Satan’s Strong Weapon

February 13, 2024

GOD called to the Man: “Where are you?” He said, “I heard you in the garden and I was afraid because I was naked. And I hid.” GOD said, “Who told you that you were naked? Did you eat from that tree I told you not to eat from?” Genesis 3:9-11 MSG

God created our beautiful world and placed man and woman in it. It was a guilt-free, shame-free environment. It’s hard to even imagine the exuberance of that garden home. But Satan entered the garden and persuaded Adam and Eve to believe that God’s intents for them were selfish and he was withholding from them. They bought the lie and did the only thing God told them not to do – they had complete freedom for everything else. They ate from the fruit of the forbidden shame. As the juice from the fruit seeped into their mouths, the sinister serpent of shame slithered into their souls. They immediately knew they were naked and instinctively felt ashamed about it. What a new feeling! It wasn’t good. It frightened them and they began to try to fix themselves.

The worst result was that shame fundamentally changed their relationship with God and their peace of soul. God came walking in the Garden for His regular fellowship with them. They were nowhere to be found. Their shame had made them run and hide from God, their Father-Creator who loved them completely. That was Satan’s master plan. Shame is exceptionally debilitating because we feel unlovable, unworthy, and isolated. It’s important to know that God did not hide from them. He loved them and knew what they had done, and He still wanted to be with them. Of course, their disobedience had walked them into something God had wanted them to never experience, and they would now have to deal with the built-in consequences. They could never “unknow” what they knew now. Bad decisions always have their own built-in consequences, not as punishment but as a natural result of our choices. The comforting and powerful truth is that God’s love is so great that He immediately promised a restoring plan for human’s sin and shame, so massive that it would require His Son’s life, death, and resurrection.

There’s a mental health mantra that says, “We are always as sick as our secrets.” Satan knows that and wants our shame to break our relationship with God and others. He will make you sick with shame as long as you allow Him. Don’t hide from God. He loves you. Ask Him to help you find a trustworthy fellow Jesus-follower with whom to share. James 5:16 tells us that confession to others breaks the stranglehold, and we will be healed.

Important: Never try to help anyone by shaming them. Shame is Satan’s tool. It must never be ours. When we speak shame, we drive people away from God and the community of healing.

• Break the hold of shame and secrets. God loves you and so do His true people.