Guilt and Shame

Tm Greenwood

Back a number of years ago, I had a dream in which I was walking through the woods on
a beautiful autumn day and came upon an open meadow covered by bright colored fall
leaves. As I cut diagonally across the meadow every step I took was into another metal
animal trap. There was no sensation of pain, but by the time I was halfway across, there
were so many traps attached to my boots, and jeans that it nearly doubled my weight.
There were everything from bear traps, to mouse traps and every type of snare. A few
more steps and I could no longer move forward due to the combined weight of the traps
both big and small.
Then I heard the voice of God say, “This is how guilt and shame operates against man.”
“It builds up and then weighs down until it stops all forward progress.” Guilt and shame
slowly paralyze their victims by becoming a burden that can no longer be carried.
Guilt and Shame are a pair of malevolent spirits that always travel together whose satanic
assignment is to stop you from reaching your destiny. You must learn to resist them in
the same way you resist a spirit of fear. How does guilt and shame come?
Picture a single shining light bulb hanging from a cord in the center a large empty
warehouse. For the sake of this analogy, lets say that the light bulb represents God.
When all is well you stand facing the light. But when you give in to temptation and sin,
you became wicked or “twisted like a candle wick or wicker” and you turn away from the
light. That is when Guilt and Shame sow the seeds of guilt and shame into your mind.
The second you receive that seed into your heart the spirit of fear sows a seed of fear.
Receiving the seed of fear into your heart will cause you to run away from the light – into
the darkness – where the Devil will beat you to a pulp – until you run back to the light.

John 3:19 This is condemnation, that light is come into the world, but men love darkness
more than light, therefore their deeds are evil.
For many people this becomes a regular cycle. How do you stop it? The easiest way to
stop it is not to sin. Can we still say that? I ask because I haven’t heard much about sin
lately. The next line of defense is to refuse to receive guilt and shame. Your next
defense is to refuse to receive fear. And finally, whether or not you received guilt, shame
or fear, REPENT! The word “repent” means to turn around, change direction, become
un-twisted and run back to the light, confess your sin and ask for forgiveness.
Are you already burdened down by guilt and shame? Have they weighed you down and
worn you out?
Jesus, in Matthew 11:28-30 says, “Come unto me, all ye that are fatigued by heavy labor
and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of
me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls, for my yoke
is easy, and my burden is light.”
Jesus is saying, Let’s TRADE! Your burden is so heavy that you can’t move! Here, take
mine and I’ll carry yours for you. Or even better, let’s make the trade permanent!
1Peter 5:7 says, “Cast all your care upon him; for he cares for you.”
Guilt and shame are just tools of the Devil to produce fruit. The fruit of guilt and shame
is self-condemnation. The Devil’s goal is to pressure you till you “SAY” something. He
knows that his only authority on this planet is through the authority of your words. So he
is waiting for you to say anything that can be used as evidence against you! So, just like
your mother told you, “If you don’t have something good to say, keep your mouth shut!”

Tim Greenwood Ministries

www.tgm.org