In chapter 5, we talk about Gideon who, like us, doubted his strength and abilities. When God called him to defeat his enemy’s immediately Gideon’s insecurities started shouting excuses, listing all his inadequacies. Yet through his story we see God wasn’t limited by Gideon’s limitations, and He’s not limited by ours either.
God could see beyond who Gideon was to who he could become. He promised Gideon he would defeat his enemies, but he would not fight alone. “The Lord answered, ‘I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites, leaving none alive’”(Judg. 6:16).
Gideon’s first steps out of the shadow of doubt would require he focus on God’s promise and power, not himself. Eventually, with God’s help, Gideon defeated his enemies and his doubts. In today’s video message, I share how we can do the same by intentionally identifying our doubts and throwing them away, so that we can take hold of and live in the security of HIS promises instead! Please click the arrow below to watch.
- Don’t Throw Away Your Confidence printable (click here)
- Message Notes: You can download video “Message Notes” in a PDF format here or in a MSWord doc here. I encourage you to watch it once and just let God speak to your heart. Then if you want to, watch it agagin and follow along with the message notes which include parts of the message, verses and blanks to fill in. 🙂
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I don’t know about you, but whew – this chapter was just what I needed this week. God used it to remind me of how good HE is at being strong in my weaknesses – and unlimited by my limitations. Being really sick for two weeks, with an injured teenager and a 3-year old who has sleep/anxiety issues that have caused her to wake up all night for the past three out of five nights will make you think it’s time to resign from just about everything you do {but don’t worry I’m not}. 🙂
Connecting in Community: Ok friend, let’s talk. Overwhelming circumstances will send me to the trash every time! What’s tempting you to throw away your confidence this week? Did chapter 5 help you identify your triggers? What promises are you going to take hold of after writing down and throwing away your doubts? Or share other answers to questions 1-7 at the end of the chapter.
Share your thoughts below this post. I really want to hear from you – yes you! You are an important part of our community and conversation!
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I have received the book since chapter 4. I read the previous chapters. Now i follow you on Chapter 5 Living beyond the shadow of my doubts. Chapter 4 was on God’s promises despite the pains present or pasts we are living now. Question 4 of page Have pastby me hurts robbed you of your hope.and measuring to someone’s expectations question 2 p94 have talked to me. I have thoughts AM thoughts that say to me that i made the wrong marriage at that my marriage is a failure, that we don’t get along well anymore, that I fail to her espectations and that i have to live with it until the end like one drinks a medicine to keep well inspite of it’s bad taste. Doubts come that this was to designed by the Lord and that i have taken the wrong decisions for my life. I stay where I am beacause i have a son and i want to live to his expectations as a Father. So how am I to cope with these thoughts through God’s promises? Should I expect a reconciliation or a seperation ? Where are God’s promises,? thanks for your help Renée.
This chapter was what i needed to read and what i needed to hear in the video msg this wk. Thank u Renew for ur word this wk n encouragement. I have been feeling extreme doubt n insecurity in my marriage as we have had a difficult past…i was so encouraged to throw away my doubts n fears and had to see the video ntwice n review the ch a second time around…I loved reading the verses in Hebrews and underlined them in my Bible and wrote them in my journal. I know and believe that Giddy will see us through n fight for me as he did w Gideon…i just have to step out and really believe n count on him to see me through and really throw away my fear of not being perfect for my husband and not being that Godly example to him when i make mistakes o allow my fear of conflict step n the way. another verse that came to mind that a great friend has given to me awhile ago to hold on to was James 1:12 “Blessed is the man who preserves under trial, cuz when he has stood the test of, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.”
Renew and ladies i really ask u to pray for me that i would asky God to use my doubts to depend on Him so much more and nite on people and that i would truly depend on Gods promises to see me through my fears n insecurities. Please pray also for my husband that he would draw back to the Lord and have the desire to serve n live for Him and b the spiritual leader that he is called to b in our home.
thank u Sooo much…this study has been good and u ladies will also b in my prayers.
in Christ
Jackie
This chapter is really a blessing. To know that God is always with us no matter what, I don’t have to do it in my own strenght. All things are possible through Him who gives me strenght. I can be confidant and secure. Praise His name!
I just wanted to share this verse with you that I came across in my Bible reading. May it encourage you as it encouraged me, and may we can add it as another verse to stand on for the promises of God. For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. II Tim 1:7 NKJV God equips us with power and a sound mind which is just the opposite of fear. So Ladies, lets embrace the gift and stay focused on God, and learn to stand on those promises of God.
Thanks Linda. That’s a good one. I am starting a list!
Today is a bad pain day for me …I have RA and fibromyalgia. As I was reading the chapter and answering verses I was again encouraged to press on and that God is enough for all my needs.
I have been reading the comments, and i am so glad i have. Karib. I will pray for you and your Son. I Love your comment that God can do for your son what you cannot do. My son is 24. and he is depressed and there seens to be no way of motivating him. i feel i am walking on eggshells with him. He sleeps all day and stays up all night and today he slept all day and night. Your comment helped, also the comments i have been reading about turning. turning to God, rather than ourselves or our circumstances. Thanks for that, because i can loose focus quickly, and start to fret and wonder how i am going to make it, if i will be homeless, or will my health issues get worse and finances, and then church issues and misunderstandings, gossip and etc. Through All this, I need to stay focused on God and whay HE thinks and wants. Not Other People, but God. Is there a way i can get the printout? it sounds good. is it in the Book. “a Confident Heart”? Thanks, 🙂
I cannot open the video.and watch it off of my phone, but i did read what you had. It was helpfull. Thankyou.
I am glad to learn the new and great word ‘masterpiece’ today. Thank you, Renee, hold on!
Wow- this week’s chapter was so powerful but your video message, Renne, hit a true chord within me. No wonder I repeatedly come to this very same point in my life and ask why can’t I get past these matters. I now realize that its because I stop here and throw away my confidence. But tonight, I am affirming that I am stopping here only so breifly to now throw away my doubt. Thank you Jesus.
As I am facing some of my insecurities and doubts, I can’t help but smile as I thought of two recent events to where I can’t help but praise Him. 1-From much hurt and pain in the past in regards to my father… Once I truly forgave my dad, quit focusing on not being “worth it”, and gave God full control of our relationship, it’s crazy to see how far we have come as daddy and daughter. To give you an idea, ten years ago, I never would have said that my dad would walk me down the aisle…guess who walked me down the aisle and ‘gave me away’ to my awesome husband almost a year ago? My Dad!!!!!! 2-I always felt as though I wasn’t good enough or smart enough to lead others in the church. Didn’t feel equipped. Yet the desires of my heart and compassion and “want” to lead was there. Isn’t it funny how God equips the called? To make a long story short, I continue to learn and pray in these areas, but I am happily leading our high school youth girls. What a blessing they have been to me! And, then tonight, I was asked to be a part of our women’s ministry committee.
Despite our doubts, let’s not throw away our confidence. We know we have what it takes to follow Him! Let’s choose to focus on Hebrews 10:35-36. He’s promised us security and confidence. Let’s persevere so that when we do His will, we will receive what He has promised!
Praying for us as we literally throw our doubts in the trashcan this week!
Wow .. this is wonderful. This gives me encouragement about my dad and our relationship..which has improved greatly over the years.
I love the video and the concept of actually throwing our doubts away in the trashcan! I love the printout that gives us God’s truths to replace the lies. I’ve had a lot of failures and instead of learning from them and moving on, I get stuck and afraid that I’ll never get it right! But I crumpling that up and throwing it in the trashcan. If God calls me to a task, He will help me perform it!
Blessings to everyone.
A Confident Heart is just what I needed. Chapter 5 has touched on the self-esteem issues and confidence issues I struggled with as teen & a young adult.
Thanks Renee for allowing the Lord to use you in a extra special way.
As I read through this book and watch your videos I am becoming more confident everyday and I am beginning to realize that God is really for me. I am not doubting myself in as much. I am standing firm in the belief that all things work together for good and that he has wonderful plans for my life.
I agree with you. I am going through a struggle with my job.. I am learning to throw away those thoughts or comments that are not in line with God’s word and replace them with God’s Word… His love, His assurance and provision.
So appreciate this video, study,visual…letting it sink into my mind..heart.
Bless you for blessings us Renee…
Onward in His leading
Chapter 5 has come at a perfect time for me this week as I have faced a challenging circumstance. I am taking some time to process the damaged emotions that tend to come up when doubt seeks to consume me! Thank you very much for the “Don’t Throw Away Your Confidence” print out. This is will be such a great reminder sheet for me to refer to. I greatly appreciate the video, too!
I’m excited because your book: A Confident Heart, that I ordered a few weeks ago at our library, just came in. I received an e-mail late this afternoon telling me that it is at the library waiting for me to pick it up! Isn’t that the best news of the day???
Now I can follow along. 🙂
That was so great, thank you so much Renee. This is a Huge hurdle for me, but I know with Gods strength in me, I can do it. And with yalls encouragement, too.
Once again, thank you Renee for allowing God to use you to minister to many many ladies! I need a very large trash can to hold all those doubts that will be tossed away!! God’s promises… I am so thankful God knew before we were even formed in the womb (KNOWN) that each one of us would need these wonderful life changing promises. He creates us so we can do good things He planned for us long ago (Eph. 2:10).
I HATE being shy but I always have been. Each day when I don’t see victory over timidity I doubt God’s ability to be my confidence and strength. I want to believe that he will eventually help my crush this timidity but I have a hard time doing so. I am waiting and hoping in the promise “perfect love casts out fear.”
Crisanne, with tears in my eyes, and a thump in my heart, i say: i hate being shy too, always that ‘shyness’. In doing this study, am trying to find the root cause of this, which might go all the way back to my years in grade school. As you say, i too am waiting and hoping in the promise “perfect love casts out fear.” Thank you for sharing Crisanne.
me, too!
The question that you asked in this Chapter’s refection questions about how many times did you wonder if you were living up to someone else’s expectations of you…was on target for me. I don’t know where it comes from with me (it definitely is self doubt) but I worry so much about what people think about me and if I’m good enough at work, with what I wear, etc.
I’m loving that this book is calling my attention to these things and helping me rethink patterns that have existed and burdened me for a long time.
I am glad to be learning and starting to live God’s promises for my life!