1. Introduction:
· Isaiah 54:1-5 - “Enlarge the place of your tent…do not fear for you shall not be ashamed”.
· Whenever Go speaks to us, He also empowers us if we respond and take faith-action.
· God desires to help us grow through the limitations placed by fear and shame.
· To overcome personal limitations we must face them and plan how to work with God on it.
· God’s heart for us is that we live without shame and fear – be unashamed.
2. God’s Original Design – “Unashamed”:
1) We are made in the Image of God:
· Genesis 1:27-28 - “let us make man in our image, according to our likeness”.
· God made us in His own image – beautiful, loving, creative, spirit beings.
· He made us with emotions, dreams, passions, creativity, ideas.
· God has many emotions and he created us to give expression to them.
· We are designed to represent God in the world – God is Good!
2) Whatever God makes is Good:
· Genesis 1:31 - “God saw everything He had made and indeed it was very good”.
· God is Good – whatever He makes or does is good.
· God’s view of the man He created – “Very Good”.
· God does not make trash – ‘I am not trash’ – ‘I am unique’ = “very good”.
3) God clothed man with His Glory:
· Psalm 8:4-6 - “You have crowned him with glory and honour”.
· Glory = 3519 = Kabod – tangible manifest presence of God –
Psalm 104:1-2 = “Light”.
· Exodus 33:18-19 = “Show me your glory…I will make all my ‘goodness’ pass before...”.
· Adam’s whole body radiated the presence of God’s glory.
· Honour = 1926 = hadar = magnificence, majesty, splendor, highest value.
· Man stood out above all God’s creation because of glory and honour of God.
4) Man was Unashamed:
· Genesis 2:25 - “They were both naked, the man and his wife were not ashamed”.
· Adam drew his identity and life from his relationship with God.
· He walked with no fear, no shame – totally unashamed.
· The presence and Glory of God empowered him to live “unashamed”.
· Proverbs 3:55 - “The wise inherit glory – shame is the legacy of fools”.
· God has prepared man to share His glory – shame is for His enemies!
3. Shame is a Thief:
John 10:10 - “The thief does not come except to steal, kill and destroy…”.
Genesis 3:1-10 - “Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord”.
When Adam and Eve sinned they lost their glory and changed.
They became focused on self – ashamed – conscious of something wrong.
Shame can only arise from consciousness of sinful or wrongful conduct.
Adam and Eve became tormented with guilt, shame, fear of God.
Verse 10 - “naked” = made bore, lost their clothing or covering.
Verse 11 - “Who told you” = Satan had ridiculed them and pointed out their condition.
Satan accused them both and belittled their condition.
Shame = painful feeling when conscious something wrong, dishonorable, lack, inadequate – something is wrong with me!
Shame was never part of God’s design – God wants us unashamed.
Shame is a thief:
1) steals identity
2) steals intimacy
4. Unashamed! What does it look like?
· Note: People who are unashamed will experience shame attacks from those in shame bondage – “Who do you think you are?”
1) Connected - I can remove all masks and live out my true identity as a child and representative of God:
· Shame causes us to cover and conceal who we are, live behind a mask.
· Shame causes us to be disconnected from self and from God and others.
· 2 Samuel 6:14-15 - King David, emotionally expressive. Totally able to be himself, total freedom emotionally/physically.
· David was connected with God – himself – his men.
2) Confident – I can confidently fulfill God’s assignment to me, free from fear of people or their opinions”.
· Shame causes us to live comparing ourselves to others and fearful of being different.
· Unashamed = I am free of what people think or say”.
· 2 Samuel 16:22 - King David refused to be put down by Michal.
· David was able to withstand her shaving words.
· David expressed his freedom boldly.
· Acts 4:13 - Peter refused to be intimidated by religious criticism.
· Peter stood and acted boldly –verbally bold and assertive.
· He stood up in his calling and assignment of God.
3) Creative – I am free to express the creative wisdom of God through my unique gifts, abilities and creativity:
· Shame causes us to place low value on what we are and have to give.
· Shame keeps us mediocre – following the crowd, copying.
· Unashamed = I am free to discover and develop my unique capacity boldly, confidently and creatively.
· Gideon – changed a nation – Judges 6:12
· Paul – proclaimed gospel – Romans 1:16 – “Not ashamed of the Gospel”
· David – music, songs – e.g. Jesus
It is Time to Break the Power of Shame – be Unashamed!