I
was leading a group of about 30 workcampers into Haiti. But I had failed to meet all my self-imposed spiritual criteria, and I felt the enemy crashing in on me. Before each workcamp, I had a checklist of spiritual preparations. My checklist included Godly things, like: fasting, prayer, and waiting on God in worship to gain His mind. And yet, I had let the circumstances of life rob me of feeling spiritually prepared. I felt defeated and the trip had just begun!
So, after arriving at the Haitian airport, we loaded up the truck to head out to Missionary Phyllis Newby’s home. While I was sitting on the luggage in the bed of the pickup, in my heart I was crying out to God for help. Then, I looked at the Tap-tap behind me. (Haitian Tap-taps are small taxi-like trucks with covered benches in the back. Tap-taps are very colorful and often have some random message across the front of them.)
“There is therefore now no more condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus…”
But this time, when I looked at the front of the Tap-tap, I could hardly believe my eyes! There, in large colorful letters, it read ROMANS 8:1. My heart leapt because I knew the verse well. It says, “There is therefore now no more condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus…” Immediately, the love of God and the revelation of the Spirit flooded my heart and all the condemnation left. It’s as if the Lord reached down and lifted a thousand pounds off my shoulders. In that moment, God freed me. That workcamp became one of the greatest I had ever experienced. God was once again reminding me that He is God, and I am not! Don’t get me wrong, spiritual preparation is very important. But at the end of the day, He wanted me to know He was with me, whether I met my own criteria or not. Romans 8:1 finishes with this, “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.” (Romans 8:1, NKJV)
When we walk with Him, and abide in Him, the condemnation is gone! Hallelujah!
