LIBERATION FROM SHAME (a study by Pastor Roger) PART #1 - Why understanding how to resolve personal shame is so critical! TEXT: Ezra 9:5-7 At the evening sacrifice I arose from my fasting; and having torn my garment and my robe, I fell on my knees and spread out my hands to the Lord my God. And I said: “O my God, I am too ashamed and humiliated to lift up my face to You, my God; for our iniquities have risen higher than our heads, and our guilt has grown up to the heavens. Since the days of our fathers to this day we have been very guilty, and for our iniquities we, our kings, and our priests have been delivered into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, to plunder, and to humiliation, as it is this day. Ezra here has a revelation of his people’s sin and the ramifications and consequences that have unfolded because of their sin. We, like Ezra, are sometimes brought face to face with the haunting realization that we have sinned... • The conscience cannot shake this feeling and it interferes with our other thoughts and clouds our focus. • The painful realization comes that consequences have unfolded in our lives, our family’s lives, our church or our business. Others have suffered besides ourselves. • If our sin becomes public, intensifies our shame. • When we need to seek God, we feel great distraction and the desire to withdraw from Him; our sin colors our relationship with Him until shame is thoroughly dealt with. SHAME defined: the haunting feeling of guilt, disqualificaqtion and self-condemnation. Personal shame also includes the decisions you make about yourself as a consequence of your sin finding you out. Those are some of the most important decisions you will ever make as a believer. Shame, depending on how we process it, can lead to one of two results - humiliation or humility. One is destructive and one, if completely worked through in a healthy way, can lead to spiritual growth and increased strength: 1. The tragic result of humiliation: We settle into living on a spiritual level far below the redemption Jesus purchased for us. 2. The the result of humility that leads to victory: True humility is a magnet for Gods wisdom, power and blessing. Shame, if left unresolved, results in: 1) A decreased expectation of God’s blessing. 2) You will pray smaller prayers and fewer prayers. 3) You will feel disqualified for the benefits the cross is supposed to provide. The cross should delivering you from sin and cleanse your conscience completely - resulting in personal peace and joy. 4) You may live out your life in timidity and not fulfill God’s plan of fruitfulness because you do not expect nor feel you deserve God’s involvement in your life. GOOD NEWS: Beginning tomorrow, we will examine the way Gods Word and the Holy Spirit work to set the believer completely free from the toxic fruit of shame in their life. Rejoice, beloved, joy comes in the morning! :)
Posted on: Mon, 22 Sep 2014 18:01:53 +0000
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