Guilt has been defined as an unpleasant knowledge that something wrong has been done. It involves fear of punishment, shame, regret, and remorse. It involves feeling’s of low self-esteem, inferiority, depression and anxiety. Many of God’s people are motivated and moved by the sense of guilt in their lives. The scriptures teach believers to be Spirit led rather than guilt led. Are you saying ‘Yes’ to things when you should be saying ‘No.’ It’s time to put guilt in it’s place and move up in the things of God.

God Says ‘NO’ To Wrong Outward Conduct

• God likes the word ‘No’ and uses it often.
• In the Bible, there are many things God said ‘No’ to.
• God said ‘No’ to lying.’

Ephesians 4:25 (KJV)
25 Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.

• God  said ‘No’ to fornication and lust.

1 Thessalonians 4:3 (KJV)
3 For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:

• ‘No’ is a good word. You can use it to stay straight with heaven.
• God  said ‘No’ to stealing and anger.

Ephesians 4:26–28 (KJV)
26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: 27 Neither give place to the devil. 28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.

• God said ‘No to cursing.

Ephesians 4:29 (KJV)
29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

• God says ‘NO’ to strife.
  • Strife is especially problematic as engaging in it can open the door to demons.

2 Timothy 2:23–26 (KJV)
23 But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes. 24 And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, 25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; 26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.

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• God says ‘No’ to bad parenting. Look at the story of Eli and his sins. Eli refused to restrain the evil that his sons were involved in and it brought the judgment of God upon his household (1 Samuel 2).
• What do you think God’s attitude is to alcohol and drugs?
• What about some of the other areas we see broadcast on our airwaves today?
• Do you think He might say ‘No’ to these things also?

God says ‘No’ to Wrong Inward Conduct

• It’s not only outward sins, sins of the flesh, sins of the body which God says ‘NO’ to.
• He also says ‘No’ to wrong inward conduct, wrong motives, evil thoughts, inside murmurings and complaints.
• Often times we are quick to judge others for outside sins because they are easily known.
• The internal stuff is even more lethal.
• God says ‘No’ to Pride
  • God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble.

James 4:6 (KJV)
6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.

• In Isaiah chapters 36 and 37 we see God saying ‘No’ to the mockery of Rabshakeh against the children of Israel.
  • His subsequent response to the proud attitude of their hearts lead to 185,00 dead Assyrian soldiers.
• God said ‘No’ to unbelief in Numbers 13 and 14.
• Think of it. The whole sin problem could have been avoided if Adam had responded to God’s ‘No’ concerning the tree. ‘No’ is a powerful word indeed.
• As we can see God uses this word ‘No’ a great amount of times and He doesn’t feel guilty about it’s use.
• Believers are to be led by the righteous standard of God, not guilt.
• Saints of God are to be guided by the wisdom of God instead of any internal desire to have people like who they are.
• The issue boils down to doing the right thing at the moment as opposed to the internal anguish of the moment.

God Say ‘No’ to Wrong Plans

• God said a big ‘No’ to Saul’s plan.
  • Samuel told him to go and utterly destroy Amalek.
  • Saul did 99.5% of what God said.
  • The last 1/2 percent is what did Saul in.
  • Saul killed all the Amalekites except one. He let Agag the king live.
  • They destroyed all the idols all the images and everything which was vile.
  • But, the best of the animals, the best of the  sheep and ox they kept alive.
  • Saul thought he did great, but God had already told Samuel ‘No’.

1 Samuel 15:22 (KJV)
22 And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, As in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to hearken than the fat of rams.

• God told Saul ‘NO’. He said to obey is better than to sacrifice and to hearken then the fat of rams.
• In the ministry of Paul (Acts 16:6-7), we see God’s ‘NO’ in Paul’s life.

Acts 16:6–7 (KJV)
6 Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia, 7 After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not.

• Paul wanted to go to Bithynia and the Holy Ghost said ‘NO’.
• These are good verses to read if you aspire to do something great for God.
• God has something to say about your life.
• He has some input on where you should go and what you should be doing with your life on planet earth.
• It is best to get God’s plan.
• It is best to get God’s ‘YES’.

We are walking with a God who is very comfortable with the word ‘No’.

• So, why do we have such a problem with this word?
• Where did all this guilt, associated with using this word, come from?

Guilt Comes from Broken Law

• Have you ever been pulled over for speeding?
  • What do you feel?
  • Did you feel guilt?
  • Why?
• You were aware of the sign indicated what your speed should be.
  • That sign was the law.
  • You broke it.
  • You went faster than you should have and you were caught.
  • The policeman writes you a ticket.
  • The ticket is an indication of guilt.
  • It is the thing you are feeling in written form.
• The average Israelite knew a lot about guilt.

Hebrews 10:2 (KJV)
2 For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins.

• Picture this in your mind. Picture an Israelite bringing the sacrifice for his sins.
• See the ‘burnt offering for sin’ ceremony in your minds eye.
  • Get a visual of it all.
  • Here is this Israelite who sinned, who goes through the motions of bringing the sacrifice.
  • After he has done all of it, after he has completed all the requirements of the law, he walks away from the ceremony still feeling the guilt of what he had done.
• It was an everyday feeling for an Israelite.
• This is how he served God.
• He was forgiven for his sin.
• His sin was covered by the appropriate offering in the Israeli sacrificial system.
• But he still left the altar with a strong sense of guilt chewing up his insides.
• Guilt comes from broken law.

Guilt Comes From People’s Expectations

• People can be very free with their opinions and expectations.
• Sometimes people say yes when they should say no simply because they don’t want to feel guilty of not meeting others expectations.
• In the realm of human behavior, people will take the easiest way out.
  • If you are the easiest way out, if you say ‘yes’, when you should have said ‘no’, you are the one who gets stuck.
  • Have you ever done this?
• It’s a vicious cycle.
• What happens to people is they get stuck over and over and end up overloaded.
• Overloaded bodies break down under stress.
• Sickness is, at times, at the back end.
• You can avoid all of this by imitating God and using the word NO.

How To Steer Clear of Overload

• Recognize who or what is leading you to do what you do.
• Many times we experience overload. We get so busy in the ‘doing’ of our lives.
• Sometimes we are so busy because we haven’t learned to prioritize our life according to God’s standards.
• God’s will does not reign supreme.
• We haven’t followed God’s plan for the seasons of our lives.
• We said ‘YES’ to things, maybe even good things which people asked us to do.
• We got overloaded. We experienced stress and burn out.
• Why? because we should have said ‘no’ to things and lived our life according to our essential purpose.
• If your so busy you don’t have time for God,
  • You don’t have time to read your Bible,
  • You don’t have time for church,
  • You don’t have time to obey the Lord Jesus Christ who said ‘Seek ye first the kingdom’,
  • Mark it down. You’re doing a bunch of things God did not tell you to do.
  • Something other than God is leading you.

You have to decide what your highest priorities are and have the courage – pleasantly, smilingly, non-apologetically – to say ‘no’ to other things. And the way to do that is by having a bigger ‘YES’ burning inside. – Stephen Covey

• God will not lead you into the stress and the guilt of overload.

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Matthew 11:28–30 (KJV)
28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

• The yoke of Jesus is light and easy.
• It is never guilt ridden.

Call to Action:

We are supposed to be led by the Spirit of God in our lives. We are supposed to be led by integrity, by the righteous standards of heaven. We are to be led by the Word. Never are we to be moved and led by guilt. It takes a decision and it’s up to you to make it.

Question: Parents are often caught in the ‘yes’ trap saying yes to things concerning their children when they should be saying ‘no’? Do you find this to be true? If so, would you please share an incident where you had had to say ‘no’ and by doing so, transformed your child’s life. Please leave your thoughts in the comments section below.