TOO EMBARRASSED TO BE BLESSED 12/2/13

"He who conceals his disease cannot expect to be cured."

Ethiopian Proverb

Say it and believe it:

I will not be too embarrassed to be blessed. www.AnointedMessages.com

A Message from Anointed Messenger

I sometimes volunteer as an usher for a ministry I think very highly of. Like other good ministries they offer an altar call, in which they invite people to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. The people were asked to stand, and we ushers gave them a booklet designed to help them in their new faith. As I was passing out books I saw people joyfully standing and happy to receive their books. I also saw people who remained seated and discreetly tried to get my attention and a book. I’m not talking about disabled people who were unable to stand; these were able-bodied people who were too embarrassed to stand. You may think this wasn’t “nice” but I encouraged many of them to stand. Not to embarrass or humiliate them, but to encourage them to overcome that fear that often blocks blessings. I didn’t want their entrance into the kingdom to be marred by fear.

I know this walk of faith is often hindered by fear. The enemy’s primary strategy is to attack us with fear. There are too many people who are afraid to pray in public, afraid to be seen reading their Bible, and afraid to let people know they have needs they cannot meet alone. New Christians are often worried about what the world thinks; but sometimes it’s even harder for mature saints. Some feel as seasoned saints and leaders in the church it would be too embarrassing to admit they still don’t ‘have it all together’, and have a need, pain, or struggle that the enemy has told them is beneath them. This is just what the enemy wants. When I think about the Bible and those Jesus was most impressed with, it was people who were willing to humbly do whatever was necessary to get their blessing. The unclean bleeding woman who risked public humiliation and got to Jesus was told it was her faith that made her well. The woman who persisted even after Jesus compared her to a dog had “great faith”.

God’s Beloved even if you have been the one too embarrassed to stand or pray or share, there is still hope for you. As long as you stick with God He can finish the good work He began in you. Please recognize those fears for what they are, fears to be conquered. Don’t succumb to the rational lies that justify hiding when it’s time to stand up. It won’t make a difference, I can get saved whether I stand or sit. I don’t have to confess my sin, I can privately pray and be delivered. That may be true, but if your motive is fear then it’s a problem. Often the blessing comes when you obediently take that step or make that gesture. Standing and sitting are irrelevant, but it's the accompanying posture of your heart that brings breakthrough.

Father God please forgive me for those times when I did not stand up and fight for my faith. Help me overcome every fear. Even though people can hurt my feelings and even my body, they have no power greater than Yours. I will not fear judgment from people, and I won’t be too proud to press through for my blessing. Unite me with safe people with whom I can share and be vulnerable. Give me courage to face every fear. Give me boldness to speak when it’s time to speak. Embarrassment is linked to pride, and I won’t be ashamed of You or the Gospel.

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For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”

Mark 8:38 ESV

For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.

Luke 9:26 ESV

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

Romans 1:16 ESV

³⁸And, “But my righteous^[a] one will live by faith. And I take no pleasure in the one who shrinks back.”^{[b] 39} But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved.

Hebrews 10:38-39 NIV

Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

James 4:10 NIV