Finding Freedom from the Fear of Failure and of Being Imperfect (Part 2 of 2)

I believe looking at 2 Chronicles 16:9 from different Bible versions also helps shine some light on the perfection God is looking for:

“For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars.”

—2 Chronicles 16:9 KJV (emphasis mine)

Now let’s read the same Scripture but from the Amplified version of the Bible:

“For the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth so that He may support those whose heart is completely His. You have acted foolishly in this; therefore, from now on you will have wars.””

—2 Chronicles 16:9 AMP (emphasis mine)

We can see from the Amplified version and from other versions of the Bible that a perfect heart is a heart that is completely God’s. In other words, it is a heart that is wholeheartedly committed to God; a loyal heart. And a heart which is loyal, or fully devoted to Him, is a heart that totally trusts in Him. How do I draw this conclusion? I draw this conclusion from verses 7 and 8 of the same chapter of the same book, 2 Chronicles 16, and it is also harmoniously in line with the Gospel message―which prescribes a righteousness that is of faith:

“At that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah and said to him, Because you relied on the king of Syria and not on the Lord your God, the army of the king of Syria has escaped you. Were not the Ethiopians and Libyans a huge host with very many chariots and horsemen? Yet because you relied then on the Lord, He gave them into your hand. For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth to show Himself strong in behalf of those whose hearts are blameless toward Him. You have done foolishly in this; therefore, from now on you shall have wars.”

—2 Chronicles 16:7-9 AMPC (emphasis added)

We can see from these verses that when king Asa relied on the Lord to help him defeat his enemies, he pleased God and the Lord delivered his enemies into his hand. Hence, as long as King Asa placed his trust in God, God declared him blameless. However, when king Asa later chose to place his trust in the arms of flesh, his enemies escaped him and he was told he would suffer wars from now on—his heart was not blameless before the Lord. By the same token, always remember that we are justified and made acceptable to God through faith and not by works, lest any man should boast.[1] Let us make the distinction between a perfect heart and a perfect performance.

For years I wondered about Romans 8:1 KJV: “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” I just couldn’t understand it. In the first part of the verse, God was telling me that there was no condemnation for me, but in the second part of the same verse He was telling me that if I walked in the flesh I was condemned. Well, I knew that I still sinned, not willingly, but I did sin; so didn’t that mean that each time I sinned it was because I was in the flesh? Did it mean that I fell under condemnation each time I sinned? It seemed to suggest that I must be perfect all the time or I was in trouble. So much for trying to make me feel good with the first part of Romans 8:1, the second part canceled it all out!

One day I asked the Lord to explain to me what it meant, and He did. The revelation came while I was musing over Romans 8:1 KJV:

“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”

Then, my thoughts drifted to Galatians 3:3 AMPC:

“Are you so foolish and so senseless and so silly? Having begun [your new life spiritually] with the [Holy] Spirit, are you now reaching perfection [by dependence] on the flesh?”

This is when the light went on. Thank you, Lord! I get it! To walk after the Spirit means to live in dependence on the Spirit. And to walk after the flesh means to live in dependence on the flesh. O what a revelation! This means that we are free to depend on Him to perfect us, to make us what we ought to be, to make us right! It means that we can now depend on Him to mold us and to shape us into Christ’s image. It means that we can depend on Him to do the work in us that only He can do. It means that we can depend on Him to complete that which He started in us.[2] Condemnation pronounces us guilty and brings a wedge between us and God. However, Christ is the bridge to cross over to God. Accordingly, the Bible says that we are to walk by faith and not by sight.[3] Therefore, receiving the free gift of righteousness is walking in the Spirit. Trusting Him to make us what we ought to be is walking in the Spirit. Running to Christ for forgiveness when we sin, instead of coming under condemnation, is walking in the Spirit. Trusting that we are saved by His grace alone through faith and not relying on our human effort and ability to make ourselves acceptable to Him is walking in the Spirit.

Consequently, anytime we submit ourselves to a law and try in our own human effort not to sin is actually when we walk in the flesh. It is so important for us to get this: as born-again believers in Christ, when we allow condemnation to separate us from God, we are living a flesh-led life, not a Spirit-led life. This is why it is crucial that we do not entertain condemnation. Wow! When we are under condemnation, isn’t it because we depend on our own strength to do it, but we fail? However, when we depend on God to do it, there is no room for condemnation, because we do not rely on ourselves but on Christ. Let us therefore be reconciled with the Father through faith in Christ and not through faith in our own ability to do everything perfectly right.[4] Then, the fruit of righteousness will naturally flow from our faith in Christ and His work at the cross.

We need to understand the difference between conviction and condemnation. You can know whether you are under condemnation or under conviction by the effect it has on you. Condemnation strengthens sin and keeps you in bondage to it so that you cannot get out. Condemnation keeps you in defeat. On the other hand, conviction brings with it the grace needed to overcome. You will never overcome sin by placing yourself under a load of condemnation; nor will you ever help anyone overcome sin by placing them under a load of condemnation. Doing so will only discourage them all the more and cause more damage. It is crucial that we understand it is the goodness of God that leads men to repentance, not His anger.[5]

In conclusion, God is pleased with the heart that trusts Him.[6] It follows that the trusting heart will habitually yield to God’s leading.[7] Essentially, the same way we were saved is the same way we ought to live—by faith. Now, someone whose heart is fully God’s is someone whose heart is hot for God.[8] Naturally, someone who is hot for God will hunger and thirst for righteousness. And someone who hungers and thirsts for righteousness is bound to make progress. Someone who hungers and thirsts for holiness is bound to change. When we love God, obedience will naturally follow.[9] What is the command Jesus gave us, found in His Word? That we may love one another as He loved us.[10] Anyone who loves their brother and sister lives in the light, and there is nothing in them to make them stumble.[11] Be encouraged dear one, Christ is your righteousness,[12] and He will complete in you what He started.[13] You can rest assured of this very thing―there is hope! There is a way out.

—Kathleen Kaczmarek

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[1] See Romans 5:1 and Ephesians 2:8-9.

[2] See Philippians 1:6.

[3] See 2 Corinthians 5:7.

[4] See Romans 5:1.

[5] See Romans 2:4 NKJV.

[6] See Hebrews 11:6.

[7] See Romans 8:14.

[8] See Revelation 3:16.

[9] See John 14:15. If you read this verse from the NKJV, make sure to look at the footnote. If you are reading from the KJV, I encourage you to also look at other versions. Most add “you will keep (or obey)”.

[10] See John 13:34.

[11] 1 John 2:10 NIV (according to the EXB Bible version, this Scripture can either mean that he “will not cause anyone to stumble in his faith [or he will not stumble in his faith”). Also see 2 Peter 1:3-11 and Galatians 5:22-23.

[12] See 1 Corinthians 1:30.

[13] See Philippians 1:6.

Finding Freedom from the Fear of Failure and of Being Imperfect (Part 1 of 2)

Recently, I believe the Lord showed me that I had to put on the belt of truth so that my spiritual loins could be healed and fullness of intimacy with Him be made possible. This would also enable Him to conceive in me what He desires to conceive in me. I believe He led me to Derek Prince’s book, Lucifer Exposed, page 59, where the author elaborates on the meaning of the belt of truth which is part of the armor that God supplies to us,[1] “We must be ruthlessly honest with ourselves and, as the Holy Spirit leads, with other people. We cannot encumber ourselves with religious clichés. They are a terrible hindrance if we want to be truly committed Christians. We cannot hide behind religious talk; we have to be sincere.”

It is important to be honest with ourselves and with God and not to hide in fear if we want to receive forgiveness, deliverance, healing and restoration. Legalism causes us to want to hide for fear to be condemned and rejected if we do not possess or display perfection. Furthermore, legalism always demands us to be at a higher level of holiness than where we are now. We may be at level three in love and level two in faith, but legalism is not satisfied, because we should be operating at level seven and eight, or actually we should be operating at level ten! It always brings the sense that we are not enough. It usually causes us to put on a façade, a spiritual mask, so that if we don’t measure up within, perhaps, we can, as much as possible, measure up without. It is a merciless place―a place where there is no life, no color, and no joy. Religious perfectionism is a major hindrance to progress.

Jesus did not waste any words when He addressed the experts in the law of His day. Here is an excerpt of Jesus’ blunt words in Luke 11:46 AMPC: “But He said, Woe to you, the lawyers, also! For you load men with oppressive burdens hard to bear, and you do not personally [even gently] touch the burdens with one of your fingers.” In contrast, grace will take us as we are and will help us make progress. Under grace, it is understood that the change will happen over a period of time and not all at once. If it were not so, a genuine work of the heart wouldn’t be possible. God is the only one who can mold and shape our hearts. We do need to cooperate with Him as He transforms us within; and we do that by believing that He is working in us even when we do not see immediate results and by yielding to His molding. We also cooperate by studying and applying His Word and by praying. That way, we are being transformed as our mind is renewed.[2] This represents the time and the effort that we put in. Then, as He does the work in us, we begin to work out what He is doing inwardly.[3]

Here is another of Jesus’ strong rebuke to the religious leaders of His day, found in Matthew 23:25-26 AMP: “Woe to you, [self-righteous] scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the plate, but inside they are full of extortion and robbery and self-indulgence (unrestrained greed). You [spiritually] blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and of the plate [examine and change your inner self to conform to God’s precepts], so that the outside [your public life and deeds] may be clean also.” As we can see from the aforementioned Scripture, unless we open up in honesty and face the truth about our inner condition, our religion is reduced to mere hypocrisy―outward performance. The Gospel is the good news. It frees us to come to God just as we are, without condemnation and without fear, and it opens the door for God to examine our heart thoroughly. Under grace, we are invited to let God forgive, heal and restore us in our innermost parts. Then the outward will follow. As a child of God, we are in the process of becoming what we already are. And the Bible says that we are the righteousness of God in Christ.[4] I love Hebrews 10:14 which teaches us that by a single offering (which is Jesus on the cross), we have been made perfect forever those who are made holy.[5] It is a new covenant.

Jesus said in Matthew 5:48 AMPC, “You, therefore, must be perfect [growing into complete maturity of godliness in mind and character, having reached the proper height of virtue and integrity], as your heavenly Father is perfect.” The Amplified Classic Edition version of the Bible describes perfection as “growing”. During my recovery from legalism/religious OCD (scrupulosity), when I was in prayer, I asked the Lord, “How can you love us so much when we are so messed up?” Immediately the Lord spoke to me as a word came to me from my spirit. The word was hunger. God is not looking for perfection. What God is looking for is hunger—hunger for Him, hunger for righteousness. Jesus said in Matthew 5:6 KJV, “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.” Therefore, let us, by grace, pursue holiness with our whole heart and let us hunger for righteousness, but let us not forget that what God is looking for first and foremost is hunger, not perfect performance. There is a difference between godly perfection and legalistic “perfection”.

In conclusion, God is a God of the heart. Certainly His yoke is easy and His burden is light.[6] Let us make the difference between a perfect heart and a perfect performance. Repentance doesn’t mean perfection. Repentance means to come into agreement with God concerning sin, to turn from our sins and to begin to walk in the opposite direction―toward perfection. The Bible clearly shows that the merciful will receive mercy.[7] If there is room for us to receive mercy, it is because we are not perfect, or else mercy wouldn’t be needed. God has called us to enjoy the journey while we are on it. He who has called us unto Himself is faithful; He will hallow and keep us.[8] Let us trust God to deliver us from our enemies―from temptations, weaknesses and sin. Then will we be truly changed from the inside out and empowered to live the victorious life we have always wanted to live. Be encouraged dear one, there is hope! There is a way out. (To be continued in part 2)

—Kathleen Kaczmarek

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[1] See Ephesians 6:11-17.

[2] See Romans 12:2.

[3] See Philippians 2:12-13.

[4] See 2 Corinthians 5:21.

[5] See Hebrews 10:14.

[6] See Matthew 11:28-30.

[7] See Matthew 5:7.

[8] See 1 Thessalonians 5:24 AMPC.