TEACHING NOTES Speaker: Jimmy Cash ‌ Review of Part 1 ‌ Shame is defined as: - Humiliation at the loss of esteem. - A feeling of inadequacy or inferiority. - Loss of respect from others or myself. - The product of failure or perceived failure to meet expectations from someone that I desire approval from. - This failure results in rejection or perceived rejection. Part 2: Overcoming Shame God's grace is greater than our disgrace.‌ Overcoming Shame Shame is a false belief system that the Bible calls a stronghold. ‌ This false belief system is reinforced throughout our life by the following factors: - ‌our distorted view of our present and future, based on our past experiences ‌- the false beliefs that we tell ourselves and the evidence that we gather throughout life that reinforces that belief system - ‌our false beliefs that control the narrative of our thoughts, which in turn controls our emotions, feelings and how we behave, react or respond ‌ “No one has more influence over YOU than YOU. No one talks to YOU more than YOU.” ‌ We can disrupt/stop the cycle of shame (beliefs, thoughts, behavior) by changing the following: ‌ CHANGE our belief system by accepting TRUTH about the love of the Father ‌ CHOOSE to think differently, when emotions, feelings sweep over us. ‌ CHOOSE to respond, react, behave differently according to the Word of God rather than how we feel. ‌ Acknowledging and declaring TRUTH: ‌ He Loves Us: For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. - John 3:16 ‌ He Calls Us His Children: See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; - 1 John 3:1 ‌ He Will Leave the 99 For You: “What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. In the same way, your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish.” - Matthew 18:12-14 ‌ He is a Good Father: Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! - Matthew 7:9-11 ‌ He Knows Before We Ask: And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. - Matthew 6:8 ‌ He Gives Us His Spirit: If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. - John 14:15-17 ‌ His Spirit Testifies To Our Spirit: The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. – Rom. 8:14-16 ‌ By His blood He has freed us from shame: There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. - Romans 8:1-2 ‌ He is Working Everything Together For Your Good: We know that in all things God works for good with those who love him, those whom he has called according to his purpose. - Romans 8:28 ‌ Nothing Can Separate You From His Love: In view of all this, what can we say? If God is for us, who can be against us? - Romans 8:31 ‌ Romans 8:35-39 35 Who, then, can separate us from the love of Christ? Can trouble do it, or hardship or persecution or hunger or poverty or danger or death? 36 As the scripture says,“For your sake we are in danger of death at all times; we are treated like sheep that are going to be slaughtered.” 37 No, in all these things we have complete victory through him who loved us! 38 For I am certain that nothing can separate us from his love: neither death nor life, neither angels nor other heavenly rulers or powers, neither the present nor the future, 39 neither the world above nor the world below—there is nothing in all creation that will ever be able to separate us from the love of God which is ours through Christ Jesus our Lord. ‌ Even When Our Thoughts Condemn - His Love is Greater For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart and knoweth all things. - 1 John 3:20 ‌ There Is No Fear in His Love: By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. - 1 John 4:17-18 ‌ Changing our Thought Patterns ‌ Renew Your Mind Daily I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. - Romans 12:1-2 ‌ Tear Down The Stronghold (False Belief System) 4 We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. 5 We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ. - 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 ‌ Let Go of the Past 12 Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 13 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. 16 Only let us hold true to what we have attained. - Philippians 3:12-16 ‌ CHOOSE to THINK DIFFERENTLY: ‌ Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. - Philippians 4:8 ‌ Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. - Colossians 3:2 ‌ Meditate on these things: ‌ John 21:17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.” ‌ 1 John 3:20 for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything. ‌ Choose to React, Respond and Behave Differently - I am responsible for my own emotions, feelings, thoughts, actions. - While I cannot control external circumstances, I can control how I react, respond, behave. - If I care to change, I can change. ‌ How to Respond Prayer: Ask God to reveal what needs to change. Repentance: Agree with God and repent of sin. Worship: Thank God for what He is doing in you. Communion: Take Christ in and renew faithfulness. ‌