Category: Deliverance

Overcoming Shame And Guilt

Last Thursday, I focused on overcoming Shame and Guilt.

This message was personal to me as I spent years in battle with these two emotions so much so that looking back over my life, I can see where I have been robbed as a result of shame and guilt.

I spoke about the difference between shame and guilt.

Shame is internalised worthlessness e.g. “I am bad” and guilt is behavioural failure e.g. “I did something bad”. Shame and guilt differs psychologically but they are both often rooted in brokenness. Gnesis chapter 3 highlights this.

Genesis 3: 6-13

6 “When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.

 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.

8 Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 9 But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?”

10 He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.”

11 And he said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?”

12 The man said, “The woman you put here with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.”

13 Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?”

Verse 10, you can see the shame in Adam’s response to God. Wherever there is shame. Two things follow, fear and the need to hide. Fear and hiding comes with shame.

From a psychological standpoint, shame is toxic, driving addiction and leads to social withdrawal whilst guilt can be adaptive, thereby fostering repentance.

Shame is often experienced by someone who has experienced trauma and childhood abuse. Guilt can work for one’s good as it highlights one has a conscience. Guilt is the acknowledgment that the behaviour was wrong but shame assumes identity with the action and that is not the truth.

Jesus Christ removed shame by dying on the cross and being raised from the dead on the third day. Because of this sacrifice, your identity is in Christ. You are now adopted as a son. Romans chapter 8 establishes this. I love that Romans 8:1 starts off with “there is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus”. Condemnation is a little different from shame in that it makes you subject yourself to torture and make you believe you are worthy of the worst type of judgement. This is not the mind of Christ and this mindset must be cast down according to 2 Corinthians 10:5.

Shame focuses on self which then leads to isolation which then causes a dishonour to one’s own identity leading you to hide your gifts and the light of who you are.

Guilt focuses on the act which leads to repair and improvement- guilt helps one to focus on transgression leading to repentance.

There are so many scriptures in the bible that highlights characters who experienced shame and the redemption of Jesus Christ.

You can read about the Woman at the Well in John chapter 4. King David in Psalm 51 and the woman caught in sin in Luke chapter 7.

In conclusion, for those of you who read this and you are experiencing shame. I want you to know that Jesus is able to deliver you, heal you and set you free from this captivity. He came that you would have life and have it more abundantly.

Prayer: Father in the name of Jesus Christ, Lord I thank You for highlighting the difference between shame and guilt. Heavenly Father, I surrender the shame and condemnation I have been carrying. I lay the burden of shame, guilt and condemnation at your feet. You encourage to lay down our burdens. Your burdens are light so I make an exchange Lord and I pick up the truth of your word that I am loved and accepted. I thank You that nothing can separate me from Your love according to Romans 8v38-39. Father God, I receive your adoption according to Romans 8:15. I cry out to You Abba Father, and I pray Lord pour your love upon me. I receive your love. Rebuke fear and shame from me in Jesus Name I pray amen.

To watch the replay to ‘Overcoming Shame and Guilt’, click here https://bit.ly/4aOQDN2

The Anatomy of Choice and Desire

Last Thursday, I taught on the anatomy of choice and desire, and the focus scripture was taken from James 1:14-15. This passage of scripture outlines the process of the conception of sin and how sin goes from thought to action. Below are the phases I discussed during the live broadcast.

James 1:14-15 shows the stages from desire leading to the consequence of following through with the desire.  

Desire > Thought > Action > Consequence

Phase 1 The Lure (Desire)– James 1:14 says, “But every man is tempted when he is drawn away by his own lust and enticed”. The Greek word for enticed is deleazō, which is a fishing term for bait. A fishing bait looks like a reward but hides the hook.

Phase 2 The Conception (Thought)– James 1:15 says, “Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin”. During the broadcast, I shared practical examples of what the conception looks like. The key here is to be aware of your triggers and put in place the necessary boundaries in place to stop the conception of sin being put into action. The conception stage looks like you, for example, knowing you are in heat but still going on that date and inviting your date back to your home. Here you start to rationalise the wrongdoing.

Phase 3 The Birth (Action)– James 1:15 says “It bringeth forth sin”- this is where your thoughts have moved from your mind to the external world by way of physical action.

Phase 4 The Full-Grown Result (Consequence) – “And sin when it is finished, bringeth forth death”.

This is the consequence of the sinful act. This can be spiritual death, death to a relationship, distance from the presence of God, opportunities, etc.

Through further studies, I taught on psychological frameworks, coupled with the scriptures, to overcome the cycle of unbridled desire and sin. This is known as the top-down approach

Step 1– Exposure of Truth- you have to name the temptation and desire that is trying to overpower you. In Psalm 139:23-24, David asks God to search and know his heart and his thoughts. We have to commit our hearts and minds to God.

Step 2– Replacement (Reframing) – Set your minds on things above, according to Colossians 3:2. Don’t suppress the desire, face it and acknowledge it and find something else to take your focus off the desire. Remember last week’s teaching: a feeling only lasts for 90 seconds; it is what you do with those 90 seconds that determines whether the feeling is prolonged or dissipates.

Step 3– Seek support- this step shows the importance of community and accountability. James 5:16 says, “confess your faults one to another”. This is what takes the power away from the temptation the enemy is trying to keep a hold over you.

This is just a brief outline of the cycle of sin and ways for you to overcome unyielding desires using the scriptures, and also paying attention to your personal decisions. Decisions decide. Dahna-Esther also prayed for those who are dealing with guilt and shame as a result of dealing with the cycle of sin.

Prayer: Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, Heavenly Father, thank You for showing me the stages of how sin is conceived and when acted upon, the consequences it carries. Father, I ask You to keep me from falling according to Jude 1 v 24. Father, I ask, release your grace to empower me to say no and to flee from the temptations of the enemy. Empower me in the Holy Ghost to avoid the traps of the enemy. Father, cast down every thought and imagination trying to conceive sin in my mind that can then lead to my actions. Lord wash me and cleanse me and create in me a clean heart and renew a right spirit within me in Jesus Name, I pray, amen.

Watch the replay to Anatomy of Choice and Desire– https://bit.ly/4aEHoiq

The Process of Desire

Last Thursday’s live focused on desire, and the psychological makeup and source of our desires.

We learnt that the following parts of the brain are responsible for the accumulation of our desires.

  • Amygdala: The central hub in the limbic system which plays a critical role in processing emotional responses, such as fear, anxiety, and pleasure.
  • Ventral Tegmental Area (VTA) and Nucleus Accumbens: are key components of the brain’s reward system, releasing dopamine to drive motivation, pleasure, and desire (specifically “wanting” or “incentive salience”).
  • Prefrontal Cortex (PFC): is responsible for rational thought and executive function. During intense emotions like romantic love, the PFC can exhibit decreased activity, contributing to the, “love is blind” effect.
  • Insular Cortex: constantly monitors the body’s internal emotional state (interoception), bridging visceral sensations with cognitive, “feelings”.
  • Hypothalamus: often linked to basic desires like hunger and sexual drive. 

I went further to teach on the neurochemistry of our emotions of desire and what chemical reactions are responsible for our various emotions;

  • Dopamine: The primary neurotransmitter associated with desire, motivation, and pleasure.
  • Serotonin: Regulates mood stability, with lower levels often associated with the obsessive thinking seen in early romantic love.
  • Oxytocin: Known as the, “bonding hormone,” it fosters trust and attachment.
  • Norepinephrine: Contributes to the euphoric and giddy sensations of romantic love. 

This shows that there is an interrelation between your emotion and desire overlapping with the various parts of the brain. Research shows that thoughts are transmitted via neurotransmitters which triggers and changes feelings.

Thoughts     >     Emotions          >        Behaviours

Your feelings are the conscious, subjective experience of bodily sensations processed by the brain. The highlight of last week’s live for me was this piece of research I read where the thought feeling cycle generally only lasts for 90 seconds in the brain before the surge dissipates. I asked the question, how many people are making life changing, permanent decisions because of a 90 second feeling.

There are three phases and four elements that contribute to the thought feeling emotion desire cycle;

Phase 1: The Spark (Emotions & Desire)

Everything usually begins with a stimulus (external or internal). Your amygdala scans for threats or rewards. If it sees something it wants, it triggers Desire via the release of dopamine. This is a physiological “itch” that demands action. 

Phase 2: The Interpretation (Feelings)

As your body reacts (increased heart rate, butterflies in the stomach), your Insular Cortex notices these physical changes. This is where an emotion (biological) becomes a feeling (mental). You label the sensation as “excitement,” “anxiety,” or “longing.” 

Phase 3: The Narrative (Thoughts)

Your Prefrontal Cortex then tries to make sense of the feeling. It generates Thoughts to justify the desire: “I really need that coffee because I didn’t sleep well.” These thoughts can then loop back and amplify the original emotion, making the desire even stronger. 

I can almost hear you say I appreciate all of this research but how do I manage my desires? – now that  I know that my feelings and desire is not demonic, it is what I do with it that makes it a sin. Below I will share a few techniques coupled with scripture in how to regulate your desires with the help of the Holy Spirit.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) teaches us that by changing the thought, you can actually dampen the emotion and eventually reduce the desire. This is known as top-down thinking or cognitive regulation. This is the process where the pre-frontal cortex exerts control over lower level, impulsive emotional centres like the amygdala. Top-down strategies allow you to consciously reshape your internal experience.

I focused on one out of the four strategies- cognitive reappraisal. This is the most well studied and used top-down strategy. It involves deliberately changing the interpretation of a situation to alter its emotional impact. With this strategy, you identify the automatic thought that is fuelling your emotions and replace it with a more positive one. The impact on the brain is that this activates the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex which sends inhibitory signals to the amygdala  which physically dampening the alarm.

 In scripture, Philippians 4v8 (KJV) instructs us to think on “whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest. Whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things”. Romans 12:2 (KJV) says  “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable , and perfect, will of God”.

So I challenge you, it is time to reconstruct some of those thoughts that has been impacting desires, especially the desires that have become unbridled and idolatrous leading to behaviours that don’t please God.

The second strategy I delved into was cognitive distancing- this technique is where in order to regulate a strong desire, one is encouraged to use distancing to view the situation from a detached perspective. Instead of saying “I want this” you say I am noticing the sensation of wanting”. You also start to imagine the long-term costs of giving rather than the short-term reward. James 1:14-15 outlines the consequence of sin after desire is conceived.

Prayer: Father in the name of Jesus Christ, Lord I thank You for this word and breakdown of how desire is formed in me. Father I commit my desires and my heart in your hand. Father God, regulate my heart to desire only what You have in store for me. Lord bridle my desires in You in the name of Jesus Christ.  Father I pray help me to surrender my will, desires and emotions to you. As it is my thoughts that fuel my feelings, Lord I submit my thoughts to you and any thought or imaginations that is exalting itself against You oh Lord I cast it down in the name of Jesus Christ according to 2 Corinthians 10:5. Father, align my thoughts, feelings and desires with your word and I submit my flesh to You in the name of Jesus. Father I thank You that You have heard me in Jesus Christ Name I pray amen.

To watch the full teaching on Desire- Part 2 , click here https://bit.ly/4aOnUck

Distraction: Your Greatest Enemy In This Season

In this season, your discernment needs to be amplified.

For many of you, good things are being presented to you as the God thing and in this season, it is important not to fall for the good thing. In this hour, it is important to be mindful of the enemy using your desire as a distraction against you.

Distraction is defined as any internal or external force—such as worry, materialism, or busyness—that divides the mind and diverts focus, affection, and devotion away from God. It is characterised as a “pulling away” from spiritual priorities, often leading to a state of being unsettled, anxious, or spiritually unproductive. 

In the bible, distraction is linked to anxiety ‘merimnao’ which implies a mind pulled in different directions, hindering undivided devotion to God. During the broadcast, I received a divine download of a shattered glass. When a glass is shattered, it no longer has the capacity to hold what is being poured into it. A distracted mind cannot carry and hold God-ordained visions.

In Luke 10:38-42- Martha is distracted by her preparations. The Greek word for this verse is periespato, which means necessary tasks can become distractions when they pull attention away from sitting at Jesus’ feet. The enemy uses distraction as a tactic to neutralise your effectiveness, pulling you away from God-given purpose.

Throughout the broadcast, I taught that one’s idols are a distraction.

Key Psychological Aspects of Distraction:

  • Coping Mechanism: Distraction helps one manage discomfort, such as pain or emotional distress, by temporarily ignoring a stressor. While useful in the short term, it can sometimes be a passive, avoidant strategy linked to reduced proactive problem-solving.
  • Attentional Shift: It involves the involuntary or voluntary movement of attention from a focal task to an irrelevant stimulus. It is often triggered by external notifications or internal anxiety.
  • Procrastination and Avoidance: When used to avoid unpleasant tasks, distraction becomes procrastination. It is often driven by an underlying desire to escape discomfort.
  • Dual Nature:
    • Negative: Frequent distractions, particularly from technology, can erode cognitive resources, reduce focus, and harm productivity and relationships.
    • Positive: Controlled, deliberate distraction can provide a necessary mental break (a “time-out”) that reduces the intensity of negative emotions, allowing for a return to a problem later with a calmer, more productive mindset.

In essence, distraction is a mechanism designed to manage cognitive load and emotional energy, often acting as a “drag” away from intended focus, which can be harmful if habitual but beneficial if used purposefully. 

How to overcome distraction.

  • Prioritise God -Put God first. Prioritise the Lord first thing in the morning and last thing at night. Prioritise what God has given you.  Matthew 6:33
  • Set boundaries- Let your no be no and your yes be yes- Matthew 5:37
  • Maintain a single eye focused on God -like the dove in Song of Songs 1:15; doves have limited binocular vision; they focus on one object at a time. This represents a heart not divided, focusing entirely on God. Doves can see in the dark and detect UV light. That is how focused we are to be as believers, even during dark times, our eyes and focus must be fixed on the Lord.  

Prayer: Father in the name of Jesus, I pray Lord according to Philippians 2v5, let this mind be in me which was also in Christ Jesus. Father, keep me in perfect peace as my mind is stayed on You, according to Isaiah 26:3. Lord, show me the areas of my life where I am distracted. Father, help me to put my trust in You alone and help me not to worry about anything. I put my trust in your word in Matthew 6:33. Lord, help me to seek Your Kingdom first. Lord help me to have the eyes of a dove according to Song of Songs 1:15, where I only have eyes for you and for what you are leading me to do and become in Jesus Name I pray Amen!!!

Watch the replay to Distraction: Your Greatest Enemy In This Season- https://bit.ly/4t6JPCM

Fruit and Root Relationships

There is a divine shift in relationships in this season. Embrace the process and remain humble. I’ve learnt over the years some are called to your root season whereas others are called to your fruit season.

It’s important to undertsand that both are necessary in your lives and their sudden departure from your life does not mean that they are evil.


Some are called to you when you are in pain and when you are better and can stand on your own two feet God will remove them from your life. There are others who God will keep from you in your season of pain because they don’t have the capacity to handle your vulnerability.
They only have the capacity to walk with you in your season of fruitfulness.

You need people in your life in seasons of fruitfulness to pick and gather the fruits that you will produce. Maturity and discernment will help you to discern these types of people in this season.

Pick It Up Again

As we face this global pandemic that has caused many to be in lockdown, I have seen creativity come alive agin. Crisis in the Japanese language means opportunity. What opportunity has this pandemic presented to you?

Gratitude opens the door for God to release you to your next level of creativity. This season of stillness is so that God can reset, restore and revive you. For many of you, this lockdown has saved you from you. In my personal prayer time, I started thanking God for saving me from myself because I realised the path I was on, even though I believed I was moving in obedience, I was moving way too fast.I have learnt that  sometimes  God will wreck your plans before your own plans wreck you.

For some of you the purpose of this lockdown, is to open up your eyes to the dreams that God wants to release in you and for some of you, this season is designed for you to be able to pick up what you have  dropped.  A new level of grace is being released to you to fulfil your purpose. There are many dreams being resurrected in this season. Momentum is here to propel you into the completion stage of your unfinished assignments. For some of you, this season of lockdown will introduce to a new version of you. God wants to remake you. God is a doing a new thing in you. Isaiah 43:18-19- New fire, new strength, new courage. God is giving you strength to mount up like the Eagle in Isaiah 40:31. God is renewing your strength and releasing His power upon you to run in this next season. There is a new grace for you to pick it up again.

Thanks for reading.