In this special excerpt, Dan Duval unpacks the effects of shame in the Church.

Below are some notes from our Partners-only Monthly Mentoring Session. These sessions have been recorded and you can access them by becoming a Partner today! Find out more at DougAddison.com/TimeOff

Dan started out the session by saying that shame is used in the body of Christ for behavior modification. Some people have been subject to this, and while it may lead to a change in behavior, it produces a distancing from God and God's heart.

Dan has seen shame, guilt and condemnation work its way into basic philosophy and many backgrounds that everyone’s a part of.

Some people have come from certain religious backgrounds that basically say anything you do wrong (anything that causes you to step out of line) deserves to be highlighted. So they feel shame about it, and then there’s a highlight on sin, a constant focus on sin, and then a person’s value becomes anchored to their ability to not sin.

In this system, people are reminded that every time they sin, they have failed God, and they should feel really bad. People end up in cycles of performance and they think God hates them.

People get frustrated because the only thing they can do is feel bad, and it doesn’t produce closeness or intimacy with God. One of the things it produces is an unhealthy fear of losing salvation.

In this mindset, the thinking is … if you do the right thing, you can still go to Heaven when you die, BUT you’re letting God down and He’s ashamed of you. And when that’s the background someone comes from, shame becomes a tool of behavior modification. 

This sometimes happens because the Church wants people to “look and act Christian.”

Dan mentioned that what he’s found is that people who look and act Christian because they’re afraid of consequences or losing their salvation (or that God hates them) … these people are not intimate with God.

In this system, it’s hard for people to run to God when things go sideways or if there is a failure of any kind. They just feel robbed and depressed because they don’t think they’re good enough. The thinking is, “If I was good enough, I could make God happy.”

People go into all sorts of emotional places, and sometimes this mindset is even taught from the pulpit.

Another statement that hasn't helped the situation is this: “You are a no good, low-down, worthless sinner saved by grace.”

When that statement is applied, it becomes an identity.

People think: “I'm trash and Jesus is good. So, thank God I can be trash saved by Jesus.”

The truth is that you WERE a no good, low-down, worthless sinner, but the moment you’re saved, you are a son of God—an heir of God. With Christ, it is completely different. This is the heavenly identity. You are raised and seated with Christ in heavenly places. “Shall you not judge angels?” (1 Corinthians 6:3) That’s the heavenly identity.

There is so much in the New Testament about the heavenly identity, and even in the Old Testament, preparing us to see in full view what Jesus would accomplish in His death, burial, and resurrection.

Shame anchors people to a false identity for the sake of behavior modification, but it’s a big backfire.

People usually need to be delivered of that sin consciousness. The focus has to be put on the finished work of Jesus Christ, the grace of God and the heavenly identity.

As we focus on who God is, His forgiveness, and the finished work of Christ, we can receive the grace to walk free of sin. This is not from a place of fear of consequences but more from a place of intimacy, desire and identity.

InLight Connection thanks Dan Duval for sharing his heart with us! 

P.S. Thank you to all of those who partner with InLight Connection and give on a regular basis. You are holding their arms up in the spirit right now, and they are truly grateful. For those who have not yet given or it’s been a while, please consider giving now (or partnering monthly) … to help, just click HERE. Becoming a Partner will give you access to the upcoming guest speaker events. These meetings are going to be POWERFUL!

Doug Addison is the founder and president of InLight Connection. Doug is a prophetic speaker, author and coach. He is known for his Daily Prophetic Words, Spirit Connection podcast and blog. He and his wife Linda live in Los Angeles, California where they are impacting the arts, entertainment and media industries.