From Shame to Sonship

This powerful message confronts a struggle many of us face: living as forgiven children of God while still carrying the weight of shame from our past. Drawing from Romans 8:12-17, we're challenged to recognize that we've been given the Spirit of adoption, not slavery. Yet how many of us still walk around like the librarian in Shawshank Redemption—free from prison but still sleeping on the floor, unable to embrace the freedom that's already ours? The core question cuts deep: Does God merely tolerate us, or does He delight in us? Our answer reveals whether we're living in shame or sonship. The enemy doesn't care if we're going to heaven; he just wants to keep us silent, paralyzed by secrets and fear. But when we understand that God already knows everything we've done and still calls us His children—co-heirs with Christ—everything changes. We're not fighting for victory; we're fighting from victory to victory. The Holy Spirit who empowered Jesus now lives in us, waiting to work through willing vessels. Our past isn't something to hide; it's a book God is writing with purpose, and every chapter—even the painful ones—serves His redemptive plan. The call is clear: stop living like slaves and start living like the sons and daughters of the King we truly are.