MONDAY, OCTOBER 22
Scripture: 2 Samuel 12:15-20, John 8:36

In 1 Samuel 12:15-20 we discover that King David walked through steps of restoration. His first step was acknowledging his sin. His second one was accepting the consequences of the sin he committed. This doesn’t mean that he could not ask God to intervene and change it. In verse 18 we find, “Then on the seventh day it came to pass that the child died. And the servants of David were afraid to tell him that the child was dead. For they said, ‘Indeed, while the child was alive, we spoke to him, and he would not heed our voice. How can we tell him that the child is dead? He may do some harm.’” David at this point was praying, interceding and fasting. The Bible says he would not eat and no one could raise him off the ground. So David was praying and fasting for the child to live, but the child died. Clearly as soon as the child died, David accepted that and knew it was time for the season to change. In verse 19 we are told, “When David saw that his servants were whispering, David perceived that the child was dead. Therefore David said to his servants, ‘Is the child dead?’ And they said, ‘He is dead.’” His baby’s death marked the end of David’s fasting and praying for the child. It was over, the initial judgment was complete. There were future consequences of his actions that were going to come to pass but David simply had to walk out the rest of his life and he knew that. He refused to be stuck in the past or be held back in the shame-and-blame game. He refused to believe the lies of the enemy. He believed God’s message of being declared blameless. God removed every ounce of blame from David and He will do that for us too. We do not have to live under shame and blame any longer! I trust we are hearing this because the Bible makes it clear. If we continue to feel blame, we have to resist the enemy and stand on the Word! John 8:36 says, “Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.” Being held back by our faults keeps us defeated. We were chosen for a purpose, God has placed a call on our lives and He has given us giftings to fulfill that call. But there is no way we can be fearless and fulfill our call if we do not accept the fact that we have been declared blameless! We must discern the lies of the enemy for what they are. We must reject guilt and shame and embrace the divine gift of blamelessness every single day! King David refused to be defined by his sin and we must do the same!