Declare Freedom From Shame

If you are human, shame has touched your life at some time. Whether in childhood or adulthood, shame warps our sense of self. It tells us lies about who we are or who we are allowed to become. It’s time to put an end to this thinking and Declare Freedom From Shame!

I’ve always struggled with negative, nagging thoughts about past mistakes or awkward moments. These thoughts randomly pop into my head reminding me I’m not enough for one reason or another. What’s wrong with me I thought? Why do painful memories tenaciously cling to my thoughts, yet I can’t remember to bring my grocery list to the store? Then God, in that way only He can, surrounded me with messages that combat shame head on.

The first was a devotional called I Declare War, by Levi Lusko on YouVersion – The Bible App. Levi stressed that we actually buy into the lie that we are not good enough. It’s part of the spiritual battle taking place within us that we don’t even recognize. The cure, he points out, is to know our true identity. I was all ears. Winning the internal war spoke directly to my struggles.

Declare Freedom From Shame

Understanding Your True Identity

Then my bible study group started reading Identity Restoration: Know, Believe & Live the Truth of Who You Are by Ray Leight. This was perfect timing coming on the heels of I Declare War. Restoring my identity appeared to be a solid path to freeing myself from shame. In his book, Ray lists many of the ways our identity is defined in Scripture. Here’s just a small sampling that spoke to me.

• Forgiven
• Eternally secure
• Perfected for all time
• A dwelling place for God
• Set free
• Loved
• Purified
• Holy
• Called

But God didn’t stop there. He decided to take my understanding of shame vs my true identity even deeper. This happened when one of my study group members recommended this message by Christine Cain from the 2018 Passion Conference. Christine takes us back to the garden of Eden to help us understand how shame originated. We start with Adam and Eve, created in God’s image, naked yet not ashamed. Then the serpent shows up and convinced Eve to listen to his lies. This leads to sin, shame and hiding. God knew what had happened, but asked them none the less…

The ramification of this heartbreaking scene is still playing out in our world today. The enemy is still trying to deceive us into thinking we can make it on our own. His whispers convince us that obedience to God is only required when it suits us. But when we go our own way it results in failure and shame. This sends us into hiding from God and from others. When we ignore God and his life giving Word, our identity is not secure. Instead, we believe what everyone else says. Worse yet, we believe what the enemy says.

What Does God Say About Shame?

God wants us to know that we were never created to carry the burden of shame. If you don’t know what God says about you, you will believe the lies of the enemy. “

Christine Cain, Passion Conference 2018

It was life changing for me when I realized God never meant for us to feel shame. I won’t forever be defined as a failure because of my career missteps. My initial failed marriage and wayward teenage years don’t define who I am today. Self centered behavior and poor decisions from my past are meant to inform my future, but not rule my present emotions.

God isn’t standing in constant judgement of us. On-going condemnation is a lie from the enemy. God wants us to know that Jesus died for ALL and we are now Sons and Daughters of the King. Co-heirs with Christ. Royalty does not live in shame, it holds it’s head high. We lay our past at the foot of the cross. Whether it’s things we’ve done or things that have been done to us. Once we do this, our hearts are transformed.

Jesus, I pray that we take hold of our true identity in you. That we wrap our hearts around the truth in Your Word, not the lies of the enemy. Help us embrace the way you see us. Beloved children empowered by the Holy Spirit. We rebuke the enemy and declare freedom from shame! Amen.