Q3a. Helping my brother.

Q3a  How do I help my brother who’s struggling with fear and guilt and confusion? Does God punish?

Answer 3a.

Again this is a similar area as before, to support someone going through a difficult time. Apart from intentionally focussing on God and being regular in our spiritual disciplines,sometimes there is a need to process unfinished business. The feeling of guilt is a God given emotion. Even though the enemy will try to put past guilt on someone who has resolved their issues and been forgiven and cleansed by God,sometimes we have unfinished business that our conscience is not at peace with.

In the new testament, we are told very clearly to settle unresolved issues, outstanding debts and anything that can plague our conscience and stop us having confidence with the Lord. We know from Ecclesiasties 12 that God will judge every hidden thing, therefore if we will judge ourselves now, and deal with the hidden things, then we wont be judged/ punished when he comes - 1 Corinthians 11: 31.

Ephesians 4:26-30 (New King James Version)
26 ...do not let the sun go down on your wrath,
27 nor give place to the devil.
28 Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need.
29 Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.
30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
Sometimes we give place to the devil, and allow in guilt, fear and confusion, when we have walked away from our responsibility and have left business unfinished. Our conscience will continue to prick us until we do something. Once we have responded to those promptings and resolved what we can, the way is then made clear for our confidence and faith to return and increase by the bucket load.