Where are you on the shame scale? Being shamed for your attachments to sin. That’s a sure tactic of the enemy to shame every believer. He tempts us and then shames us.
We yield to the sin not knowing it’s a snare campaign. It’s all a ploy to keep us utterly bound. If we fall for the bait (sin), we’ll never arise and do what God has purposed for us.
“No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man. But God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you’re able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.”
— 1 Corinthians 10: 13
How do I know? That was me, God kept compelling me to say what He told me to say. I couldn’t see how I’d speak God’s truth when the enemy kept jabbing me with shame. My concern was, whether I let my truth speak.
But God came to my defense with clarity, protection, and provision. So I’d no longer be bound and speak flat-footed what God instructed me to say and or do. This was the word God anchored in me to establish who He said I am.
Here’s the thing: I didn’t experience freedom until I repented of any and everything I had (knowingly) done. I also repented of the things I unknowingly (omission) did. That set me free. It changed the trajectory of my life in a multitude of ways.
“In You, Lord, I have taken refuge; Let me never be put to shame.”
— Psalm 71: 1
When I offered my repentance, that set me free; we know who the Son sets free is free indeed. Where I’d been muted in so many ways, He boosted my confidence. I learned, I don’t care what people think about me. I’m no longer a people pleaser, which was one of my struggles.
I live to please God, not mankind, because He opened my eyes to my crutch of pleasing mankind. I’m no longer shamed besides not one of us has a heaven or hell to put me in. It’s that simple.
That is where the breast plate of righteousness, shield of faith, and shoes of peace come in, for me anyway. Each day I put on the full armor of God as I pursue my day.
Am I suggesting that you too should put on your armor before you tackle your day? Yes, that is necessary for every believer to put on your fullarmor of God.
“If they obey and serve Him, They shall spend their days in prosperity, And their years in pleasures.” — Job 36: 11
I was baking cakes out of this church’s kitchen in 2016. A pastor boldly walked up to me and said without provocation, and said something prophetically astounding to me; it was just me and he in that vicinity, he said, what I’d do in the future (it has already come to pass).
Then he shifted gears and said, “But God’s got to get that shame off you.” My mouth was open and I was flabbergasted. He walked away and I never saw him again.
My spiritual sight was being girded by God slowly, so I had minimal spiritual vision. His courageous and confident delivery of that word, did two things that day. It was confirmation and establishment, as to what God had already spoken in me, but I had been flooded with disbelief. He also spoke and performed that word with extreme boldness.
Later, I understood that was how ABBA Father, desired for me to deliver His words from now on to whomever He admonished me to speak His Word.
The net effect from that day on was that something broke and loosened me all at once. Whatever He tells me to say, I do so without inhibitions and just let it rip.
Apostle Jacqueline Hudson is a Waycross resident and author of the book “Never Say Never: A Memoir with a Twist.”
