#RaisingUpFearless - No More Shame

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. Romans 1:16 (NIV) emphasis added

Hello everyone and welcome to the start of a brand new series of devotionals titled "#RaisingUpFearless"!

This week, I'm going to take a look at an issue that affects so many people, yet can so often go untreated because of the damaging effect it can have on one's persona. On closer inspection, it can almost make someone feel like it's inappropriate to admit that they struggle so much with it.

What issue is that? Shame...

Shame Doesn't Live Here Anymore

It is unfortunate that this series begins a week before my personal re-launch onto social media, but I'll be sure to post in all the relevant places the links where people can catch up when I do return.

Let's take a look as always at the beginning, at the definition of shame according to Merriam-Webster: -

• a feeling of guilt, regret, or sadness that you have because you know you have done something wrong;
• ability to feel guilt, regret, or embarrassment; and
• dishonor or disgrace

Wow!

Powerful words, don't you think?

I remember repeatedly telling a friend that I felt embarrassed because I was crushing something silly over someone I barely know. What I didn't know until he pointed it out to me, was that it was a root of shame that had been really, deeply embedded in my heart & my head.

That's how conniving it is, because as the first definition shows it's merely a "feeling", yet the more you feed it the more it grows and grows until it consumes you into a nervous, pitiful wreck as you give in to its demands to be acknowledged.

Let me take this straight to Scripture now to see what God's word says about it: -

For the Lord GOD will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed. Isaiah 50:7 (KJV) emphasis added

What is the implication of a verse like that?

Read the first seven words... go on, I'll wait!

Have you read them?

"For the Lord GOD will help me" - straight away there is an acknowledgement that, once you have identified that shame is at work, you can give it over to God and let Him deal with it once and for all.

There is nothing wrong with crushing on someone so hard that it hurts; it just shows how deep your feelings run!

That's what I started to realise, well, there is nothing wrong as long as you keep in perspective that God is in control, God is on the throne and it is God's will that will be done in all of this!

Final Thought

If you are to "raise up" a fearless attitude for Christ, you are going to have to do some serious ground and heart work as you ask God to help you uncover any issue that is likely to stop you from reaching your destiny.

Think of it like this; the future generations are at stake because if people are not becoming fearless for Jesus and speaking out in His Name, then who's name will be spoken out? The prince of this earth, probably.

But I will warn you, however, that as you raise up a fearless attitude within you there will come a time where you question why you are doing this in the first place. You will be pushed to your very limits and then beyond as God goes on to prove that Jesus didn't just come to give you life to the full, as found in John 10:10, but He also came to give you an impossible life.

Why?

Because life really is impossible without Him!

Watch the skies!