“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.”
2 Corinthians 10:3-6
• Shame and Fear are strongholds.
• Fear is one of the greatest strongholds.
• Many issues are rooted in fear. You can’t break it off at the surface, you have to uproot it.
• There are two laws according to Romans 8 which are (1) the law of sin + death and (2) the law of life in Christ Jesus. We are always one decision away from stepping into one or the other. The decision process will either be rooted in faith or fear leaning us toward one or the other.
• God promises to sanctify us in mind, body and spirit. This is what life in Christ Jesus looks like, a life that God will bless. (1 Thessalonians 5:23)
• Your mind is the control center of your life!
• You need God’s word in order to have the ability to discern your thoughts and choose faith or fear, love or hate, joy or grief.
Examples on how to win the battle in your mind:
• 2 Corinthians 10:5 – Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
• Deuteronomy 30:19 – I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:
• Deuteronomy 11:26 – Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse;
• James 1:8 – A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
• There is no greater instance of being double minded than to be torn between your spirit + flesh and faith + fear.
• God Encourages us to cast down thoughts and choose faith.
“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”
2 Timothy 1:7
• Anytime you are not walking in power, love, and a sound mind, you are dealing with fear.
• Hebrews 11:6 teaches us that there is no pleasing God or receiving from Him outside of faith.
• Fear is the devil’s faith.
• God cannot move in your life without faith, the enemy cannot move in your life without fear.
• You can either let God be the Lord of your life through faith, or you can chose to let the devil be the lord of your life through fear.
• Your mind is being governed by either faith or fear at all times.
• Shame keeps us away from the best that God has for us.
“Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.”
1 John 4:17-18
• As you walk in God’s spirit, His plan for your life unfolds but all that can be ruined when your life is handicapped by fear.
• Shame is the oldest stronghold known to man. It is what Adam and Eve experienced in the garden after sin entered.
If you are walking in fear, you’ve not been made perfect in love.
• There are things that you will never experience if you are walking in fear or shame.
• Their sin shamed them and said they better hide from God.
• Shame says get as far from the Word of God as you can. Worship from a far.
Luke 15:13-17 details a story of a son who asked his father for all his inheritance and he went far from home and spent it on riotous living.
“And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:”
Luke 15:20-22
• What are you most ashamed of?
• What have you armed the enemy with to use against you and rob you of your destiny?
• God’s love for you is greater than your sin. “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8
Next Week:
• Hiding from your sin – you’ve done this thing and don’t want it to catch up with you so you do everything you can to hide it.
• Hiding your sin – you are in sin and want to be in sin and so you hide it.
• Jesus doesn’t say shame on you, instead He says shame off you! He put our shame on himself.