Overcoming – Guilt and Shame

John 16:33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Shame and guilt are two weapons the enemy of our soul uses to cripple us:

• Shame like ropes tied around our legs and body
• Guilt is like a heavy weight on our shoulders

So what do we do with our shame and guilt:

• We try to bury it
• We try to numb it
• We try to justify it

No one has ever really taught us how to manage our runaway feelings

Mark 1:5 “The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.”

Tons of folks came from Jerusalem and the Judean Countryside

• Jerusalem is 20 miles from Johns baptism site

Why are people coming such a long way to visit John?

To be washed clean of their:

• Sin
• Shame
• Guilt

John 1:24-28 “Now the Pharisees who had been sent questioned him, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” I baptize with water,” John replied, “but among you stands one you do not know. He is the one who comes after me, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing.”

John 1:29 “The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”

Greek Word Airo – To lift up and carry away

Here is what John is saying about Jesus:

• He will pick up our sins and carry them off

Colossians 2:13-14 “When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, ¹⁴ having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross”

When we try to do it on our own – Here is what it sounds like:

• “I know what I should do”
• “I won’t make that choice again”
• “This won’t influence me in the future”

Romans 8:1 “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus”

Psalms 103:12 “as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us”

The way to overcome guilt and shame:

• Accept what Jesus has done for you on the cross

Romans 3:23 “For all haver sinned and fallen short of the kingdom of God”