I used to play sand volleyball a lot at a water park I worked at. All I ever really learned about the sport was “BUMP, SET, SPIKE.” My favorite part was SPIKE…i loved jumping up right at the net and smashing the ball down an opponents throat.

This week at Revolution, we talked about condemnation and what Romans 8:1 has to say about it. We talked about how if you are in Christ there is no condemnation RIGHT NOW. But the fact is many Christ followers still allow this powerful tool in the devil’s belt to creep into their life. You can listen to the sermon here or watch the video here.

We have to look for the BUMP, SET…SPIKE when it comes to condemnation. But how can you ever spike this twist on God’s healthy correction if you don’t even recognize it? God may CONFRONT you…because healthy confrontation builds you up and calls you to something higher and greater. But He DOES NOT condemn you or beat you down, if you are IN CHRIST.

That’s why I spent a large part of the sermon describing what condemnation looks like and sounds like…so that we can identify it when it creeps in and SPIKE IT. Here are those quick hits about condemnation:

• Condemnation is God’s correction without God’s kindness. Read Romans 2:4
• Condemnation is over-identification with what you’ve done and disassociation from who you really are in Christ.
• Condemnation loves comparison and competition. It loves to show you that you don’t measure up to super dad over there across the room. It loves to say, man you are a bad wife compared to that lady.
• Condemnation leads to arrested development.
• Condemnation can be a copout or a holding pattern because it keeps you locked-in to lowered expectations. A lot of Christians say “but I’m just a sinner saved by grace…” and that’s true, but it should never be a cop out from what God is calling you to!
• Condemnation likes to pull out footage from the home video archives. It loves to bring up your past and convince you that your past has also ruined your future.
• Condemnation is not something that you can just reduce in life. You have to ruthlessly eliminate it!
• Condemnation will say: “You’re not worthy of God’s love.” When it does, we have to agree, but then finish the idea like this:  “you’re dang right i’m not worthy! thanks for reminding me…that even though I’m not worthy, Jesus died on the cross for me anyway!”

Many have asked…Here are some pics for ya: [more to come]

I get fired up every time I walk OUT of our new worship center. It says “Love God. Love People. Start a Revolution.” right above the doors.

God and people are what we are all about. Read Matthew 22:37-40. Everything we do at Revolution Church is in service to people and helping them for God’s glory. We just believe in loving God and loving people.

And the net result of us doing those two things is ALWAYS lives changed. That is why we say “Start a Revolution!” because when we love God and love people, it seems like we just keep seeing spiritual revolutions happen in one life at a time.

Revolution, YOU ARE THE MOST AMAZING CHURCH I have ever been a part of! Trust me…I visit and talk with many churches and pastors all over the world…and very few are as REVOLUTIONARY as you are!!!

See ya Sunday! Get ready for our Grand Flippin’ Opening and bring a friend!