What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. (Rom.8:31-35)

As Paul begins to wrap up this section of his letter to the church in Rome, we should be full of confidence because of our relationship with the Father. He has already declared that because you are in Christ you are no longer subject to any condemnation. Christ became sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God (2 Cor.5:21). His righteousness is assigned to us and, therefore, never waivers. Our spiritual condition may bounce around like a cork on a windswept lake but our position remains constant because God’s righteousness has been assigned to us rather than our own.

We have been adopted into the family of God and have great standing as his children. In addition, we have the Spirit of God living in us who is willing and ready to direct our steps at all times. His Spirit intercedes for us even when we don’t know how or even know that we need to cry out to God. Our Father has promised to intervene in even bad situations to draw good out of those situations on our behalf and he has set (predestined) ahead of time, all kinds of opportunities for us to grow in Christ and to bear fruit in his kingdom. He has already called us, justified us, and glorified us.   What more could we need?

After enumerating all the things that the Father has provided for our salvation, Paul summarizes in one sentence one of the great corollaries of scripture. In so many words he declares that if the Father has already, willingly and lavishly, given us his most precious gifts (his Son and his Spirit), why would he not give us everything else we need for this life? If Jesus has already willingly died for us and is interceding for us now, why would we doubt the love and provision of the Father? Paul has already underlined this proposition earlier in his letter. “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: while we were still sinners Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). And yet we so often do doubt his care and provision.

For the most part, when we doubt, I don’t think we judge God as uncaring. Instead, I think we hear the accuser telling us that we have not measured up in our walk with the Lord and that our sins and weaknesses have disqualified us from his care. When we allow ourselves to think that way, we have slipped back under a yoke of law that requires us to enter God’s grace on the basis of our own righteousness rather than on the basis of his love and righteousness. Then the enemy tells us that salvation came to us by grace because when we sinned we didn’t know any better. But now that we are saved, we do know better so our sins disqualify us now. The truth is that we began our relationship with God on the basis of his grace and we continue it on the same basis.

I have found that the great battle for most of us is in the arena of refusing to allow the accuser of the brethren to allow us with condemnation where we put the emphasis on ourselves and our own spiritual performance rather than on the love and provision of God. As soon as our emphasis shifts to our own worthiness, we immediately feel disqualified to receive blessings, to operate in anointing, to command the enemy, or to witness to others. We start feeling like hypocrites and start shrinking back to the corners or trying to operate in our own strength. God does not expect perfection from his children any more than you expect if from your children. He does want love and a desire to grow and be pleasing to him but he knows that, in this life, we will always need an intercessor in heaven and his Spirit directing and redirecting us on earth. So, Paul reminds us that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ and since God has already given us his most precious gifts in the midst of our sinfulness and imperfection, he will not hold back on the other things we need as long as our hearts are still turned toward him, imperfect as we may be.