Sunday 7/28/24 Sermon Recap: Identity Theft - Shame

Shame:

• There is a difference between guilt and shame. Guilt believes "I did something bad or wrong." Shame believes "I am bad or wrong."

• The enemy tries to connect an action that you've done to who you are and how you see yourself. You then begin to listen to those negative thoughts on place them on your identity. Thoughts like, "I'm insignificant, I'm unworthy, I'm unwanted, etc."

• Your past is covered by the grace of Jesus. Ask Jesus to forgive your sins and make you new!

• As long as you are focused on you, you will always be vulnerable to shame (because we are never enough)

• Even when our sin has been forgiven, some of us are still slaves to the shame of something that is not true about you - you're believing this lie about your identity the enemy is telling you

• God is saying you are loved, you are precious, you are mine

• The only way to heal from shame is to move the focus from what I'm not to who Christ is

  • It's not what you've done, it's what Jesus did on the cross

  • Christ doesn't hold those sins against you

• Scorning it's shame: Jesus endured the cross and scorned the shame that robs people from the intimacy God wants to have with them

  • Shame has no power compared to the joy set before Jesus

When we live with shame-based thinking, we:

1. Are vulnerable to perfectionism

   1. I want to cover my shame with perfect performance

2. Are critical of ourselves which drives us to become critical of others

   1. Sometimes the most critical people around are the ones who carry the most shame

   2. We hate in others the very sin that we hate in ourselves

3. Use self-defeating thoughts to shielf ourselves from disappointments

   1. We begin to lower our expectations and think in terms of worst case scenarios

Application:

• Fill in the blanks with what is applicable for you: "I'm not ___________. Because of Christ, I am ____________."

  • Examples:

    • I'm not horrible. Because of Christ, I am forgiven.

    • I'm not sick. Because of Christ, I am healed.

Today's Scriptures

• Genesis 2:25

• John 3:17-18

• Hebrews 12:2

• Joshua 5:9

Want to rewatch the message? Click here. (The sermon begins around 36 minutes)