No More Shame
Devotional Reading: looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2 ESV
The writer of Hebrews says that Jesus “despised the shame.” The English word despise is derived from the Greek word kataphronesas. This word comes from kata, which means “from” or “away,” and phreneao, which means “thinking” or “mind.” Kataphronesas literally means “to think nothing”—not allowing a thought into your mind. As Jesus hung on the cross, Satan relentlessly attacked Him with thoughts of shame: “You are a failure; you are no good. What an embarrassment you are to your family. What an embarrassment you are to the Jewish race. What an embarrassment you are to your Father.”
Of course, everything in the natural seemed to line up with what Satan was saying. However, Jesus would not let any of those thoughts into His mind. He refused to think thoughts of shame even as He suffered and died the most excruciating death imaginable. Jesus completely and eternally defeated shame on the cross, and He defeated it for us too. In fact, we can only live the lives God wants us to live if we are free from shame. And glory to God, we are.
Shame’s intent is to cause each of us to feel hopelessly flawed: there is just something wrong with me. Shame causes us to hide and isolate ourselves. God’s truth, however, says there is no power in shame. There is no grace in shame. There is no freedom in shame. Shame is a prison that keeps us in the bondage of our sins and guilt. We can only be set free when we understand that not only are we forgiven, but also our shame and guilt is gone too. Paul in his epistles to the Romans says “So now the case is closed . There remains no accusing voice of condemnation against those who are joined in life-union with Jesus, the Anointed One.” Romans 8:1 TPT
Prayer and Confession
I am free from all guilt and shame because I am now in Christ. Hallelujah!
Further Reading – Hebrews 12:1-2, Isaiah 53
