This last week God has given me so much to digest I feel like I've already had seconds at the Thanksgiving table of his blessings...I'm so full of the richness of his WORD it's hard to actually pen it to paper, but I am going to try because this is a message to be shared. I am currently reading the newest release by Beth Moore, "So Long Insecurity" in preparation for her simulcast in April. I am participating in the book club on her blog which both gives us our reading assignment and challenges us to answer questions about the material. This book already in just the first few chapters has been a real eye opener! When I read Beth's definition of insecurity, I was sure my name was at the top of the paragraph! What seemed to resonate most clearly were these few sentences..."Insecurity is associated with chronic self-consciousness, along with chronic lack of confidence in ourselves and anxiety about our relationships. The insecure man or woman lives in constant fear of rejection and a deep uncertainty about whether his or her own feelings and desires are legitimate." Later she writes.."Insecurity's best cover is perfectionism. That's where it becomes an art form. Keep an open mind to what an insecure woman looks like, and don't be too hasty to let yourself off the hook....the fact that she can be a complicated mix of confidence and self-conciousness is the very reason it took me so long to identify it in myself and admit it." Ouch Beth! Why did you have to call me out like that? We were later discussing the book at work and one of my staff said, "That's funny, I would never have pictured you as an insecure person." Exactly! That's because I work pretty hard to keep the outside the way I want it to be, but the truth is insecurity is a battle of the heart and mind. Any disparity between the two is what walking with God is all about.
Funny thing is the same week I heard probably the best message I have ever heard on spiritual warfare. How are these related you ask? They absolutely are because the theater of war for believers is the mind. Ephesians 6:12 tells us we don't fight against flesh and blood. Our real fight is against powers of darkness and we have an enemy who is after our mind and particularly our insecurities. The bible states he scours the Earth like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour...he pounces after carefully watching you and understanding what has stolen your God-confidence. So how do we combat this? Isaiah 11:2 flat out tells us; we ask the Holy Spirit to come ON us. As believers, when we accept Jesus as our savior, the Holy Spirit is in us..but to fight the battle, we need him ON us. Look at Job1:10; Job had a hedge around him protecting him from Satan that had to be removed before the enemy had access to him. What was that hedge? The Holy Spirit! To deal with this insecurity thing, I have to ask the Holy Spirit to come ON me.
Isaiah 11:2 "The Spirit of the Lord will rest ON him; the Spirit of wisdom, of understanding, the Spirit of Counsel and of Power, the Spirit of knowledge and of Fear of the Lord. There are 6 things the Holy Spirit does to combat 6 separate attacks from our enemy. Ready? Here we go.
1.Wisdom---overcomes confusion. The ability to not only know what is good, but what's of God.
2.Understanding--overcomes deception. Our insecurities cause us to make up things in our mind that aren't really there and then affect our behavior. They are the blind spots we have that everyone else can see.
3. Counsel---overcomes pride. God resists the proud; don't fight the battle of the mind on two fronts. The bible tells us there is safety in a multitude of counselors; I thank the Lord daily for my dear friend who is my accountability partner and helps me see my insecurities and get a grip.
4. Might---overcomes persecution. This one is all mental; it essentially is fear of people and the personal cost to you. It's the root of insecurity. We give people power over us that only God should have.
5. Knowledge---overcomes bondage. Acts 10:38 tells us Jesus came to set people free from mental bondage. I know for a fact that my own insecurities caused me to become bound to a very unhealthy relationship and the devil did everything he could to keep me entangled.
6. Fear of the Lord----overcomes self. For the enemy to get to you, he has to get through you. By snaring us with sin, he creates an avenue in. Proverbs 3:7 Do not be wise in your own eyes, fear the Lord and shun evil.
I told you this was a lot to digest! But God has shown me that being able to say "So Long Insecurity...you've been a bad friend to us," is going to require a new way of thinking. I have an enemy who does not want this to happen. Why? Because it's my own insecurities, for the most part, that are giving him a foothold into my life and keeping me from taking the next leap of faith with God. Girls, we just gotta deal with this ...I think the next few months are going to be a bumpy ride. But as Beth says, "I'm ready to do the thing."
Thanks, Jennifer. I'll have to read that book. I love Beth Moore but haven't had the opportunity to do one of her studies in a long time. A book will be just the ticket. I read this right before church, then we sang "A Mighty Fortress." I thought they went really nicely together.
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