The room was dimly lit, it was dark outside, our squad mentor stood at the front of the room while we sat scattered on the floor waiting in anticipation for what she would say. She began to speak about the thing everyone hates. VULNERABILITY. She described it as uncertainty, risk or exposure. Vulnerability is daring to show up and let yourself be seen. She shared about the thing that sometimes comes with vulnerability. SHAME. The feeling of being flawed, and unworthy of being loved or not belonging. She also shared about what comes after being vulnerable and confronting shame. FREEDOM. Freedom is living in a state of not being imprisoned or enslaved to someone or something.
She shared parts of her story with us that no one would care to admit. She was real. Raw. Vulnerable. She shared things the enemy held over her head and condemned her for; things no one else knows. At the end of her talk she opened up the floor to share our hearts. To share our shame. In front of 50+ people she invited us to share our deepest darkest secrets, things that consumed our thoughts, things we never share with anyone, heavy things that weigh us down and drown us. At first the room was silent, no one moved. You could cut the tension with a knife. Who would be the first to share? To showcase their shame in front of what now seemed like strangers. We were giving each other the opportunity to judge, laugh, stare, and point fingers. People shared about deep pain, insecurities, depression, anxiety, fears, abusive pasts, unhealthy relationships, rejection, and addiction to drugs, alcohol, and pornography. How could I share my deepest pain, and most horrifying secrets?
Before I knew it I was standing in front of the whole room. Hands sweating. Knees trembling. Heart pounding. I had no idea what to say but the words starting falling out of my mouth. Tears streaming down my face. I apologized to my squad mates for judging them, and for not loving them. The truth is how could I? I have a hard time loving anyone because I don’t even love myself. I am judgmental of everyone around me because I’m so judgmental of myself. I share truth about scripture and the love of God when I don’t even believe it myself. How about the fact that I once kissed a married man. Or that lust consumes my thoughts daily. Day in and day out I carry around shame, believing lies from the enemy. For years I have been in bondage. Tied down with shackles. Fighting for air, and struggling to stay afloat.
After a few hours I looked around and I saw my friends. My family. Broken. Hurting. Shackled together in chains. I was angry. I was angry at Satan that we gave him so much power over our lives. He deceived us into believing lies about ourselves, questioning our worth, our value, and our purpose. He has manipulated our minds into thinking these lies define us. I echoed to my squad the words of 2 Corinthians 10:5 We are to take EVERY thought captive, and make it obedient to Christ. Every lie, every devilish scheme, every thought and take it to God. To replace the lie with truth, to rebuke the devil, and to stand firm on the promises of God.
When everyone had finished sharing we silently walked into the next room to worship. It was amazing what I saw. I saw people walking in FREEDOM. I saw chains being broken, strongholds being released, and captives being set free. Jesus was present. We sang songs of adoration, we lifted our hands, and poured out our hearts. Shame no longer weighed us down. Satan no longer had a foothold over us. Our past no longer defined us. Our minds had been renewed, our weights had been lifted, and Jesus was reigning in this place. We shouted and gave God glory for what he had done. We had been set free.
In Acts 16 Paul and Silas had been thrown in jail. They had been beaten and flogged. The guard was told to watch them closely and put them in the inner cell. ( this was in the basement, the place with no light, where sewage ran through their cell, no air could blow, and no one could hear them) around midnight Paul and Silas started praying and singing hymns to God. The guard and the other prisoners were listening to them. At once all the prison doors flung open and their chains came loose.
Just like Paul and Silas, the enemy is able to throw us in prison. He lock us up and shackles us to our past. We give Satan a foothold with things such as hurt, secret sin, anxiety, depression, unforgivness, desire to please man, insecurities, and self-worth. Although we may not be in a literal prison cell he takes captive our minds and our emotions. We should learn from the response of these men in Acts. They did not cry, pout, or shout, instead in the midst of sewage and bondage they sang praises! They prayed and sang songs of joy! This caused a great earthquake and the foundation of the earth to be shaken! And they were set free!
What is keeping you bound in chains? Are you longing to experience the power of walking in freedom? You need to start by getting your mind off your circumstances and on things of the Lord. God himself will free you from shame and bondage. But it starts with speaking it out. You can’t conquer what you don’t confess, and as long as you’re quiet that sly devil will continue to hold those moments of shame over your head. Don’t forget in these moments to praise God. Cry out to him for healing, comfort and peace, and thank him for moments of weakness, it’s in our weakness that we see his strength. Prayer and praise is powerful! And essential to being set free! Whoever you are and whatever you’ve done. Know you’re not alone. There are people all around you living in the same bondage as you waiting for answers and for freedom. The answer lies in your faith and your obedience to pray and praise.
In the Old Testament we read about Joshua and the wall of Jericho. This principle is really brought to life. God had chosen Joshua to lead the children of Israel into the promise land. He gave specific orders to Joshua to fulfil his promises. They were finally in a place of peace when they reached their biggest obstacle yet, a large wall standing right in front of them. God directed Joshua “walk around the wall 1 time for 6 days with only the trumpets blowing, on the seventh day you are to walk around the wall seven times still with only the trumpets blowing. When I tell you to shout, SHOUT, for the lord has given you the city.” The important part here is their mouths were closed. Only the trumpets sounded. God did not want them to focus on the obstacle or the possibility of failing, but to praise him in the midst of what seemed to be impossible. The seventh day came, and they walked 7 times around the wall, praising God with joy and excitement waiting in anticipation to see what he would do. On the seventh lap the trumpet sounded and they all shouted and the foundation of the earth shook and the wall crumbled right before their eyes. Their praise and worship brought to an end what looked like a wall of obstacles.
“To make a building uninhabitable the foundation needs to be destroyed. Once the foundation is cracked or shifted, nothing can be built on it again. To destroy the structural integrity of your prison or wall, shake the foundation! When the foundation of your prison is shaken, everyone else imprisoned there will also be freed. Despite your circumstances your praises to God will shake your prison walls and the walls of those who deal with the same shame. The walls will fall and you can confidently enter the promise land. When you begin to share, reject the shame, and walk in freedom, others will start to experience that same freedom and the shackles will fall off.”
John 10:10 says Satan comes to KILL, STEAL, and DESTROY; BUT Jesus has come to give you life and life to the fullest. Satan will try to strip your integrity, your identity, and your position of influence. He will quiet your mouth, and deceive your heart. He will beat you down until you’re too tired to fight back, and that is when he wins. We have to fight back, stand firm on the promises of God, and shout praises from the rooftops so the devil has no foothold on our lives.
I challenge you to overcome shame with freedom, to overcome fear with peace, and to overthrow the devil and his schemes by praising God! Sharing my shame and my secrets with 1 person was hard, with 6 people was extremely difficult, and when I shared with 50+ people I thought I was going to faint. But through the blood of the lamb and the power of our testimony people will walk away freed. There is power in the name of Jesus to break every chain in your life. You can start this cycle by bolding admitting that which keeps you in bondage, when your shackles fall off, the shackles of those around you will break away and they too will experience the Freedom of walking in the truth.
Galatians 5:1 It is for freedom that Christ has set us free
