When we desire to walk with God, we will inevitably face many seasons and times when the seas look troubling and we search for solid ground to stand upon. Insecurities cause us to doubt the Word of God and hurl us into the stormy waters and the roaring waves. We get flung to and fro, uncertain about what the truth is - but no more.
We all know what it feels like to go through trying times when the waves come crashing down and we find ourselves feeling uncertain about what we should believe about a certain situation, and what we should hold onto. That discouraging feeling of uncertainty about yourself, about who you are & where you fit, about what you should believe that likes to call its miserable friends 'anxiety' & 'fear' to cause chaos in your heart.
Defining insecurity
Have you ever wondered what insecurities truly are and where they come from?
The dictionary defines 'insecurity' like this ~
Uncertainty or anxiety about oneself; lack of confidence.
The state of being open to danger or threat; lack of protection.
Here are a few facts about insecurities that should be noted ~
+ Insecurities are lies.
+ They oppose the truth that God teaches us.
+ They are rooted in fear - fear is the opposite of faith in the Word of God.
+ When we are insecure, we are open to attack.
Insecurities are rooted in fear
Fear is the direct opposite of faith. Another word for faith is TRUST. When we are anxious or we submit to fear, we have somehow somewhere let the truth of God's word slip from our grip. The Word describes it as; disobedience to the faith - which means that we are in a state of not believing & clinging to the Word of God.
God desires us to have faith in Him, He teaches us not to worry or to fear but to trust in His Word. It is also the only way we can truly please Him and find favour (approval, acceptance) in His sight.
Hebrews 11 : 6 , TLV
Now without faith it is impossible to please God. For the one who comes to God must believe
that He exists and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.
When we are insecure, we are open to attack.
God surrounds those who love Him as a shield. He teaches us to take up the shield of faith that keeps us safe from every fiery dart that the enemy would try to aim at our hearts and minds. When these fiery darts; thoughts, ideas or words that contradict the truth arise, we should swiftly act to capture them & bring them into submission to the obedience of God's Word. That shield of faith stays put when we keep our minds focused on & our hearts trusting in the truth of His Word.
Psalm 5 : 13 , TLV
For You bless the righteous, Adonai. You surround him with favour as a shield.
Isaiah 26 : 3 , TLV
You keep in perfect peace one whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.
Ephesians 6 :16 , TLV
Above all, take up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
2 Corinthians 10 : 4 , 5
For the weapons of our warfare are not fleshly but powerful through God for the tearing down of strongholds. We are tearing down false arguments and every high-minded thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God. We are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Messiah.
But when we let that shield down by falling into the trap of sin; by giving ear to doubt, insecurity & fear, we open ourselves up to a flood of negative thoughts that deceive, lie and steal from us, poison our thoughts and adversely affect the way we see or perceive life, God, ourselves and others. It ultimately influences the way we make our decisions and how we choose to live.
When we desire to walk with God, we need to identify our insecurities & stand against them with the Word of truth.
God's Word is the only divider of the waters that sometimes rise against us. It is the only measure and standard we can use to know with certainty whether we are dealing with the truth or yet another destructive lie. His Word is the only solid foundation we can stand upon and the only dry land where we will find the rest that we so deeply desire when the waves keep rolling in.
5 Insecurities
I want to share 5 insecurities that the Lord showed me in my own life and the truth in His word that exposes these insecurities as lies, which we can use as a weapon to stand against them.
1 . I N A D E Q U A C Y
Inadequacy would like us to believe that we are never able, never ready, always lacking. It stops us from moving and sometimes withstands the thought of us even trying. When God sends us or wants to use us, this lie would have us believe that we are not equipped to go, to live, to love, to forgive, to change, to do whatever we are called to do. It originates from a place where we struggle to believe that God is with us, that He walks with us, that He is intimately invested in our well-being and that He will help and carry us through any and every circumstance in life that we may face.
What does it look like?
You're not able.
You can't.
You are not clever, beautiful, feminine, strong, wifely (the list goes on) enough…
What does God say?
God reassures us time and again that He is our Helper, with Him nothing is impossible.
Philippians 4 :13 , TLV
I can do all things through Messiah who strengthens me.
Isaiah 41:10 , TLV
Fear not, for I am with you, be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. Surely I will help you. I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.
2 Corinthians 12 : 9 ,10
9 But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.” 10 Therefore I will boast all the more gladly in my weaknesses, so that the power of Messiah may dwell in me. For Messiah’s sake, then, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in distresses, in persecutions, in calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
Psalm 28 : 7 , TLV
Adonai is my strength and my shield. My heart trusts in Him, and I was helped.
Psalm 18 : 29 - 31
For You light up my lamp. Adonai my God shines in my darkness. 30 For with You I rush on a troop, with my God I scale a wall. 31 As for God, His way is perfect. The word of Adonai is pure. He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him.
2 . R E J E C T I O N
Rejection can be so tricky. We all experience times when we are not accepted or loved by others. We can stare rejection in the face when our relationships fail, whether it be with family, friends or even the heartache of a break-up. These wounds can sometimes make us believe that we have no value, that we are not loved. It alienates us, drives us toward loneliness, solitude and binds our hands and feet so that we are not able to give or to receive love.
I remember really well, when rejection still formed a governing part in my thought-life, that I sometimes did not even attempt to meet or to speak to new people as I believed that they had already rejected me before I had even opened my mouth. I would in turn reject people first to spare myself the misery of being rejected by them. I also did not attempt to apply for new job opportunities, feeling rejected or disqualified from the start.
What does it look like?
No-one cares, no-one listens, no-one loves me…
How do we overcome rejection?
First and foremost by knowing that you are NOT rejected. God loves you with an everlasting love. The kind of love that love-songs cannot even pin down. The kind of love that would bear all your sorrow and disappointments, that would cry with you, that knows your pain. The kind of love that would take all of that in your place. The kind of love that DID. On the cross.
When you get to know His love for you, everything changes. You then realise that you have been accepted where it matters the most and from that place of God's undescribable never-ending love, you become able to love others with the love that they may not be able to reciprocate.
John 3 : 16 , TLV
“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.
Jeremiah 31 : 2 , TLV
“From afar Adonai appeared to me.” “Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love. Therefore I have drawn you with lovingkindness.
Ephesians 1 : 5 - 7 , New King James Version (NKJV)
5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, 6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.
7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.
3 . C O N D E M N A T I O N
Being children of God, we are right in the middle of a metamorphosis. Yes, we are saved, but we need to be changed. In the process of becoming a butterfly, bearing the splendor and the likeness of our Father (Christ-likeness), the enemy will surely try his best to derail us from becoming, to stop our progress and to break down God's temple, which is you and me.
How does he do it? He tries to disqualify every single stone the Lord has already laid in our lives, trying to break down what God has already built. He will try to tell us that we are filthy, that we are not washed, that we will never be clean. That this process of sanctification is useless and that we will never be accepted children of God. If we believe these accusations, we can easily start harbouring feelings of resentment toward ourselves.
What does it look like?
Oh, you are so - selfish, worldly, unsensitive, spoilt, wasteful, unloving, harsh...
Reminders of past sins followed by guilt and shame.
How do we overcome condemnation?
We have to remember that we have been washed. The 'old me' has been buried together with the 'old ways'. We are now God's children in Christ. How? Because we believe that Jesus took all the wrath for our sins so that we may have a relationship with our Father. How do we have a relationship with Him? By following His Word, living like our example; which is Christ and honouring Him by living a life in which we love Him and those around us. Every day we choose to lay our old ways down. The perfect offering, spotless, beautiful and white, that took all the judgement on our behalf, stands in our place before God and we are in Him.
Romans 8 : 1, TLV
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Messiah Yeshua.
2 Corinthians 5 : 21, TLV
21 He made the One who knew no sin to become a sin offering on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.
1 Corinthians 6 : 9 -11
9 Or don’t you know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Don’t be deceived! The sexually immoral, idolaters, adulterers, those who practice homosexuality,10 thieves, the greedy, drunkards, slanderers, swindlers—none of these will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 That is what some of you were—but you were washed, you were made holy, you were set right in the name of the Lord Yeshua the Messiah and by the Ruach of our God.
4 . H O L D I N G B A C K
Holding back is a 'potential' inhibitor. Like the reins that are used to firmly keep a horse from running freely, holding back, stifles the pure joy and excitement of trusting and truly moving with God. It stops us from giving ourselves unreservedly to God and His purposes in our lives. We hold back in giving, in loving and living because we do not trust that God truly is in control, that He will provide everything that we may need. It can sometimes be accompanied with the worrying idea that we will somehow mess things up instead of trusting that He works ALL things together for our good. (Rom 8:28)
What does it look like?
It is based on past disappointments & failure
Fear of the outcome (being out of our control), being uncertain of what to expect
Being unsure about the future…
Fearing not having enough, a mindset of lack. (Therefore, we do not give of our time, love, resources, care etc.)
How do we overcome 'holding back'?
As believers, God leads and directs our paths, we can trust that He will steer our hearts toward His will.
God teaches us to not worry about our lives, for He will provide. (Luke 12:22-34) His plans are to prosper us, to give us hope and a future! (Jeremiah 29:11) We should never look back to the places where we failed, stumbled and fell, and use them as our framework for decision making, but rather stretch ourselves forward to that which lies ahead. What we sow we will reap, let us then not hold back in doing good.
Proverbs 3 : 5, 6 , TLV 5 Trust in Adonai with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.
Proverbs 21:1, TLV
A king’s heart is like a stream of water in the hand of Adonai; he directs it wherever He wants.
Philippians 2 :13 , TLV
For the One working in you is God—both to will and to work for His good pleasure.
5 . F E A R I N G P E O P L E
All of us have felt the pressure, anxiety and exhaustion that accompanies the tiring endeavours to please people. It is like taking up a heavy bag of rocks and carrying it everywhere. It is a never-ending and impossible task. While we are so anxiously wound up to please people, we will not be able to please God. We place people's expectations above following God and it costs us our peace with Him. It becomes a compelling impulse that really tugs on our hearts to act against our will and ensnares us to become its slaves. It steals our freedom to follow Christ and binds us in fear of disappointing those we would aim to please. It also keeps us quiet when the world desperately needs to hear the voice of God and to know the depths of His love for them.
What does it look like?
Worrying about what others will think of us.
Going out of our way to have others like us.
Compromising on our beliefs in order to please others.
How do we overcome fearing people?
You are loved . Case . and . point . The way others see you is not important. The way God sees you far outweighs the shallow judgement of the world. When we truly follow God, the world will not accept us, because it didn't accept Christ and we are like Him. (John 15:18) We have the acceptance and love of the God of the heavens and the earth, He favours us, cares for us, and we will spend an eternity with Him. Even in the face of persecution the Lord teaches us to not fear those who kill the body.
Philippians 4 : 6 , 7, TLV
6 Do not be anxious about anything—but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the shalom of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Messiah Yeshua.
Isaiah 51 : 7 , TLV
Listen to Me, you who know justice, a people with My Torah in their heart: Do not fear the taunt of men, nor be dismayed at their insults.
Matthew 10 : 28 , TLV
And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Instead, fear the One who is able to destroy both soul and body in Gehenna.
Feelings vs. Faith
Our feelings can sometimes be overwhelming and if we allow what we feel to steer our boat we will soon be lost at sea. God's word should be our compass whenever we choose a direction in our lives. When we feel overwhelmed with fears and insecurities we need to stop for a moment and be reminded of His Words.
We need God's help.
When the Lord shows us the places in our lives where we fall short, it does not come with a scolding voice or banishment from His presence but rather as the voice of a loving Father who has done everything in His power that we may be victorious in overcoming these roadblocks that would have their way to destroy us. He already knows our hearts, but by His love He reveals our own hearts to us so that we may know the enemies we face that try to keep us from knowing our Father deeply. He makes us aware of the enemy's devices & gives us the weapons and strategy we need to stand against our insecurities.
How should we then go about them? How can we practically face them?
It starts with the simple but unbelievably powerful admittance of our shortcomings. We acknowledge our failures to God, we tell Him that we are sorry for not trusting Him and we ask His help in being changed.
Renewal of the mind
The Holy Spirit will remind us of the truth every time we face our insecurities. Our job is to kick out the destructive thoughts we get faced with and take up our shield of faith by again reaffirming and trusting what God says about us. Change is a process, it doesn't happen overnight but rather 'through the night' as we sometimes go through difficult times to replace the old with the new. When we practice our faith daily, by replacing those lies with truth, light will be woven into the depths of our beings and we will bear the fruit that God desires us to bear, the fruit of trusting in Him, the fruit of His Spirit living in us.
Romans 12:2 , TLV
2 Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.
John 14 : 26 , TLV
26 But the Helper, the Ruach ha-Kodesh whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you everything and remind you of everything that I said to you.
Galations 5 : 22 - 25, TLV
22 But the fruit of the Ruach is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control—against such things there is no law. 24 Now those who belong to Messiah have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Ruach, let us also walk by the Ruach.
John 14 : 27 (TLV)
27 “Shalom I leave you, My shalom I give to you; but not as the world gives! Do not let your heart be troubled or afraid.
God is gracious
God has this beautiful way of taking our hand and leading us through the rough and tricky parts of life, He is there through every season and every trial to spur us on, to remind us to never give up, to be our strength, our deliverer, our helper. He will never leave nor forsake us. We just need to continue to take His hand as he offers us His loving and comforting words that heal, that deliver, that set free.
You will be free
So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed! (John 8:36) Knowledge of the Word of God and the active application thereof will make you free; free from bondage, free from sin, free from fear of judgement, free from insecurities and free to live a beautiful and abundant life with God.
Photo Credits : magdeleine.co
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