Guilt and Shame

Is 54:4 Do not be afraid; you will not suffer shame. 
Do not fear disgrace; you will not be humiliated. 
You will forget the shame of your youth…

Many Christians are struggling with guilt or shame over something in their past.  Some even believe that God is the one highlighting and exposing the sins of their past.  But nothing could be further from the truth!  Do you think that a loving God would make us feel like a failure or make us feel worthless?  Of course not!  The truth is Satan is the one who is accusing you!  Satan, not God is the accuser of the brethren and is behind all the guilt, and shame.  He is the one who comes to torment you with your past (Rev 12:10). 

In the dictionary guilt means trespass, fault, blame and responsible.  It is the result of committing an offence. Guilt is a feeling that comes from the result of having done something wrong (as a result of sin) or committing an offense and can leave us suffering with inward feelings of remorse, a bad conscience.  Guilt produces condemnation and with it ‘the need to punish’ ourselves.  It also brings regret, remorse, shame, and feelings of failure, which in turn cause feelings of hopelessness and worthlessness. 

The good news is that Jesus was our substitute and was punished in our place.  He paid the price and penalty for all our sin when He hung on that Cross.  For this reason, God does not punish us!  So we should not punish ourselves!  Once we renew our mind, know and apply this truth the sting and pain of that memory will be gone.  God has forgiven us, so we need to forgive ourselves too!  But as long as we keep meditating on and reminding ourselves of what happened in the past, we will continue to give power to the devil in that area.  As I mentioned previously, while we cannot change what happened in the past we can change what happens today!  You have been given a free will with the power to choose to make the decision to forgive!  So forgive yourself for something you did or said (or even what happened to you) thereby robbing Satan of his power over your life through shame and guilt.

1 John 1:7 (Amp) But if we [really] are living and walking in the Light, as He [Himself] is in the Light, we have [true, unbroken] fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses (removes) us from all sin and guilt [keeps us cleansed from sin in all its forms and manifestations].

Isa 1:18 ‘Come now, let us reason together,’ says the LORD. ‘Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool’.

Did you know that in the New Covenant that the word guilt is not mentioned in regards to sin and the believer?  That is because to God where sin and guilt is concerned it no longer exists!

Col 2:13 When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins.

The opposite of guilt is to be innocent; guiltless, blameless, clean, irreproachable, pure, righteous, virtuous, and faultless.  This is who we are in Christ!  We therefore need to start walking by faith (by what God’s Word says) and NOT by what our feelings and emotions are dictating to us.  KNOW that God has forgiven you.  God’s grace is bigger than ANY sin.  So if you are in Christ there is no longer any issue of sin!

Psa 103:2-3 Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits--who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases.

Amen!

Copyright 2009 - IT IS FINISHED!  How to receive your breakthrough NOW!  By Nerida Walker.