your best, give it your all, and work toward the goals. Daily take the steps that I place before you, and know that each step you take, each wise decision that you let Me make for you, each prayer, each praise, each time you use the new weapons—all of this brings you closer to the life of the spirit. (End of mess­age from Jesus.)

49. (Mama: ) It's beautiful to know that we're partaking of Heaven each time we use the new weapons and take steps toward the goals the Lord has given us. As the world gets worse and worse, the Lord is bringing us closer and closer to Heaven in spirit! Thank You Jesus! And remember, the Lord knows that you're not perfect! You're never going to be able to completely fulfill the Word in every instance, in every area of your life. He gives us goals to shoot for, but He knows that we're not going to attain to the standard of the Word in every area all the time.

50. The goals that He's given us are Heavenly goals—and we're still human, and will make mistakes and fall short. If you can learn to handle your mistakes the right way—by asking the Lord about them‚ letting them humble you and bring you even closer to the Lord—then even your mistakes work for you, and will make you sweeter, more desperate, and thus more useful to the Lord. Whatever you do, don't yield to the Enemy's condemnation. Simply refuse to accept it! As long as you keep going, you're not a failure. As long as you keep fighting, you're making progress. As long as you're willing to keep going for Jesus, He's proud of you! He doesn't condemn you, so don't let the Enemy con­demn you! Amen?

Everybody Needs Encouragement!

51. In this next message‚ the Lord gives another key for overcoming the Enemy's dis­courage­ment and condemnation, and it's some­thing that each of you can do for your brothers and sisters—give them encouragement! En­cour­age­ment can do so much for people—and in this case, the Lord says it's a real key to overcoming the Enemy's condemnation and discouragement. Lord help us all to be willing to be Your hands and speak Your Words to our mates and co–workers, so that through us, You can give them the encouragement and commenda­tion that You know they need and that will help them on the road to victory.

52. (Jesus speaking:) The answers to dis­couragement are encouragement and apprecia­tion. These things help to lift up the hands which hang down‚ and strengthen the feeble knees of those who have fallen and feel they have too little strength or energy to go on. I've said this ­before‚ and your Father David said it too—that most people feel inferior. Most people feel like they don't measure up and that they're failing, and their fear of failure is the worst fear of all. Your Father David gave you Letters on how to fight these fears and how to battle con­demnation, and en­couragement and appreciation are very ­important.

53. So many times My children are afraid to encourage each other or to show too much appreciation. You seem to feel that it will cause another person to get lifted up‚ or that it will make people think too highly of themselves—but the opposite is true. Most people need to know that although they're earthen vessels, they have the power of the universe within themselves—the Holy Spirit—and because of this, they're powerhouses! They're bursting with My life and energy and love, and they're fantastic! They're wonderful! They're beautiful!

54. Of course the Enemy likes to point out the lacks and the failings and the setbacks. But do I look at those? No, I put your sins behind My back‚ and I don't even remember them anymore. What do I look at? I look at the progress you're making! I look at the ground you've gained! I look at you as though you had never failed, because I just don't see the failures, I see the gains. I don't see the losses, I see the steps forward. The gains are what count, but the losses are negligible. It's a good way to keep score, isn't it?

55. But this is very hard for people to believe. You think that you must do it yourself, and it's hard for you to get over this mindset. You keep score, you look at how many mistakes you've made, and this causes you to be too hard on yourself. You must remember that when I hold out these challenges to you, they're goals. I don't expect you to instantly reach the goal that I hold out. I just expect you to start trying, to start praying for that, to start putting your ­energy toward that.

56. The Family has achieved more in a shorter period of time and with fewer people than any other missionary group in the world today. And why is that? Is it because you're such awesome people who are so talented and full of the Lord that you're absolute towers in the Christian world? No, it's simply because you've yielded to Me‚ and each time I make a new move of the Spirit and I try to get you to go a new way, to try new things‚ to launch out into the deep, you're like Peter, who jumped out of the boat and swam ashore naked, crying, "It's the Lord!" You would almost die trying.

57. In My eyes, you are perfect. You see your imperfections and blemishes while I see your perfection and beauty. This perfection comes not of yourselves, though, but because you love Me so very much. You'd do anything to show your love for Me and to try to reach the goals that I lay before you. That's what I see when I look at you—your great love and your desire to do the right thing for Me. I measure you by your determination to love Me and follow Me—not by how far you make it up the path toward the goals. I judge you by your heart and by your desire for Me—not by the perfection you try to attain in every area.

58. (Mama:) When the Lord speaks of reach­ing the goals He's set before us and just doing as much as we can‚ He's speaking of such things as praise, prayer, loving Him intimately, asking Him everything, practicing with the new weapons‚ etc. He's not speaking about us seeking to reach the goals and standard in the Charter. That's our minimum, our "necessary duty" to remain full-time members. He certainly expects us to do our best for Him and live up to the Charter standard, and at the very least to hit the minimum. He's simply trying to reassure us and comfort us that we don't need to be condemned when we don't make the maximum!

59. (Message from Jesus continues:) Re­mem­ber that these goals are not so that you'll see how much you've failed. They're not so that you'll say, "Oh my, I never do this. I'm so bad. I make progress in this area, but I'm holding back in that area. O wretched man that I am‚ who will deliver me from the body of this death?"

60. If you only concentrate on your failings, you'll be like Paul when he said the above words! He was in such agony and so tortured by his own lack of ability to live up to all he felt he should that he thought he'd like to be delivered from his body. He was so down in the dumps that he thought it would have been better not to live anymore. Can you see how ridiculous that is? Here he was, one of the greatest missionaries and apostles of all time, yet he felt that he'd failed so miserably that it would be better if he didn't even continue living! What a mistake! What a wrong way to look at things. What a perverted judgment of himself! He was one of the greatest missionaries ever, yet he felt he was failing so terribly.

61. Does that help you see how you can't judge yourself and how well you're doing? You can't say, "Look, I simply can't toe the line! I just can't make the mark!" Of course you can't make it! I don't want you to make it! I want you to just yield to Me and let Me make it through you.

62. Do you remember what Paul said right after his famous "O wretched man" cry? He then said, "I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord." Despite his problems, trials and failings‚ he thanked God anyway, and that helped him keep the victory. And then next he was able to say‚ "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus!" You need to be thankful for all the good! You need to emphasize the positive and forget the negative. Look at what you've accomplished for Me! Look at all the progress you've made! Why, anyone who looks at his failures and only considers that is bound to sink, as your Father David told you.

63. You're succeeding! You're going places! You're achieving so much! You're learning and growing so much. But the Enemy robs you of the joy in this, because he makes you look at what you're not doing. He gets your eyes off the victories and onto the failures. But I'm here to tell you today that the victories are so much bigger than the failures.

64. Seek out the good in others‚ seeing them and their possibilities and potential with eyes of love and understanding. Tell them how sweet they are, or what a wonderful help they are, or how much progress they've made, or how thankful you are for them. Commend them on their love for Me or for others and the lost. There is much to praise and appreciate in each of My children if you seek for it.

65. Without encouragement, a person can lose heart. Without appreciation and words of commendation, people feel like giving up. But if someone comes along and says, "You're doing such a good job! I'm so thankful for you!" then that person will keep on going. People often need some encour­agement and appreciation, and that will go a long way toward helping them believe that they're making it, and that they can make it.

66. My people have read that in the Word, but they need the Gospel in shoe leather—they need someone to tell them this. They need to hear of the lessons they need to learn and how they can improve, but more than that, they need to hear often of the victories they've won, the progress they've made, the battles that have been fought and won successfully because they trusted in Me.

67. In the last analysis, that's what it comes down to—trust and faith in Me. If people have too negative a view of themselves, they won't be able to believe that I can do mighty works through them. They won't be able to trust that I'm changing them‚ and they'll lose heart, and then they'll stop changing. So they need constant encouragement, constant loving words‚ constant inspiration that I will do it and that I love them so much because I can see that they're letting Me do it through them.

68. Do you see? This is simple, but beautiful. You can give encouragement; My shepherds can give encouragement; and everyone can learn to have the humility to accept praise, encouragement, and com­mendation. Praise can be one of the most humbling things in the world, because most people feel they don't deserve it. So when you receive honest praise and com­mendation, you're humbled, and this draws you to Me. This makes you seek Me even more. This makes you see what I have done and will do through you.

69. Don't be afraid that people will become lifted up in pride, or that they'll get off track, for the commendation and praise will help them stay on track. It'll help them see that it's worth it, that they're making progress, and then they won't be afraid to have faith in themselves.

70. It takes faith to not feel guilty. It takes faith to not be condemned and feel like a failure. It takes faith in My Word, and in the knowledge that if you follow Me the best you can, I will be pleased. I love you! (End of message from Jesus.)

For more on overcoming condemnation and discouragement, please see the following Letters:

• "Let's Talk About Jesus," ML #20; Vol.1.

• "How to Overcome Discouragement," ML #2750; Lifelines 20.

• "Forget Yourself and Think About Jesus," ML #2938; Lifelines 21.

• "Personal Letters No.6—Trusting Brings Triumph," ML #3004; Lifelines 22.

• "No Condemnation‚" ML #3008; Lifelines 22.