Ditching Insecurity: Secure in God

Outline

Summary: In a world filled with uncertainty, comparison and self-doubt, insecurity can be a debilitating challenge for anyone. This message examines how God’s unconditional love and purpose can help us overcome feelings of inadequacy with our friends and ourselves.

The definition of insecurity is not safe; not confident of safety exposed to danger ( I would add pain) or loss. Goods on the ocean are insecure as storms could rage any moment and destroy the ship. Noah Webster, Noah Webster’s First Edition of An American Dictionary of the English Language. (Anaheim, CA: Foundation for American Christian Education, 2006).

Insecurity by definition is we don’t feel safe. Don’t feel safe with friends, with family, with people in this church, or even people in this room. But showing up to church and youth is so important to reinforce how we dive deeper into our identity, how we know how much we are loved and accepted by God.

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You have inherent worth. When we know our identity in Jesus, we are encouraged to confront and dismantle insecurities through faith and deeper understanding of God’s love.

We are fearfully and wonderfully made. God's grace (unmerited, which means something not deserved or earned, favor) suffices for our weaknesses.

Through the lens of Christ, we see the ultimate example of security, demonstrating that we are valued and accepted by God. Jesus’ sacrifice affirms our worth and completeness in Him.

If we embrace our identity in Christ it will lead us to overcome insecurity and live confidently in God’s love and purpose.

Let’s turn to 1 Peter 2:7–10 “Yes, you who trust him (Him being Jesus) recognize the honor God has given him. But for those who reject him,

“The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.” And, “He is the stone that makes people stumble, the rock that makes them fall.” They stumble because they do not obey God’s word, and so they meet the fate that was planned for them.

But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.

We are a chosen people! We do not reject Christ but follow him. We are looked after and are children of God. You may not have been like this group of Asia minor in 1 Peter being pulled out of darkness, but if you ever find yourselves stuck there God is waiting to pull you out.

If I ran away when I was younger my parents would spent so much time looking for me. How much more would the God of the universe!

1. One way we can embrace our identity is reflecting on God’s Divine Design

God’s divine design boldly displays his love and purpose in each one of us.

In Psalm 139:13–14 it says “You (being God) made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.”

God is intentional in his craft, especially when he made each of you and we can use that to transform our view of ourselves. Think about that, God spent time making you.

When a potter makes a piece they go back and forth time and time again or when an artist makes a painting they spend hours perfecting a beautiful piece. Thank God I wasn't forming you haha. One time when I was very little I had to take an art class and I made a sculpture of a lion and I thought it was so close to the thing in real life. But as I grew up I realize it looked more like a deformed hairless dog. But those who have spent years doing pottery can make almost anything.

If mere humans can make amazing pottery, crafts, and paintings, how much more time has God spent thinking about you and perfecting who you will be. Designing all your unique features. That’s true love!

If we acknowledge the truth that we have intrinsic worth and unique design given by God and we take hold of it then we can dismantle insecurities. This is our foundation to overcome insecurity. We are loved by God, we are formed by God.

2. People in the Bible who were insecure in what God wanted them to do or who were insecure with man.

Moses in Exodus 4 was given a huge assignment by God to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. They were enslaved for 400 years at that point! That’s more than 150 more years then U.S. has bene around.

In Exodus 4 we see Moses insecurity on full display “But Moses protested again, “What if they won’t believe me or listen to me? What if they say, ‘The Lord never appeared to you’?” Then the Lord asked him, “What is that in your hand?” “A shepherd’s staff,” Moses replied. “Throw it down on the ground,” the Lord told him. So Moses threw down the staff, and it turned into a snake! Moses jumped back. Then the Lord told him, “Reach out and grab its tail.” So Moses reached out and grabbed it, and it turned back into a shepherd’s staff in his hand. “Perform this sign,” the Lord told him. “Then they will believe that the Lord, the God of their ancestors—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob—really has appeared to you.”

Elijah one of the most powerful prophets in the OT, a man of revival and defending God. He brought fire down from Heaven! He is often labeled a precursor to John the Baptist who prepared the way for Jesus to come. He eventually would ascend into Heaven skipping death!

However in 1 Kings 19 “When Ahab got home, he told Jezebel everything Elijah had done, including the way he had killed all the prophets of Baal. So Jezebel sent this message to Elijah: “May the gods strike me and even kill me if by this time tomorrow I have not killed you just as you killed them.” Elijah was afraid and fled for his life. He went to Beersheba, a town in Judah, and he left his servant there. Then he went on alone into the wilderness, traveling all day. He sat down under a solitary broom tree and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life, for I am no better than my ancestors who have already died.”

David in Psalm 13 “O Lord, how long will you forget me? Forever? How long will you look the other way? How long must I struggle with anguish in my soul, with sorrow in my heart every day? How long will my enemy have the upper hand? Turn and answer me, O Lord my God! Restore the sparkle to my eyes, or I will die. Don’t let my enemies gloat, saying, “We have defeated him!” Don’t let them rejoice at my downfall.

You can see David reinforce his identity here: But I trust in your unfailing love. I will rejoice because you have rescued me. I will sing to the Lord because he is good to me.”

The disciples were afraid of the storm in Mark 4:35 and when Jesus died they had no idea how they would lead after He left. Even when Jesus came back resurrected and left again I am sure they faced insecurity.

The only person in the Bible who didn’t deal with insecurity other than God was Jesus who is the perfect way. He never wavered He never doubted. He was as secure as any one could ever be in His identity as God’s son. He knew the authority and power He walked in while also knowing He was fully loved, accepted and whole each and every day as He went about following God’s voice.

Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt, Elijah brought fire down from Heaven, David brought Israel into golden age and set the stage for Jesus, and the disciples began the early church to endure persecution and death to be what it is today.

3. Self-Reflection

When I think of the disciples after the upper room and those who followed Jesus, about 500 people witnessed the resurrection, I think of power and authority. I also think of these people being firmly planted in their identity as sons and daughters of God for they had seen the Father, and experienced his love and acceptance. They saw Jesus alive on the Earth performing countless miracles and were front row witnesses to the awe and wonder of God and the son he sent to us. we went from a community of strong believers to seeking a man and/or woman to lead in power and authority by themselves. We have that power and authority that the disciples had!

And I can often look at myself in insecurity and say what happened in the time between them and me?

These early church leaders would give everything they had, even their lives. I am not discounting many influential and great leaders that have come in between but when I see myself I see someone who can be timid or fearful about giving a word from the Lord to someone at the grocery store from time to time.

It’s because we have lost sight of our true identity and I believe we are on the path back to it but insecurity has crept in. Comfort has crept in. in the pursuit of the modern world for innovation and advancement we have actually desired to eliminate pain. AI is a creation solely to eliminate the pain of years of training and hard work to establish a simple prompt to do everything for us.

We as human desire to limit pain. We distract ourselves with activities, leisure, and games all of which were not available during Jesus’s time. Convenience probably wasn't a word back then as Jesus did most of his ministry on foot. No live stream, no podcast, no loud worship, no cars to go to different cities. People really didn't have time to be insecure in back then, they were constantly working, and while it is good to want safety, protection it has turned into self-care and pursuit of more rest.

so how do we relate to the Bible in the convenience age?

How do we unlock the box we have put God’s power in? We tap into our God given identity.

Recently I have been rewinding over and over again in my head what my identity is. Not doubting when a word comes or when I am supposed to do something out of the ordinary at work that I have God’s backing as a son of God.

This journey of being secure in God’s love and acceptance is life long. It isn't easy but it is essential.

4. Insecurity with fellow believers

I think of insecurity in another way too not just in the words for strangers or at work but with people here at church or in this group.

I think it can be so easy to doubt yourself if you think you are not as fit as other people, when you have stubborn acne or a weird bug bite. Or when we say something and we look foolish or we dont fit in. Insecurity is a big reason why we might stay to ourselves and keep our power and authority God has given us in a box locked away. When God has called us to spread blessings and joy to our community we hold back because we forget our identity or we think those kind of things matter more than the Holy Spirit within us that can overrule flesh and bone.

So I ask you a question, do we welcome others in? or do we make it difficult?

We are not called to be friends with everyone, I get that, but we are called to each person in this group. Everyone here is for a reason, and people come and go or stay at church for a reason too. So why not maximize this by joining together in community. Small compliments can go a long way on someone’s outfit, shoes, or whatever.

For guys, it seems to me, that we are taught that making fun of each other is a great way to bond and build friendships. But instead deep down it sows self-doubt, division, and insecurity. It might be funny in the moment but what if we used this energy as a way to build each other up?

For girls, I don’t know this firsthand but from what I have observed cliques are a huge things. These exclusive clubs are never open to new comers. But God has called us to be in community with one another.

Community has the power to do many things including helping us dismantle insecurity. When we feel safe in a group of people we know and trust then we can feel secure in the challenges we face.

This is especially true at church with like minded believers and in this youth group. We should be united, and allow the synergy or big increase of who each of us is to shine bright. It reinforces that God is listening to our hearts, that God hears our prayers, that God sees us. You may be the prayer as a friend, someone has been praying for.

5. Relying on His Grace

2 Corinthians 12:9–10 “Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

God's grace is sufficient, even in our weaknesses. If we embrace our weaknesses it allows Christ's power to rest on us, and to be rooted and grounded in His love. In our dependency on God he can transform our insecurity into a strength. Finding strength in weakness can assure us, that God's provision is real and we can find confidence in His unending grace and power.

6. Realizing Our Identity

1 Peter 2:9-10

As I mentioned earlier in 1 Peter 2 Being chosen by God offer us with security, protection, and safety in our identity and worth through God’s love and Jesus’s mission on the cross. Jesus paid a high price. So we could be God's special possession.

By embracing this divine identity, we can shed worldly labels, self-doubts, and insecurities, knowing we are called to declare His praise.

Living a life confident in God's love and purpose. Unified as one, encouraging others, and pushing each other out in the plan He has for each one of you. As I close I want to take a moment that maybe Holy Spirit stirred in each one of you that maybe there is a need to repent. To turn away from the former way of excluding others who are proven to be safe, honorable, and trustworthy. You have more capacity in your net to allow more people in. To accept others in this room and at church as they are for their differences. or maybe there are some who need a fresh touch from God to show them that they are loved by God. In that truth you have forgotten that you can reach out to people in this room who are safe, honorable, and trustworthy. You can take a leap to be accepted by others as you are accepted by God already. I would ask you al close your eyes and If that’s you i want you to raise your hands on the count of three I am going to pray for yall.