1. Introduction:
· Isaiah 54:4 - “Do not fear, you will not be ashamed, neither be disgraced, for you will not be put to shame, for you will forget the shame of your youth…”
· God’s design for man was to be totally unashamed – sin caused shame to enter.
· Shame Message: ‘I am damaged’ – ‘I am different’ – ‘I am in danger of exposure/rejection’.
· Shame is an identity thief – shame is an intimacy thief.
· God promised us that we can be free pod shame and reject being shamed.
· Forget = 7911 = to cease to care, cause to wither, put out of mind, pay no attention to.
· Keys for breaking free of shame:
1. Come to Christ.
2. Break attachments to shame.
3. Change inner beliefs.
4. Change how you relate to people.
2. Christ bore our Shame:
· Isaiah 50:6-7 - “I did not hide my face from shame and spitting”.
· Jesus Christ personally experienced shame – He understands our suffering.
· He determined not to hide from shame – chose to pay the full price for shame.
· He did not draw back from shame of dying a criminal’s death on the Cross.
· Christ was put to an open shame – Hebrews 6:6 - exposed to public shame and humiliation.
· Matthew 27:27-31,35
· Jesus was stripped naked and exposed to public humiliation three times.
· Jesus was physically abused, verbally abused and mocked.
· Jesus’ crucifixion was more than means of death, but means of public shame.
· Jesus shame was public and universal – labeled in 3 languages for all to see.
· Without complaint Jesus bore his shame and our shame on the Cross.
· No matter what shame you have experienced Jesus understands and made provision for it.
· God promises to make remove our shame and even the memory of it.
· Matthew 11:28 – “Come to me all you who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest” – acceptance and love.
3. Breaking the Attachments to Shame:
· Amos 3:3 - “How can two walk together except they be agreed?”
· In order to walk with God I must come into agreement with Him.
· Agreed = 3259 = yada = to be intimate with in order to reproduce.
· I must break all my attachments, agreements and intimacy with shame.
Remove the Mask and become Honest with Myself:
· Adam and Eve covered themselves to hide their shame – Genesis 3:7
· Adam and Eve had to remove their covering to receive God – Genesis 3:21
· What experienced of shame have you had?
· How did you feel?
· What message did it give you about yourself?
· How did you cover yourself? – What mask did you put on?
· Mask:
*Witch – sharp, critical
*Lone Ranger – rescuer
*Princess – want the best, perfectionism
*Genie – please and save everyone
*Arnold Schwarzenegger – strong independent
*Clown – joker
*Fairy Godmother – no needs, know what to do
*Kiwi – timid, shy, intimidated
*Beaver – buried in work, business
· Proverbs 28:13 - “he that covers his sins shall not prosper – confess and forsake => mercy.
· What have you done that you are ashamed of? Repent and Confess.
· What have you experienced that brought shame to you? – admit it.
Break you agreements with Evil Spirits:
· Proverbs 28:15 - “We have made a covenant with ‘death’ and with ‘hell’ we are in agreement …for we have made lies our refuge and under falsehood we have hidden ourselves”.
· While we remain covered and hidden we are open to demonic spirits.
· Accusing spirits – accusation, shame, abandonment, rejection and fear.
· Romans 8:1 - “There is no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus who walk not according to the flesh but according to the spirit”.
· Jesus offers us total acceptance, no condemnation based on our agreement with what He has done for us upon the Cross.
· Make a stand against accusing spirits of shame – familiar and tormenting.
· James 4:7 - “Resist the devil and he will flee”.
Let go the grief and Reactions to being Shamed:
a) Grief:
- remember what happened and how you felt.
- Allow the feelings to surface and express – God is interested in your feelings.
- Jesus carried our grief and sorrows – Isaiah 53:3-4
b) Forgive:
- Let go from the heart the resentment and anger at people.
- Forgiveness involves the emotions and the will.
- Unforgiveness keeps you attached to showing experiences.
- Matthew 18:34-35 - “Forgive from the heart! Let go the demands!”
c) Reactions:
- Repent and break the agreement with ungodly inner reactions to being shamed.
- Adam and Eve reacted to their shame and fear – covered, hid.
- How did you respond to experiences that shamed you?
- Inner vow?
- Bitter judgment? We are responsible for our reactions
- Death wish? Repent, change by bringing it to the Cross.
· God promise to “roll away the shame of Egypt” – Joshua 5:9
· Our part is to come to Christ in faith – expose our shame and let go the attachments to it by faith.