Break Free from Shame's Prison

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy…” (John 10:10)

Nightmares. Insomnia. Self-hatred. The inability to love or be loved. Lack of trust. Depression. Self-destructive behaviors. Eating disorders. Aggressiveness. Rage. The list of destruction to the inner depths of the soul goes on and on.

Like fallout from a dirty bomb, life experiences can—and will—contaminate nearly every aspect of your life.

I know. As an abused child, Satan deceived me. “God can’t love YOU,” he taunted. “You are unlovable. Dirty. Dirty. Dirty.” He penetrated my mind with shame-filled lies. But I have good news. I experienced good news: God chooses the most improbable—you and me—to rescue and transform. His truth can set us free from Satan’s lies.

I was set free. You can be set free today.

Understanding The Battle for the Mind  

Shame is one of Satan’s weapons to keep you hiding from God.

Make no mistake: Shame is not the same as guilt. Guilt stems from our own wrong actions. Shame—warranted or unwarranted—is humiliation we are taught. We perpetuate shame by treating ourselves as unworthy of forgiveness.

Shame can be the penetrating tip of a lie shot at us by Satan. The real lie Satan wants us to believe is that we are too guilty to be forgiven and accepted by God. Jesus died to tell us the opposite, but Satan will pierce us so deeply with his lie that we may not be able to comprehend the truth.

Over and over, Satan will whisper, “You’re no good. Don’t even think about talking to God because He won’t give someone like you the time of day.”   

Beware, friends: Words like these create an evil trap rigged with chains for your soul. By paralyzing you with anguish, Satan will deceive you into thinking you are unworthy of God's love. Satan will trap you in a prison of misery as he devours your soul, sucking your life dry of all joy in the process.

I really don't want to give the Evil One much space: yet sometimes, we need to remember he truly does exist. Scripture reveals his existence as a spirit of evil from Genesis to Revelation. God threw Satan out of heaven because of his wicked ways. His names include: serpent, accuser, dragon, enemy, man of sin, power of darkness, devourer, devil, and tempter. These names clearly describe his dark character. Jesus called Satan “…the father of lies.”

Like it or not, Satan is real. Satan desires to destroy the lives—yours and mine—by sin. He ambushes us with half-truths, deceit, and outright lies. He uses past experiences to plant thoughts that make us feel, hopeless, rejected, and defeated. By these, Satan deceives us into believing we are not worthy to seek Jesus. He will not rest until he robs us of our worth, future, and very souls.

So what’s our defense against him? When we call out to God in surrender, He rescues us. Our confidence in Him is based on the rock-solid promises of God—the truth.

The Reality of Truth and Real Love

Satan is a liar, but Jesus is truth. Jesus’ life and death is the greatest demonstration of truth the world has ever known. That truth is: God loves us— me and you.

God did not leave you alone and defenseless in your struggle against Satan. He sent you a champion to fight for you. God’s love defeats the deceit Satan uses to enslave us. We need to stand at the foot of His cross. And look up.

Through the cross—i.e. the death of Jesus Christ and His resurrection—God completely expresses that He loves all of us. At the cross, God offers us unconditional love and acceptance. And at the cross and the empty tomb, Satan is defeated in your life and mine—forever!

Chosen to Be Loved and Free - Today 

“God is love” (1 John 4:8) proclaims the truth of God’s character. He created you to love and be loved by Him.

Here’s something you must know and one of the most important factors I discovered in my love relationship with God: We cannot hide from God. I know. I tried.

You may be trying, too. But you cannot escape Him.

Don’t try. Fall into His arms. Today. Now. Just like you are. Surrender. Put your hands up and reach for the sky. Feel Satan’s chains fall off. Experience a wholehearted, truth-filled, loving relationship with God. Receive unconditional eternal life through Jesus.

From the bottom of our hearts, the deepest cavern of our souls, we all yearn for joy and love. No more bondage to the lies of Satan. No more shame. No more guilt. Freedom from the past: Liberty to be all Christ designed us to be.

This is the freedom Jesus offers. This is the truth that will set you free today.

Jan Coates is the founder of http://www.setfreetoday.com/, a ministry where you can come as you are and leave with a new beginning. Jan is an author, speaker and consultant. She is a frequent conference speaker and appears on national television and radio programs. For additional information, please email her at jan@jancoates.com. 

Photo credit:© Getty Images/Nadia Bormotova