There are many people in the Body of Christ today who struggle with confidence. They are so used to the snares of insecurity and the heartbreak of failure, that they forget why confidence is so important. Not only confidence in ourselves… but also in Christ.

So many of us, as Believers, are experiencing major breakthroughs in our lives, but without confidence in Christ it is almost impossible to succeed. Why is that you ask? Well, if you’re like us, God is asking you to stretch yourself wider than you could have ever imagined. He is looking for people of great faith and courage… even if we are afraid.

>>> ARE YOU IN NEED OF PRAYER?<<< 

Why faith without works is dead.

Hebrews 11 reminds us of the great patriarchs, and the faith they had in an unseen God and His promises for them. But faith without action isn’t really faith at all, is it? Let’s look at the lives of these men and women for a moment and evaluate what made them so successful in the Kingdom of God.

Abraham & Sarah—

“By faith Abraham, when he was called [by God], obeyed by going to a place which he was to receive as an inheritance; and he went, not knowing where he was going. By faith he lived as a foreigner in the promised land, as in a strange land, living in tents [as nomads] with Isaac and Jacob, who were fellow heirs of the same promise. For he was [waiting expectantly and confidently] looking forward to the city which has foundations, [an eternal, heavenly city] whose architect and builder is God.”—Hebrews 11:8-10 (AMP)

“By faith even Sarah herself received the ability to conceive [a child], even [when she was long] past the normal age for it, because she considered Him who had given her the promise to be reliable and true [to His word]. So from one man, though he was [physically] as good as dead, were born as many descendants as the stars of heaven in number, and innumerable as the sand on the seashore.”—Hebrews 11:11-12 (AMP)

“By faith Abraham, when he was tested [that is, as the testing of his faith was still in progress], offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises [of God] was ready to sacrifice his only son [of promise]; to whom it was said, ‘Through Isaac your descendants shall be called.’ For he considered [it reasonable to believe] that God was able to raise Isaac even from among the dead. [Indeed, in the sense that he was prepared to sacrifice Isaac in obedience to God] Abraham did receive him back [from the dead] figuratively speaking.”—Hebrews 11:17-19 (AMP)

Isaac & Joseph—

^“By faith Abraham, when he was tested [that is, as the testing of his faith was still in progress], offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises [of God] was ready to sacrifice his only son [of promise]; to whom it was said, ‘Through Isaac your descendants shall be called.’ For he considered [it reasonable to believe] that God was able to raise Isaac even from among the dead. [Indeed, in the sense that he was prepared to sacrifice Isaac in obedience to God] Abraham did receive him back [from the dead] figuratively speaking. By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau [believing what God revealed to him], even regarding things to come. By faith Jacob, as he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and bowed in worship, leaning on the top of his staff. By faith Joseph, when he was dying, referred to [the promise of God for] the exodus of the sons of Israel [from Egypt], and gave instructions concerning [the burial of] his bones [in the land of the promise].”—Hebrews 11:17-22 (AMP)

Moses—

“By faith Moses, after his birth, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful and divinely favored child; and they were not afraid of the king’s (Pharaoh’s) decree. By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, because he preferred to endure the hardship of the people of God rather than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin. He considered the reproach of the Christ [that is, the rebuke he would suffer for his faithful obedience to God] to be greater wealth than all the treasures of Egypt; for he looked ahead to the reward [promised by God]. By faith he left Egypt, being unafraid of the wrath of the king; for he endured [steadfastly], as seeing Him who is unseen. By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood [on the doorposts], so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch them (the firstborn of Israel). By faith the people [of Israel] crossed the Red Sea as though they were passing through dry land; but when the Egyptians attempted it they were drowned.”—Hebrews 11:23-29 (AMP)

Joshua & Rahab—

“By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days [by Joshua and the sons of Israel]. By faith Rahab the prostitute was not destroyed along with those who were disobedient, because she had welcomed the spies [sent by the sons of Israel] in peace.”—Hebrews 11:30-31 (AMP)

What did each one of these people have in common? They listened to the voice of God and made a decision to follow His direction, no matter what. NO MATTER WHAT!

It’s easy to look back on their lives and still feel hopeless in our own situations. For them, it must have been just as frightening to trust God as it is for us today. Just like us, they each struggled with fear and insecurity that is common to us all… BUT the difference was all about perseverance.

>>> ARE YOU STRUGGLING WITH SELF-DOUBT AND WORRY?<<<

How can I stop being insecure?

Have you been a Believer for some time, but still struggle with the same insecurities that you dealt with before becoming born-again? Are you still afraid and insecure?

Insecurity is really a deep-seated distrust of God, or in our ability to hear His voice. Often, we want to do things in our own strength, but we miss the important lesson that the patriarchs teach us through their stories.

Often, once God has cast the vision, we take matters into our own hands. Through works of the flesh, we try to force things into motion… But that is not what God requires of us.

God asks us to partner with Him. He may tell us His grand vision, but it is only through small steps of obedience as we listen to His direction, that we will ever become victorious. You see, it isn’t about arriving… it’s all about the journey with Him.

Why do I feel insecure in my relationship with God and others?

We often feel insecure with God or with others because of past experiences. Possibly someone misused you, or maybe you were raised in a volatile home as a child. It makes no difference what the root cause is… the important thing to know is that there is hope!

Please hear me, you do not have to live with anxiety forever. Insecurity can be removed as you develop your trust in God, and God alone.

>>> DO YOU WONDER WHO YOU CAN TRUST?<<<

 What to do when anxiety takes over.

The first thing you must know is that God is trustworthy. If you’ve never experienced a faithful relationship, one where the opposite party loved you unconditionally, it can be hard to understand what ‘trustworthy’ looks like.

We completely understand that… but we want to encourage you to push through those fears as you use this list of biblical tools for your breakthrough.

THIS IS YOUR YEAR OF BREAKTHROUGH!!

Tools for Overcoming Anxiety and Insecurity:

• Begin to dedicate quality time with the Lord daily— Set time aside each day to meditate on the Word of God. Read it out loud to yourself. Ask the Lord to begin to show you the truth of His character.
• Encourage yourself in the Word by listening to trusted leaders in the faith— Oftentimes anxiety and insecurity are on a battlefield within our mind. It is important and strategic to begin to fill your thoughts with positive messages that will remove any negative ways of thinking.
• Praise and Worship— We know it might seem completely unnatural to praise and worship the Lord when everything within you feels frightened, but your sacrifice to praise God will begin to silence the voice of the enemy in your life. He cannot stand it when we worship God. He will flee from you if you resist him.
• Pray in the Holy Spirit— The absolute power of prayer in the Holy Spirit has never been completely tapped. It is an inexhaustible form of communication directly with God that cannot be deciphered by man or by demonic spirits. Even though it may seem awkward or strange at first, this special form of one-on-one communication with our Creator is transformational.
• Quote Key Scriptures that deal with your situation— The Word of God is truth… it is living and it is powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword. Despite what may be going on around us in the natural, the spiritual realm has to bow to the Word of God.

Just as we shared above, had the ancient patriarchs believed what their eyes saw in the natural, they never would have accomplished their destinies without faith. We must speak the truth of God’s Word into EVERY situation, trusting that He is faithful to perform all that He has promised to us.

Why confidence is important.

Finally, you don’t have to feel confident to take steps toward growing in confidence. We love the quote that “Courage isn’t doing something without fear, courage is being afraid, but doing it anyway.” We know that it takes courage to break old cycles in your life, but the truth is that each one of us is responsible to take the steps necessary to move forward.

While many of us may have been waiting on God to act on our behalf, He is waiting for us. What more can He do? He has sent His perfect Son to die on the cross for us. This has allowed each one of us complete and total access into the throne room of Heaven, if we will only believe.

It’s not enough that we find salvation. Once we understand that we are in need of a Savior, then we must take the next steps toward healing and wholeness. When we surrender our lives to God, it is just that. If we are truly serious about that commitment, it means that we will abandon our old lives in exchange for what He has promised. We must reach out and take hold of the gift of salvation through the character building steps of disciplining our thoughts and behaviors through the power of the Holy Spirit who lives within us.

We aren’t meant to arrive overnight, but we will be victorious when we place our trust in HIS plan and purpose for our lives, rather than return to our old behaviors.

We want to encourage you this year in the Lord. This truly is your year of breakthrough. Don’t hesitate to reach out to one of our trusted prayer team members if you are unsure of how to make these changes in your life. They would love to spend time with you in prayer as you seek the Lord for valuable answers that will change your life forever.