Hebrews 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Martin Luthier described the effects of sin within man this way. “Sin is man curved in upon himself.” How true that sin and the choosing to participate in it is the result of curving inward to the point that nothing outside of yourself matters. The dark and mercurial nature of sin breeds self-condemnation within our souls. The more iniquitous we become, the deeper we twist inward to the core of selfishness, and the more opportunity for shame to take root dictating our choices going forward. No wonder people who suffer relentless shame, experience continual confusion and feel like the inner parts of their souls are so twisted they can find no peace. Psalm 44:15 My confusion is continually before me, and the shame of my face hath covered me.
These are only my thoughts on the high rates of suicide, and the feelings of absolute rejection and abandonment that many are living through. These manifestations of the deep wounds occurring in people’s souls might be attributed to the levels of shame they are experiencing in their daily lives. When I talk with people in a counselling session, the theme that recurs most often about unresolved shame is normally the result of unconfessed sin. The abortion that no one in the family knows about haunts the soul of the young lady who went through the procedure on her own. The loss of money that was needed to feed his family that he wasted on a gambling website fills him with dread having to face and confess this addiction to his wife. The pride within man is beyond understanding in some cases. Prov. 11:2 When pride comes, then comes shame; but with the humble is wisdom. The cheating spouse, the thieving son, and the many other sins that cause a man to hide in shame are endless.
I have heard many of these tearful confessions over the years, and I am convinced that only Jesus can heal and turn around the sinful mess we try to hide throughout our lives. The pride of life knows no boundaries and is not prejudiced as to who it manipulates. 1John 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. After these sins have taken root in people’s hearts, shame will often accompany them as they go through the agony of their choices. There is a desire within the confused soul to bring about some restitution because the weight of the shame is palpable. Therein is the rub. We want to build our own sacrificial alters, that we think are acceptable to God. Life’s pride interferes with what Christ has already put in place for the remission of our sins and the healing of our shame. 2Cor. 5:21 For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.
How does shame make us want to get in God’s way and try to fix the torment we are experiencing? Or, what would make us go in the opposite direction and hide our shame by living a secretive life always pretending everything is fine? The enemy of our soul puts a lot of stock in spewing out the reasons why we should pick up the shame we once left at the cross. There are many sins from my past that God has forgiven me for through the blood of Jesus, but Satan tries to trick me into picking up the shame of those old sins. What power is there in shame that makes us forget the forgiving grace God lavished on us when we confessed our sins the first time? Yes, I am sorry for the hurts and results of my selfish choices, but I need to remember that the condemnation and shame of those sins have also been washed in the blood of Jesus. Rom. 8:1 Therefore there is now no condemnation no guilty verdict, no punishment for those who are in Christ Jesus who believe in Him as personal Lord and Savior.
You would think that after many centuries of the Lord’s forgiving grace being poured upon the Christians of the earth, Satan would become discouraged at continually accusing us of what God has already forgiven us for. The pathetic thing is that Satan cannot be anything other than his nature which is to rob, kill, destroy and lie about everything that God graciously does for us. No wonder the Lord tells us that the weapons of this spiritual warfare are not of this world. We need the weapons of God’s kingdom to defeat the shameful accusatory whisperings that come from hell. 2Cor. 10:4 For the weapons of our warfare are not human weapons, but are made powerful by God for tearing down strongholds. We tear down arguments. Shame is Satan’s weapon against those who are having a hard time in life and the blood of Jesus is our weapon that destroyed the works of the enemy.
What are you ashamed of? What has Satan been accusing you of that has already been covered by the blood of Jesus? What shameful event does the devil keep bringing up in your face that makes you weak in your knees and forgetful that God’s grace has covered all your shameful sins with His perfect sacrifice through Christ? The resolve of faith that you need to declare over these past forgiven events will need to be expressed again and again until the enemy flees from you in fear. James 4:7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Faith in the blood and sacrifice of the cross of Jesus Christ is the only way to conquer the loud accusations that shame screams at us. As we believe God for the healing within our souls and we put the reasons for our past shame under the blood of our Saviour, let us get a picture of Satan being hurled down into hell where he will have no one but himself to accuse. He will be eternally stuck in the torture of his shame. Talk about plans backfiring. Rev. 12:10 Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: “Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of His Messiah. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down. Shame may speak loudly, but the Lord’s grace speaks louder and will keep speaking throughout eternity.
Topical Bible Studies About:
Shame could very well be the number one thing holding us back from a life of fulfillment and productivity. Thanks, Norm, for bringing it to the light.
Most of what we are ashamed of occurred prior to being born again.
We are a new creation in Christ. The old man was crucified with christ.
God has chosen not to remember or sins that were forgiven, so why should we?
The only things we should be ashamed now is when we fail God and we know better.
Confess our failures to God and ask forgiveness and by His grace we can move on without any shame or condemnation.
Thank you for sharing this. So many focus on God’s wrath instead of how shame tears us down and away from Him. Good word!
Shame is a deceptive tool of the enemy because shame will sometimes keep us from approaching God for His help. Shame has been paid for by the blood of Jesus, and thank God for that.