Am I Really Ashamed of God?

TRUTH TALK Insight: Luke 9:26

SHERRI CULLISON has a tender heart for those who hurt—and wants people to understand how God and His Word can help them break free from the problems that control their lives. In this post, Sherri offers biblical Truth Talk about the fear of man vs. the fear of God.

Walking in Fear of Man Brings Bondage

Jesus, speaking to his disciples, said,

If anyone is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels ( Luke 9:26 NIV).

I remember I wore a pretty dress when I was a little girl, and sometimes even a hat and white gloves. I loved dressing up and I loved going to church. I carried a tiny coin holder with my quarter in it to give to our Sunday school teacher as an offering. I was dressed the part.

But when it was time for the teacher to call upon me to pray, I gently shook my head in denial. I’m not sure what I was afraid of. Most likely, the opinions of the other children.

After walking with Jesus for many years, I’ve asked myself why I was ashamed to speak up for my core belief in God when He means everything to me. I’ve even questioned my level of faith when I’ve seen others profess their faith in God, even before thousands of people. I love God and I know He loves me.  I undoubtedly know that Jesus walked this earth and died for me, and the Holy Spirit dwells in me today.

So how can it be when someone hears me talking in a conversation about what God did for me last week, I dart my eyes to see if they’re listening and tone my voice down?

If there’s anyone we need to fear as believers, it’s the Lord!

I certainly don’t want Jesus to be ashamed of me before the Father. Jesus warns us that if we are ashamed of Him, He will be ashamed of us. That hits pretty hard, doesn’t it? Fortunately, it’s an honest statement to motivate us not to be ashamed.

Many times over the years, I was embarrassed of my faith. The times as a teenager I felt prompted to go forward during the invitation to dedicate my life to God, I didn’t, because I was ashamed to walk up to the front in front of everyone. The times singing in church that I felt led to lift my hands, I cowered because I feared other people’s disapproval.

Dictionary.com explains the meaning of cower as this: to crouch, as in fear or shame.

Unfortunately, I placed the opinions of others above my worship that God desired and so rightly deserved.

Walking in Fear of God Brings Freedom

The fear of God is submitting to His authority and holiness, and honoring Him by obeying His Word. When we fear the Lord, we reverence Him: “Reverence for the Lord is the foundation of true wisdom. The rewards of wisdom come to all who obey him. Praise his name forever” (Psalm 111:10 NLT).

God does not want us to be fearful, intimidated people. In 2 Timothy 1:7, Paul writes:

For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.

Being easily intimidated is something I’ve struggled with for most of my life. Whether it’s joining a classroom late, mixing with a crowd of people, or being negatively confronted by an angry person, I’ve wanted to duck my head and hide like a turtle in its shell. In that moment of being overwhelmed with fear, the room seemed to close in on me and I wanted to run away as fast as I could and just be alone. Honestly, the only reason in that situation to fear was people.

Paul reminds us that the spirit of timidity did not come from the Lord; therefore, it must have come from within us or the enemy. The enemy would absolutely take delight in knowing we were intimidated. After all, that makes us an easy target for his piercing arrows. We certainly don’t want the enemy to win. We need to discover ways to resist intimidation, so that we’re not ashamed.

One way we can do that is to pray and ask God to help us not be ashamed. He desires us to ask and to trust that He’ll provide what we need, even if it’s help in not being ashamed of our faith.

When others tell me that they admire my faith, I tell them that faith is a gift from the Lord. However, it is their encouraging words that give me confidence to speak more of my beliefs, and that it’s His desire for us to share our faith with others.

Here are three ways to stay bold in your faith:

1. Pray and ask God to help you step out of your comfort zone.
2. Place Scripture around you to remind you that God can strengthen you.
3. Practice telling others what God has done for you.

In 1 Timothy 1:7, God tells us He gives us a spirit of power, love, and self-discipline. These are all attributes with positive results.

• Power brings courage.
• Love brings motive.
• And self-discipline brings obedience.

With courage we can resist fear of man. With motive we can endure. And with obedience, we will not be ashamed. I realize now that I would rather lose a friend over my faith than for Jesus be ashamed of me before God.

How can we pray today to resist the temptation of being ashamed of the gospel? What are some ways we can creatively share our faith confidently with others?

Sherri Cullison is an author and speaker, passionate about sharing the hope of Jesus. Sherri knows the pain and devastation life brings. In her book, SOS, A Mother’s Story of Survival, Rescue and Hope, Sherri shares the tragic story of the loss of her teenage daughter to suicide. She is an experienced women’s ministry leader, worship leader with piano and voice, and a 2018 recipient of Women Making History Award for the Arts. Sherri is a native Arizonan, married with two kids, seven grandkids, and loves traveling and the outdoors.