Spiritual warfare: Satan uses shame to disable God’s people
Our loving Father in heaven transforms His people through His Living Word and the power of the Holy Spirit, after we submit our lives to Him. He first heals and renews us, and then prepares us to step into a high calling in His Kingdom. This is something Satan works overtime to try to prevent. One common weapon Satan uses is shame. The enemy uses shame to condemn, belittle, blame, crush, and manipulate millions of believers so we feel unworthy or incapable of rising up to our true calling. Church leaders are not immune to shame either. We all need to recognise shame for what it is and make a stand against the schemes of the enemy. God does not condemn us, He sent His Son to save us! When we trust and obey our Lord and Saviour, we will never be put to shame.
2 Corinthians 2:11 NKJV lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices.
John 3:17 NKJV For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
Romans 10:11 NKJV For the Scripture says, ‘Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.’
Just take a look at what believers are destined to inherit as co-heirs with Jesus:
- If we overcome the wiles of this world, we will get to sit on Jesus’ throne alongside Him | Revelation 3:21 NKJV To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.
- God will share His royal kingdom with us | Luke 12:31-32 NKJV But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you. “Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
- Jesus will give us power over the nations | Revelation 2:26-27 NKJV And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations
- We will given the authority to judge the world | 1 Corinthians 6:2 NKJV Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world will be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters?
(Note: If we read the Lord’s promises above and cannot believe we are unworthy of such a calling, then there is likely to be some shame inside us. Overcoming this takes confession and inner healing, which will be covered briefly below.)
As followers of Jesus, our calling includes judging angels one day – which is very likely going to include fallen angels like Satan and evil spirits. Evil spirits work overtime to accuse and shame us into believing that we are “bad,” unworthless,” “useless,” or “hopeless” so we abort our Kingdom calling even before we arise. After all, the word, Satan, means “accuser”.
1 Corinthians 6:3 NKJV Do you not know that we shall judge angels? How much more, things that pertain to this life?
God’s Word shows us that our battles are not against flesh and blood but against unseen spiritual forces. We should not be wrestling with the shame we feel inside – we should be wrestling with our spiritual accusers!
Ephesians 6:12 NKJV For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
Is shame our conscience, self-awareness or an evil spirit?
Many people have lived with shame for so long that it has become deeply embedded in their subconscious as the “normal” automatic way they view themselves, such as:
- “I am never good enough.”
- “No one will truly love me if they really knew me.”
- “I will never be free from my past mistakes or humiliation, the memories keep looping in my head. I can’t forget.”
- “I am defective, beyond redemption.”
- “I always need to perform in order to feel worthy of acceptance.”
Such thoughts / beliefs often go unquestioned because they are usually tied to past experiences where we were made to feel unworthy and defective. This mostly stems from childhood when we did not have the necessary maturity to handle painful experiences. We can then mistake long-buried feelings of shame as our current ongoing reality.
Some may even mistake shame as their conscience or self-awareness. Few ever consider it to be the “voice” of evil spirits. Therefore, it is helpful to distinguish between guilt and shame.
Our conscience is tied to guilt and the conviction of the Holy Spirit, as in “I did something bad … and I should do something about it.” Conviction leads to positive action.
Shame is tied to accusations from evil spirits, as in “I am bad / defective … and I can’t do anything about it.” (Notice that demons use accusations in the first person, in order to deceive us into believing that is who we truly are.) Shame leads to paralysis. Shame is debilitating and causes us to self-sabotage. It drives us away from intimacy with God.
Here are some further examples;
The Holy Spirit will correct and counsel us on “what we did” |
Evil spirits will accuse, condemn, belittle us about “who we are” |
| “What you did was not right, go make it right.” | “I never do anything right. I am hopeless.” |
| “Your words hurt that person, don’t do it again. Be more patient and kind next time.” | “I never say anything nice or appropriate. I shouldn’t be in with anyone.” |
| “Go confess what you did and say sorry.” | “Why is it always me who has to say sorry? Why is it always me who is the problem?” |
Just because we feel bad or even terrible about something (guilt) does not mean that we are bad and terrible (shame). There is no one and nothing that God cannot redeem with His everlasting love, power, patience, and grace!
Shame can form a toxic echo chamber
Shame creates a very distorted filter through which people perceive the world around them. It may feel ‘safe’ or ‘normal’ to hide in this inner world of shame because it has been around for so long – but it also means we hold others at arm’s length for fear of exposure and rejection, further reinforcing a deep sense of isolation and shame.
This is why trying to help someone step out of chronic shame can sometimes backfire because of the toxic effect this internal echo chamber has on their fragile self-esteem. Telling someone that not to feel ashamed can itself trigger more shame.
Here are some examples;
- “Look at how much effort people have to make in order to help me. I must be so wretched that I need so much help.”
- “I know they love me but I can’t be what they want me to be. I am defective and hopeless.”
- “Why is everyone always picking on me?” (When they are just trying to help.)
- “People must be talking about how bad I am behind my back.”
- “People just want me to perform, to be better, to get better but no one really understands how I feel.”
- “They don’t really love me. If they love me, they would not ask me to change (because I can’t).”
- “It is always all my fault. I am the one to blame. I am hopeless. Life is hopeless.”
- “I have made yet another mistake. It was a waste trying, I am useless.”
- “I want to go and hide and not see anyone.”
These are the statements that evil spirits plant in a person’s thoughts in order to reinforce an existing stronghold of shame and create a frustrating loop — until the person experiences deliverance from the lies and the demons that torment them.
Shame can be mistaken for shyness or introversion
On the outside, a person struggling with chronic shame can seem shy or introverted.
A shy person is nervous or uncomfortable in unfamiliar surroundings and just needs time to “warm up”. A person with chronic shame may never open up until they are very convinced they will not be judged or rejected.
An introverted person enjoys their solitude and finds that highly stimulating social environments drain their energy. A person with chronic shame can be extroverted by nature, but will hold themselves back because of how they feel about themselves.
Shame leads to self-imposed muteness or inaction in a lot of cases.
Shame can even be mistaken for humility
Shame and humility may appear similar because both shun the limelight but their fundamental motivations will be very different. Humility accepts one’s shortcomings. Shame does not let ourselves off the hook. A humble person is at rest. A person with hidden shame suffers from deep anxiety.
Shame in a believer |
Humility in a believer |
| “I am flawed and broken beyond repair. I will just have to live in the state I am in.” | “I accept that I am flawed and make mistakes, I just need to repent and be transformed by God.” |
| Subconscious thoughts and emotions are dominated by evil spirits that torment with shaming statements | Actively allows thoughts and emotions to be led by the power of God’s Word and the Holy Spirit |
| Focuses on one’s own inadequacies, seeks to be in control | Submitted under God’s correction and control |
| Suffers from self-loathing and fear of rejection and judgment | Rooted in self-acceptance and self-honesty |
| A negative mindset that seeks to mask and hide one’s real self | A hopeful mindset focused on the Lord (Jeremiah 17:7) |
| Seeks to hide one’s real self and weaknesses | Has crucified one’s self to the cross and will boast of weaknesses so God is glorified (Galatians 2:20, 5:24, 2 Corinthians 12:9) |
| Driven by past negative experiences (flesh), unconfessed sin, and spiritual strongholds such as witchcraft, generational trauma, murder and the occult in one’s bloodline | Driven by God’s truths and commandments, a clear understanding of who God is and one’s redemption in Christ
|
| Thinks of oneself first, sometimes obsessively | Humbly seeks God’s will first |
| Will try to control one’s circumstances to prevent shame from being exposed | Has faith that God will lead and vindicate, regardless the circumstances |
| Fears exposure, rejection, judgment, and being seen as a failure (even if they have done nothing wrong) | Has a healthy reverence (fear) of God and will not easily fear people |
| Judges and rejects others first, in order to not be at risk of being rejected or exposed by others | Accepts one’s own and others’ failures |
| Resists confession, hides issues and sins | Will humbly confess and receive freedom |
| Suffers from open doors that evil spirits use to accuse and torment with shame | Has closed the doors through repentance, forgiving others, self-forgiveness, and deliverance |
In reality, shame is a different face of pride
Shame is in fact, a different face of pride.
Pride says, “I do know better, I do have more, I do achieve more and I do look better.”
Shame says, “I should know better, I should have more, I should achieve more, and I should look better.”
Shame is a twin face of pride because it makes us take control of our own lives. It causes us to take our eyes off the Lord. Such thinking denies the resurrection power of the Holy Spirit who brings life to things that were once broken. We need to remember the word in Jeremiah 32:27 (NKJV), “Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me?”
We find peace when we accept that we cannot have everything, know everything, or be everything — because only the Lord can do that. Only He is perfect. Humility accepts the frailty of the human soul and rests. When we are truly humble, we will not suffer from shame.
Proverbs 11:2 NKJV When pride comes, then comes shame; but with the humble is wisdom.
Pride doesn’t allow us to own up to our weaknesses and feel okay with that. Those who suffer from chronic shame can paradoxically come across as arrogant at times, when they try to (over)compensate for or hide their shame. Such arrogance is not based on security but insecurity. It can even be triggered into a rage a person feel that their shame is about to be exposed or their fragile egos are being threatened.
Shame locks us in a state of unbelief
Shame also says, “Any miracle is possible for God except when it comes to me.” When we give in to this sort of thinking, we firstly put ourselves above every other human being. Secondly, we tell God that we are greater than He is!
When we fall for Satan’s shame tactics, we plunge into unbelief. Here are some other examples of how a heart filled with shame will push back on God’s promises.
(1) The Father’s reassurances |
(2) Shaming statements that evil spirits plant in the minds of believers in order to oppose God |
| “I will redeem every brokenness and give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11) | “I have no hope, just look at my past. I am a bad and terrible person. Nothing can save me.” |
| “I am here for you. I will never forsake you.” (Isaiah 41:10, Deuteronomy 31:6, Hebrews 13:5-8) | “God can’t accept someone like me. He can’t love me (because I can’t love myself.) He can’t accept me (because I can’t accept myself.) Therefore, God must not be for me, He has left me.” |
| “Fear not. I will help you.” (Isaiah 41:10-13) | “Why would God want to have anything to do with someone as awful / dirty / bad / useless / hopeless / unlovable as me?” |
The statements listed in the second column (2) are evidently not from God but the voice of the accuser. When we believe the lies of our enemy, we become blinded to the fact that all they want to do is to defeat us before we arise and defeat them.
Mark 16:17 NKJV And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues.
Luke 10:19 NKJV “Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
Matthew 10:1 NKJV And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease.
We find shame behind religious activity but not true transformation
Shame drives religious activity but not true transformation. With shame, we do what looks right on the outside to mask or compensate for how “wrong” we feel on the inside. We are not even certain of making it to heaven because of how distant we feel from God. So, we work hard to win His favour. Usually, this means lots of activities at a church. We do not do it out of love for the Lord, we do it to feel better about ourselves. This mindset is much more common that we realise!
Those struggling with shame tend to be drawn to other people who seem down and out (because we feel safer around them) and feel nervous around those who are strong and confident in Christ. In fact, we might judge and attack those who are strong so we feel better about ourselves. We try to drag others down to our level. Shame leads to self-righteousness in an effort to “pull” ourselves up.
Shame blocks us from healthy correction and growth. It keeps us stunted as believers.
Believers who are trapped in shame and unbelief will typically be tempted by evil spirits to think this way:
- “I will stay within my comfort zone and not take out in faith to go where I believe God wants me to because I don’t want to risk failure (which will add to my shame and condemnation).”
- “I will show others at church what I believe they will accept about me but not the real me (in case they shun me).”
- “I do not have the courage to speak up during Bible studies in case I get the answers wrong.”
- “I will obey my church leaders, I do not dare speak up for myself. But I often feel used and abused because I don’t like what they want me to do. I silently hold grudges against them.”
- “I am too “bad” to be able to get out of my sin and I can’t let anyone know. I just have to hide my struggles. Subconsciously, I am beginning to reject and hate myself. ”
- “There is little hope for change in me. I am losing faith in myself. I am too lost / defiled / humiliated to be in the presence of a holy God. My prayers are rote and mechanical.”
- “I am a bad Christian. I will never measure up.”
No amount of scripture memory will help us overcome such mental and emotional strongholds without the power of the Holy Spirit to renew us on the inside.
Freedom only comes with doing the very thing we dread, which is to tell someone about our struggles and admit we need help, even at the risk of being rejected. The key to freedom lies in finding a safe environment to confess to people who truly love God and will genuinely love us and not judge, condemn or reject us.
Being renewed by the truth and the Holy Spirit
It is human nature to thrive on acceptance, it is deeply wired in our physical bodies. Our brains release oxytocin (also known as the “bonding hormone”) when we feel accepted. This in turn fosters mutual trust and decreases anxiety.
Social exclusion, on the other hand, activates regions in our brain that are involved in physical pain. Hence, social rejection can generate very real physical sensations that are triggering.
The challenge for believers is to renew our minds so that we are no longer ruled by these chemical sensations but instead, are transformed into knowing and obeying God’s perfect will for us through the work of the Holy Spirit who dwells in us. In this way, we will no longer be driven by our fleshly desires to seek acceptance from fellow human beings, but rather to seek acceptance from God Himself.
Romans 12:2 NKJV And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Romans 8:3-5 NKJV For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.
Proverbs 29:25 says that the fear of man’s rejection brings a snare. In fact, the Lord Himself warns us that those who put their trust in mere humans (that includes ourselves) and rely on human strength turn their hearts away from Him and therefore, will come under a curse. In other words, they will face a life marked by calamity.
Proverbs 29:25 NKJV The fear of man brings a snare, But whoever trusts in the Lord shall be safe.
Jeremiah 17:5 NKJV Thus says the Lord: ‘Cursed is the man who trusts in man And makes flesh his strength, Whose heart departs from the Lord.'”
Shame did not begin with us
Shame is something that is imposed on us. All of us were born innocent and unaware of any “issue” until someone made it up to be one. Shame is “learned” and can also be un-learnt as we renew our minds based on God’s truths. When we give anyone power over our thoughts and identity, we make them our idol.
1. The pressure of social norms
We are often subconsciously shamed into following patterns that are dictated by others – when many things are not actually shameful in themselves.
For example, it is not shameful to:
- Look different or be a different height from others
- Not perform well at certain tasks
- Not want to join in certain activities
- Have interests that are uncommon
- Feel and express our emotions
- Ask for help
- Admit that we don’t have the answers
- Have made mistakes in the past that we regret etc.
We live in a world that drives us to put our best face forward according to certain societal norms. Unfortunately, whoever also gets to define what is “good” in society gets to define what is “shameful”. For believers, the world does not get to dictate who we are. We belong to Jesus, He has purchased us and He gets to have the last word on our worth and our value!
1 Corinthians 6:20 NKJV For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.
2. Shame begins very young
Children begin to be consciously aware of shame from the age of one. We experience shame directly or indirectly. Children can not differentiate between what is really true about them and what are just the insensitive words, actions or disapproving look, stressed-out adults, for example.
It is also possible that one’s most deeply embedded feelings of shame began unconsciously before we were born. For example, if our mothers felt rejected and ashamed for being pregnant out of wedlock, we would have felt all the same anxieties because of the stress chemicals released into the womb.
Without the much needed comfort, reassurance or encouragement, children grow up feeling discouraged and ashamed as adults. Over time, these feelings of shame become subconscious and we are no longer aware of their influence on us – until we seek the Holy Spirit’s revelation and healing.
3. Shame can be projected onto us
Shame can also be projected on us.
For example, our parents can unintentionally project their own shame onto us too:
- “People in society will not pay attention to people like us.”
- “You have to work hard and become successful so you don’t remain in the same shameful conditions we are in now.”
- “You must never show people where you come from.”
- “We can’t see those relatives of ours because they are much richer than us and that will make us look bad.”
- “There is no point trying to be better, you will be just like your father/mother.”
- “You should never reveal this about your parents or you will be rejected.”
Sometimes, our parents shame us into performing for them. Shame is used as a manipulation tool. Love and acceptance feel conditional.
- “Don’t embarrass me.”
- “Why can’t you perform better?”
- “Look, your cousins did better than you in school.”
- “You must score top marks or else…”
One common response to all this is to work hard and become rich and successful, but money and materialism do not fill the void we feel inside us.
4. Shame can be the result of family iniquity
One less frequently discussed root of shame is generational iniquity. For example, our ancestors were involved in idol worship, the occult, murder, slavery or prostitution and the stain of that iniquity is passed down three to four generations, spiritually,
Exodus 20:4-6 NKJV “You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.
There is a subconscious burden inside us. We feel as if something is not quite right, but we cannot pinpoint what it is. Unfortunately, most families tend to sweep things under the carpet and not talk about their family history, especially when it comes to “family secrets”. This can hinder us from identifying our generational iniquity for ourselves. Thankfully, the Holy Spirit will always lead us to the truth through words of knowledge or facts that surface in other ways.
Renewal is the work of the Holy Spirit, not our own flesh
No amount of self-talk, self-compassion, positive thinking, or meditation can truly free us from the internal anxiety that shame causes. Shame needs to be crucified to the cross so that the Holy Spirit can begin His renewing work inside us. He brings new life to what is dead. The Holy Spirit powerfully purifies us from shame through and through.
1. Check if we have given ourselves fully to Jesus
First, let us check that we have given our entire selves to Jesus. Sometimes, we believe that there are parts of ourselves that are so bad, so foul or so evil that we cannot give everything to a holy God. That is incorrect. The apostle Paul called himself the “worst of sinners” and preached about how Jesus came to save a sinner like him. He understood the gospel promises full and complete redemption and preached from a place of gratitude, not shame.
God does not condemn us for our shortcomings. He is a redeeming God. God cannot condemn what He created because everything He created is very good.
Genesis 1:31 Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day.
Shame casts a shadow over our spiritual eyes so that we cannot clearly see the glorious and good things that the Lord has prepared for us.
Before we were born:
- God already knew us and appointed a Kingdom role for us | Jeremiah 1:5 NKJV “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations.”
- God already loved us | 1 John 4:19 NKJV We love Him because He first loved us.
- God already saw us and wrote a powerful narrative for our lives | Psalm 139:16 NKJV Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them.
- God already predestined us for our calling through Jesus Christ’s redemptive work on the cross | Romans 8:30 NKJV Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.
When we are in alignment with God’s will for us, and not where people tell us to be, we will flourish naturally.
When we turn our gaze to our good, gracious, forgiving and perfect Father in heaven, rather than look at our shame, we will be encouraged and strengthened by His immeasurable love for us. God loves us so much that He sent His Son to die for our sins and redeem our shortcomings. What can be more shameful than hanging naked on the cross for all to mock and jeer at? But that is what Jesus did for us, He despised the shame of the cross for our sake so that we don’t need to live in shame. Our focus needs to shift off ourselves and onto Jesus.
Psalm 34:5 NKJV They looked to Him and were radiant, and their faces were not ashamed.
Hebrews 12:2 NKJV 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 has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Psalm 139:23-24 NKJV Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.
2. Confess, forgive and repent
The real power of guilt and shame lies in the demand for secrecy. Let us confess and expose the things we are ashamed of before God and ask for His forgiveness and renewal – so that we come clean before the Lord and leave no room for the enemy to shame us.
Healing from shame always involves forgiving someone, including ourselves. God extends forgiveness and mercy to anyone who will humbly come before Him. In fact, Jesus forgave those who crucified him on the cross. Now we get to extend the same grace to others and ourselves. The Lord is the God of second, third, fourth, and fifth chances and so on.
3. Recognise the shame tactics of evil spirits
Just as the Holy Spirit tells us the truth and gives us peace, evil spirits will tell us lies and stir up shame and pain. Here is how they go about doing so:
- Evil spirits will seek to keep “punishing” us for the things we have done in the past.
- They wait til we feel vulnerable, discouraged and fatigued before they pour in their accusations
- They keep reminding us of the past and bring us flashbacks
- They heighten our sensitivities to other people’s reactions by drawing our attention to them and keep our eyes far, far away from God
- They instigate thoughts that keep us in a perpetual loop of unhealthy comparisons
- They prompt others to trigger our shame and re-traumatise us
As we have seen from the examples given above, evil spirits come to plant thoughts in our minds that shame and condemn us. As followers of Jesus, we must not agree with their suggestions! Evil spirits should not get to dictate our life narratives.
Shame succeeds only when it is a monologue. We need to respond with the truth from God’s Word. For example, “Yes I am a sinner and I have made mistakes, just like Peter and Paul have, but God can turn all my mistakes into a testimony for His glory. Praise God!”
2 Corinthians 10:3-5 3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,
Shame is described as a dark heavy cloak, now is as good a time as ever to take it off. Here is a short prayer to renounce the hold that shame has had over our lives and re-dedicate our thoughts to obey Jesus once again. We conquer the works of the flesh by using the Sword of the Spirit, His Word.
Psalm 109:29 NKJV May my accusers be clothed with dishonor; may they be wrapped in their own shame as in a cloak!
2 Corinthians 10:5 NKJV casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,
A prayer to renounce shame
“Dear Heavenly Father,
Today, I declare that You are the One who has written my destiny before the foundation of the world, You know my past, present, and future and You will make all things right for Your glory. You are fully able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that I can think or ask!
Ephesians 1:3-6 NKJV Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.
Ephesians 3:20-21 NKJV Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
It is not my past or my shortcomings that determine my future, it is my Father in heaven who does! I will not bow down to what mere humans say about me. Only My Heavenly Father has the perfect eternal and final Word on my life.
I do not need to hold my head up in pride to compensate for shame. Instead, I will humbly accept and boast of my shortcomings, my mistakes, my sins, and my faults and show myself the same grace that Jesus shows me. It is only through the power of Christ that I can be perfected into His image.
2 Corinthians 12:9 NKJV And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
God is ever patient and He gives me the grace to mess up, to not be perfect, and to go to Him for restoration at any time. My Father in heaven does not condemn me. He wants to save me! Jesus came for sinners, not the perfect or the sinless (Luke 5:32, 1 Timothy 1:15).
John 3:17 NKJV For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
I come out of agreement with every evil spirit that has tried to convince me that I am (please list eg. “unworthy,” “dirty,” “defective,” … etc.).
God Word says that “He chooses those considered foolish in this world to shame those who think they are wise, those who are powerless to shame those who are powerful, those who are despised and counted as nothing to bring to nothing what the world considers important, so that no one can ever boast in the presence of God.” (paraphrased from 1 Corinthians 1:28-29)
There is nothing too far gone that God cannot restore. My Heavenly Father’s power is immeasurable! Hallelujah! Thank you Jesus.
I proclaim God’s promise that He will exchange my shame for double honour. I agree with Jesus that I will not end my life in shame or regret, because with Christ, my life will become a living testimony of His restoration and great love, joy, and peace. Hallelujah!
Isaiah 61:7 NKJV Instead of your shame you shall have double honor, And instead of confusion they shall rejoice in their portion. Therefore in their land they shall possess double; Everlasting joy shall be theirs.
Luke 5:32 NKJV I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”
I also declare the Word of God which says that everything that the enemy has stolen must be restored back to me seven-fold. I will not be overcome by my enemy. Instead, I will condemn every demonic voice that rises against me in judgment. I will arise to take on my Kingdom calling and may my Father’s will be done on earth as it is in heaven. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen!”
Proverbs 6:31 NKJV Yet when he is found, he must restore sevenfold; He may have to give up all the substance of his house.
Isaiah 54:17 NKJV No weapon formed against you shall prosper, And every tongue which rises against you in judgment You shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, And their righteousness is from Me,” Says the Lord.
To forgive those who shamed us, please see A prayer to heal from shame.
May this sharing be a blessing to you as you seek to love the Lord with all your heart and heal from shame for good.