God has made a way for each of us to be free from the guilt and shame of sin! If you live in Guilt, you are not experiencing freedom because you dont feel forgiven. This may be because you agree with the guilt but never acknowledge the sin to God as your sin. When you sin and disobey God, you will automatically feel guilty. If we were not guilty, we would not need a Savior; so when you feel guilt, you need to acknowledge what you did wrong. Embrace guilt as a friend who is leading you to the cross for freedom. Freedom at Last: If you feel guilty, acknowledge to God what you feel guilty for and ask for forgiveness. People who live in Shame are not experiencing freedom because they are allowing their past sins to define them. Their world is bleak because Shame defines who they are and where they are going. Past mistakes destroy their present, and hinder their future, and they may even feel like they do not have a future. The mistakes of their past are always rehearsed in their mind, so no matter where they go, they are still bound up with chains. Shame is the disgrace and humiliation that is produced by the sin and it may linger even after the sin is confessed. Shame keeps you feeling as if you are not forgiven. Jesus paid the price for your sin with His shed blood; so, once you confess the sin, you are no longer guilty. He also paid the price for the Shame produced by the sin. We no longer have to pay for our sin or live bound up in the Shame of what we have done. God accepts Jesus blood as payment in full; and we must accept His blood also. Freedom at Last: Accept that you are forgiven. Say, I accept Gods forgiveness and I forgive myself. Who did you sin against? Many times a person will continue to live under the Shame and humiliation of what they have done because their sin hurt or damaged another person. To be free from Shame, you need to ask the person whom you sinned against to forgive you. Tell them how sorry you are for hurting them, and let them tell you how it has hurt them. This will be hard, but you will not feel completely released until you face the damage your sin has caused another. Your freedom will come as you see them set free. (space) Freedom at Last: Ask the one you have hurt to forgive you. Restitution plays a big part in being free at last. Restitution is the process of restoring back. Freedom will come to the person whom you sinned against as you restore back what you have taken. Restitution is doing acts of kindness in order to show how sorry you are. The acts of kindness will show the person you are sincere and help to heal their hurt. This will help them forgive, and they too will experience freedom as they forgive. Freedom at Last: Show acts of kindness. Jesus Christ has made us free. Galatians 5:1 Today is the day to accept your freedom. Declare out loud: I have sinned; I feel guilty for_________. I am ashamed of__________. Today, I accept the blood of Jesus as payment in full for my sin. Today, God accepts the blood of Jesus as payment in full for my sin. Today, I am forgiven. Today, I am free from my sin. Today, I will ask the person who was affected by my sin to forgive me also. Today, I have turned from this sin and now I am showing it through restitution. Today, I have Freedom! |