Set Free: A 7-Day Bible Study for Christian Women Battling Sexual Shame from the Past

📖 Introduction

If you're reading this, chances are you’ve carried a heavy weight—one that lingers long after the moment has passed. Maybe it’s a choice you made in a moment of weakness. Maybe it was something done to you, not by you. Either way, the shame still creeps in. It whispers that you're dirty, disqualified, or damaged. But beloved, those are lies—not from your Savior, but from your enemy.

Sexual sin and trauma often leave wounds that go deeper than the surface. The enemy knows this, and he uses it to try to keep you stuck—afraid to draw near to God, uncertain of your worth, and silenced by shame.

But Jesus didn’t die so you could stay stuck.

He came to set you free. To wash you clean. To restore what was lost. To redeem even the most broken pieces of your past and turn them into something beautiful.

Over the next 7 days, we’ll walk through powerful scriptures and real, raw encouragement that will help you release shame, embrace forgiveness, and rediscover the joy of walking in God’s freedom. You don’t have to live in the shadows anymore.

You are not too far gone.
You are not too broken.
You are not what you did—or what was done to you.
You are redeemed.
Let’s begin.

💧 Day 1: Shame Is Not From God

📖 Scripture of the Day

Romans 8:1 (NIV):
“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

📚 Supporting Scriptures

Isaiah 61:7 (NIV):
“Instead of your shame you will receive a double portion, and instead of disgrace you will rejoice in your inheritance…”

Psalm 34:5 (NIV):
“Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame.”

John 8:11 (NIV):
“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”

💡 Devotional Thought

Shame can be paralyzing. It wraps itself around your heart like chains, whispering, “You’ll never be pure again,” or “You’ve ruined your worth.” But those whispers are not the voice of your Father—they are the hiss of the enemy.

There’s a difference between conviction and shame.
Conviction draws you to repentance and freedom.
Shame drives you to hide and feel disqualified.

When the woman caught in adultery was thrown at Jesus’ feet in John 8, He didn’t condemn her. He didn’t lecture her. He didn’t humiliate her. He silenced her accusers and told her gently, “Then neither do I condemn you. Go now and leave your life of sin.”

Notice that order: He offered grace before He gave direction.
That’s what Jesus does.

If you are in Christ, Romans 8:1 says there is no condemnation for you. Not a trace. Not a shred. You’ve been washed by the blood of Jesus and made new. God doesn’t look at you and see failure—He sees His daughter.

So today, stop partnering with shame. Stop replaying the past like a highlight reel of regret. Instead, lift your face to the One who makes you radiant. There’s no shame in His presence—only healing, mercy, and love.

🔎 Reflection

Think about a moment where shame has robbed you of peace—maybe in a worship service, a relationship, or even in your private thoughts. What would that moment look like if God’s mercy filled the space instead?

Imagine Jesus kneeling beside you—not pointing a finger, but lifting your chin. What do you think He would say to you? Write it down. Speak it over yourself. Let that moment become a turning point.

You were never meant to carry shame. You were meant to carry His grace.

✍️ Journaling Prompts

1. In what ways has shame from your past shaped your identity or relationship with God?
2. What lies have you believed about your worth, purity, or forgiveness?
3. Rewrite Romans 8:1 in your own words and personalize it. Speak it aloud.

🙏 Prayer for the Day

Jesus,
I’ve allowed shame to tell me who I am for far too long. I’ve believed the lie that I’m dirty, unworthy, and beyond repair. But You say I’m forgiven. You say I’m clean. You say there is no condemnation for me in You.

So today, I lay my shame at Your feet. I choose to believe what You say, not what my past says. Help me feel the truth of Your grace—not just know it, but feel it deep in my spirit. Restore my joy. Remind me of who I am in You.

Thank You for seeing me, loving me, and calling me radiant.
I receive Your freedom today.

In Your holy name,
Amen.

💧 Day 2: You Are Not What You Did

📖 Scripture of the Day

2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV):
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”

📚 Supporting Scriptures

Isaiah 43:18–19 (NIV):
“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?”

Micah 7:19 (NIV):
“You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.”

Psalm 103:12 (NIV):
“As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.”

💡 Devotional Thought

One of the enemy’s favorite lies is to convince you that you are what you did. That your past defines you. That your sin is your identity.

But God says something radically different.

The moment you gave your heart to Christ, something eternal happened: the old you died, and a new creation was born. Your past, no matter how dark or painful, is no longer who you are—it’s who you were.

That’s not to say the memory of your past disappears overnight. But what changes is your position in Christ. You are no longer seen by your sin. You are seen through the lens of His righteousness.

God isn’t keeping a tally of your wrongs. He’s not waiting to bring them up later. The blood of Jesus has completely erased them.

So why do we keep digging them back up?

Shame thrives when we keep our focus on our failures. Freedom thrives when we keep our focus on our Father. You are not what you did. You are what He did for you.

Today is about embracing that truth in your heart—not just your head. You’re not a “former mistake.” You’re a new creation.

🔎 Reflection

Take a moment to think about how you describe yourself—out loud and in your thoughts. Do words like “impure,” “dirty,” or “too far gone” still linger?

What would happen if you replaced those labels with God’s truth: “forgiven,” “redeemed,” “loved,” “chosen,” “new”?

Visualize yourself walking out of a courtroom where your record has just been wiped clean. No probation. No guilt trip. Just grace. Can you feel that freedom?

Now receive it.

✍️ Journaling Prompts

1. What names or labels have you allowed shame to attach to your identity?
2. How does 2 Corinthians 5:17 change the way you see yourself today?
3. Write a “before and after” list: who you were without Christ, and who you are now in Him.

🙏 Prayer for the Day

Lord Jesus,
It’s so easy to identify myself by my past mistakes. I confess that I’ve carried names You never gave me—names rooted in shame and regret. But Your Word says I am a new creation. Help me not just to know that, but to believe it in my bones.

Wash away the lies that cling to me. Silence the voice of the accuser. Replace every label of guilt with the truth of grace. You have erased my past—I don’t need to keep reliving it.

I am Yours. I am new. I am not what I did.
I am who You say I am.

In Jesus’ name,
Amen.

💧 Day 3: God Can Use Your Story

📖 Scripture of the Day

Genesis 50:20 (NIV):
“You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.”

📚 Supporting Scriptures

Romans 8:28 (NIV):
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

2 Corinthians 1:3–4 (NIV):
“Praise be to the God...who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.”

Joel 2:25 (NIV):
“I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten...”

💡 Devotional Thought

There’s a lie that often follows shame: “This will disqualify you.”
The enemy wants you to believe that your sexual sin or trauma makes you less usable to God. That because of your past, you’ll always be sitting on the sidelines of your calling.

But here’s the truth: God doesn’t waste pain.

In fact, He often uses our most broken places to bring healing to others. That’s what He did for Joseph, whose betrayal and suffering were turned into a nation-saving testimony. That’s what He did for the woman at the well, who ran back to her town shouting, “Come see a man who told me everything I ever did!” Her history didn’t stop her—it gave her message power.

What if your story isn’t your disqualifier—it’s your platform?

You don’t need to share every detail with the world, but don’t let fear or shame keep you silent. Someone else might need to hear that they’re not alone. That healing is possible. That God can redeem any story.

When you surrender your pain to Him, He will use it to comfort others.
And in that surrender, you are set free too.

🔎 Reflection

Do you believe your story can help someone else—or have you kept it locked away? What parts of your past still feel too raw or “off-limits”?

Imagine meeting a younger version of yourself—wounded, scared, and ashamed. What would you say to her today? That message might be the very encouragement another woman is waiting to hear.

God doesn’t need perfect messengers. He needs willing ones.

✍️ Journaling Prompts

1. Has shame made you feel disqualified from sharing your story or stepping into purpose?
2. What part of your testimony could offer hope to someone else?
3. Write a prayer for someone currently walking through the same pain you’ve been through.

🙏 Prayer for the Day

God,
It’s hard to believe that You can use my story—especially the parts I’ve worked so hard to hide. But I know You are a God who redeems. You take what the enemy meant for evil and turn it into good.

So I give You my story. I give You my broken chapters. Use them however You want—to bring comfort, to bring healing, to bring hope. Help me not to stay silent when someone else might need to hear how You’ve brought me through.

I trust that You waste nothing—not even this.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.

💧 Day 4: Forgiveness Includes You

📖 Scripture of the Day

1 John 1:9 (NIV):
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

📚 Supporting Scriptures

Psalm 103:3–4 (NIV):
“Who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion.”

Isaiah 1:18 (NIV):
“Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.”

Luke 7:47–48 (NIV):
“Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.” Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”

💡 Devotional Thought

It’s easy to talk about God’s forgiveness in general terms—until we try to apply it to ourselves. For many women struggling with sexual shame, the hardest person to forgive is themselves.

You might believe that God forgives other people. You might even teach grace to others. But when it comes to your own past, you hesitate. You hold on to the guilt. You replay your mistakes like a song stuck on repeat. Deep down, you think: “Maybe God forgives me, but I can’t forgive myself.”

Here’s the truth: Self-forgiveness is not about minimizing your sin—it’s about maximizing the work of the Cross.

Jesus didn’t halfway pay for your sin. He didn’t say, “I forgive you... except that one thing.” His blood is enough to cover every act, every regret, every night you wish you could forget. The forgiveness you offer others? It’s for you, too.

Today, let grace wash over you like a cleansing rain. You don’t have to keep punishing yourself for what Jesus already paid for.

You are forgiven. Period.
Now walk in the freedom of that truth.

🔎 Reflection

Pause and ask yourself: have I truly received God’s forgiveness for my past, or have I just intellectually agreed with it while continuing to carry the guilt?

Write a letter to yourself—from the perspective of Jesus. What would He say to you about your sin, your repentance, and your redemption?

There’s no prize for self-punishment. There’s only peace in surrender.

✍️ Journaling Prompts

1. Are there sins or regrets you still feel unworthy to be forgiven for?
2. What’s keeping you from fully receiving God’s grace?
3. What would it look like to finally forgive yourself as Christ has forgiven you?

🙏 Prayer for the Day

Lord,
I’ve said I believe You forgive, but I’ve struggled to believe it for myself. I’ve let guilt stay longer than it should. I’ve rehearsed my failures and clung to my shame. But Your Word says You forgive me, all the way.

So today, I receive that truth. I lay down the guilt. I stop punishing myself. I choose to believe that Your blood is enough—that grace covers even this.

Help me walk forward with peace in my heart and purity in my spirit. I am forgiven. I am free.

In the name of the One who bore it all,
Amen.

💧 Day 5: Purity Is Still Possible

📖 Scripture of the Day

Psalm 51:10 (NIV):
“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.”

📚 Supporting Scriptures

1 Thessalonians 4:3–4 (NIV):
“It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable.”

Isaiah 1:18 (NIV):
“Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow…”

Titus 2:11–12 (NIV):
“For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions...”

💡 Devotional Thought

The world says that once your sexual purity is gone, it’s gone for good.
That it’s a one-time status, like breaking a seal or tearing a label off a product. That lie leads many women to believe they are forever "used," "damaged," or "disqualified."

But Scripture tells a much different story.

God is in the business of renewal. King David cried out in Psalm 51, not just for forgiveness, but for a pure heart. And God answered. If He could restore purity to a man who committed both adultery and murder, He can restore it to you.

Purity isn’t about your history—it’s about your heart.
It’s not about whether you’ve been perfect—it’s about whether you’re surrendered.

Through Christ, you are washed clean, made new, and empowered to walk in holiness—not because you’re flawless, but because His Spirit lives in you. You can say no to sin. You can walk in victory. You can have a fresh start.

Purity is not a thing of the past. It is still possible—right now.

🔎 Reflection

Ask yourself: Have I believed purity was something I could never reclaim? What emotions come up when you hear the word pure? Guilt? Sadness? Hope?

Now picture Jesus placing a clean white robe over your shoulders. You didn’t earn it—but He bought it for you. He calls you righteous, beloved, and pure.

Will you believe Him?

✍️ Journaling Prompts

1. How have you defined purity, and how has that definition affected how you see yourself?
2. What would it mean to accept God’s purity and walk in it from this day forward?
3. What practical steps can you take to honor your body and spirit in light of God’s grace?

🙏 Prayer for the Day

Father,
I’ve believed that my purity was lost forever, and I’ve let shame define me. But Your Word says You can create a new heart in me. Not just patched up—but pure.

Thank You for washing me clean. Thank You for not seeing me through the lens of my past, but through the blood of Jesus. Help me walk in purity—not as a performance, but as a response to Your grace.

Renew my mind. Strengthen my resolve. Let my life reflect Your holiness.

In Jesus’ powerful name,
Amen.

💧 Day 6: You Are Not Alone

📖 Scripture of the Day

Hebrews 4:15–16 (NIV):
“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God's throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”

📚 Supporting Scriptures

Psalm 34:18 (NIV):
“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”

1 Corinthians 10:13 (NIV):
“No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear...”

Matthew 28:20b (NIV):
“And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

💡 Devotional Thought

Shame isolates.

It whispers, “You’re the only one.”
The only one who made that mistake. The only one still struggling. The only one who feels far from God even when you’re trying to come close.

But Scripture pulls back the curtain and shows us the truth:
You are not alone.

Jesus Himself was tempted in every way. He understands your inner battles—not from a distance, but from personal experience. He knows the weight of shame, the sting of rejection, and the ache of regret. And yet, He overcame it all. Not to stand above you, but to walk beside you.

And it doesn’t stop there. God has also surrounded you with His Body—the Church. There are women walking around right now with stories just like yours. They may be sitting next to you at church, reading the same verse, or silently fighting the same shame.

You don’t have to suffer in secret.
You were made for connection, healing, and safe community.

The enemy wants you isolated.
But God wants you known—and loved anyway.

🔎 Reflection

When have you felt most alone in your battle with sexual shame?
Were those feelings true—or simply loud?

Reflect on how Jesus might walk with you in that lonely space. What would He say? What comfort would He bring?

Also consider: is it time to open up to someone safe about your past? That act of vulnerability might be the very key to unlocking your healing.

✍️ Journaling Prompts

1. Have you believed you were alone in your struggle? Where did that belief come from?
2. How does knowing Jesus was tempted and understands you change your view of Him?
3. Who in your life might be a safe person to talk to about your story? Write a prayer for that conversation.

🙏 Prayer for the Day

Jesus,
Sometimes I feel like no one understands me. I’ve felt so alone in my pain, my mistakes, and the heaviness of my past. But Your Word says You understand. You were tempted. You were human. And You stayed close.

Thank You for being a High Priest who empathizes with me. Thank You for walking beside me and never leaving me to figure this out alone.

Help me to find safe people, rooted in grace, who can walk this healing path with me. And when I feel isolated again, remind me of Your promise: I am never alone.

In Your loving name,
Amen.

💧 Day 7: Walking in Freedom

📖 Scripture of the Day

Galatians 5:1 (NIV):
“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.”

📚 Supporting Scriptures

John 8:36 (NIV):
“So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”

Romans 6:6 (NIV):
“For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin.”

Isaiah 61:1 (NIV):
“He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners.”

💡 Devotional Thought

You’ve walked through the shadows of shame, but today, we stand in the light of freedom.

Freedom doesn’t mean your memories vanish. It doesn’t mean your past never happened. But it does mean that your past no longer owns you. Shame no longer holds the keys. Condemnation no longer gets the final word.

Jesus already wrote the final word: Forgiven.

Freedom means waking up and knowing you're clean—without striving, without pretending, without hiding. It means living as if what Jesus did on the cross really worked. Because it did.

You’re not fighting for victory anymore. You’re living from it.

Freedom isn’t a feeling. It’s a fact. And you get to walk in it, one choice at a time. Some days, you might still feel the sting of regret or hear the old voices of shame. That’s when you remind yourself—you’re not that girl anymore.

You're a daughter. You’re redeemed. You’re free.

So walk out of that prison. The door's been open this whole time.

🔎 Reflection

What does freedom in Christ look like for you, practically? Is it no longer rehearsing your shame? Is it saying yes to relationships again? Is it stepping into your calling with boldness?

You’ve been through seven days of truth, healing, and surrender.
What truth will you carry with you?

Take time to thank God for how far He’s brought you—and ask Him to help you walk in this freedom every day moving forward.

✍️ Journaling Prompts

1. In what ways do you now feel freer than you did at the beginning of this study?
2. What specific lie has God replaced with truth over the past 7 days?
3. How will you continue walking in freedom moving forward—spiritually, emotionally, and relationally?

🙏 Prayer for the Day

Jesus,
You didn’t just forgive me—You freed me. You pulled me out of the pit, broke every chain, and gave me a new name. Thank You for calling me Daughter instead of Disgrace. Thank You for walking with me through every painful memory and every dark lie.

Today I choose to live like I’m free. I will not return to shame. I will not let my past define my future. I walk in Your truth. I walk in Your light. I walk in freedom.

Seal this healing work in my heart, Holy Spirit. And may my life now reflect the joy of redemption.

In the powerful name of Jesus,
Amen.