Ever feel like someone is telling you that you can’t measure up? That something is wrong with you?
If so, have you ever stopped to ask, “Who is saying these things? Who is causing me to doubt myself? Is it me? Is there something from my past that led me to believe this? Or is it the enemy of my soul disguising his voice as my own?”
Satan is the father of lies, and there is no truth in him (John 8:44). Oh how he loves when we believe his deception and fall into the ditractions of feeling inadequate and insecure.
The meaning of the word lie is “a falsehood with the intent to deceive.” Satan intends to deceive us and he does so by getting us to take our eyes off of who we are in Christ and focus on our flaws. That way we’ll spend our days figuring out how we can hide them. It’s exactly what he did with Eve:
“Then the eyes of both [Adam and Eve] were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.
Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man, ‘Where are you?’
He answered, ‘I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.’” (Gen. 3:7–11)
In response, God asked who told them they were naked. In other words, “Who told you that something is wrong with you?” By asking this, God made sure they knew someone was casting shame on them—and it wasn’t Him.
The enemy whispered lies into their hearts, causing them to move away from Him and from each other.
Satan’s intent is the same for you and me as it was for Eve, but we don’t have to go along with him. Instead we can refute his lies and temptations with truth. If we have put our trust in Christ as our Savior, we can stand on the promises of who we are in Him.
In his book, Victory Over the Darkness, Dr. Neil T. Anderson says, “The more you reaffirm who you are in Christ, the more your behavior will begin to reflect your true identity!” Here is a compilation of Scriptures Dr. Anderson’s ministry created to remind us of who we are in Christ.
I am accepted . . .
- John 1:12 I am God’s child.
- John 15:15 I am a friend of Jesus Christ, as His disciple.
- Romans 5:1 I have been justified.
- 1 Corinthians 6:17 I am united with the Lord, and I am one with Him in spirit.
- 1 Corinthians 6:19–20 I have been bought with a price and I belong to God.
- 1 Corinthians 12:27 I am a member of Christ’s body.
- Ephesians 1:3–8 I have been chosen by God and adopted as His child.
- Hebrews 4:14–16 I have direct access to the throne of grace through Jesus Christ.
I am secure . . .
- Romans 8:1–2 I am free from condemnation.
- Romans 8:28 I am assured that God works for my good in all circumstances.
- Romans 8:31–39 I am free from condemnation. I cannot be separated from God’s love.
- 2 Corinthians 1:21–22 I have been established, anointed, and sealed by God.
- Colossians 3:1–4 I am hidden with Christ in God.
- Philippians 1:6 I am confident God will complete the good work He started in me.
- Philippians 3:20 I am a citizen of heaven.
- 2 Timothy 1:7 I have been given a spirit of power, love, and a sound mind.
- 1 John 5:18 I am born of God, and the evil one cannot touch me.
I am significant . . .
- John 15:5, I am a branch of Jesus Christ, the true vine, and a channel of His life.
- John 15:16, I have been chosen and appointed to bear fruit.
- 1 Corinthians 3:16, I am God’s temple.
- 2 Corinthians 5:17–21, I am a minister of reconciliation for God.
- Ephesians 2:6, I am seated with Jesus Christ in the heavenly realm.
- Ephesians 2:10, I am God’s workmanship.
- Ephesians 3:12, I may approach God with freedom and confidence.
- Philippians 4:13, I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me.
Which one of these promises did you need to hear most today? What lie do you need to replace with truth 
as you reaffirm your significance, security and acceptance based not on what you say or do, but on what Jesus said and did for you!
When you’re tempted to measure up today, focus “up” instead and remember Whose you are and who you are – in Him!
Slip me a note and let me know what’s on your heart as you read this and/or my devotion through Proverbs 31 Ministries today. Simply click on “share your thoughts” below this post and your note will be placed in the drawing for our…
“Contagious Confidence” give-away which includes a copy of “A Confident Heart” along with “Confident Heart” sticky notes that have quotes and promise from my book and a Starbucks gift card — for 3 of you! Also, I’d love for you to share today’s post by clicking on “Tell a Friend” button below. I’m praying HIS confidence will become contagious!
___________
for MORE ENCOURAGEMENT
- Sign up for The 7-day Doubt Diet in the sidebar. You’ll receive a week’s worth of FREE Confident Heart devotions.
- Find out more about A Confident Heart and read how it’s impacting other lives here.
- Read the “Table of Contents” to see what’s inside the book that will encourage and equip you to stop doubting yourself and start living in the security of God’s promises.
- Sign up to receive my email updates – you”ll be the first to hear about Free resources, free video downloads, give-aways, winners chosen and more. Just enter your email in the small box at the top of my website.
___________
Last week’s Winners: Lil’lyndie, Kathryn and Linda P. you’ve won a copy of Ann Voskamp’s New York Times Best-Seller, One Thousand Gifts and A Confident Heart. We have your emails we’ll be in touch to get your mailing addresses this week.
Discover more from Renee Swope
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Renee, I have struggled with a lack of confidence my entire life just as my mother did. I know that this doesn’t come from God but from Saten. I’m looking forward to reading your new book. I know that I can do all things through Christ. Your book is going to help me really believe it. Thanks.
Wow what eye opening you have done for me I’ve always had this unhappy something not right feeling but could never figure it out. I’ve talked with physicians and everyone describes it as depression and I need to learn how to mediate. These are good but it never helped to answer the trap of not being happy and always looking at other people trying to understand what they have that I don’t. You have hit the nail on the head for me and I look forward to reading your book to help me understand and relinquish this self-doubt once and for all. Thank you and God Bless.
Renee,
Thanks for posting John 15:5, I am a branch of Jesus Christ, the true vine, and a channel of His life.
This touches my spirit in a profound way, as it refers to a vision that the Lord shared with me recently. My life has been a continual pattern of self-doubt, worry and fear. When going through struggles or tough times, I used to get to the point of saying, “really, God? You need to do MORE in me?” This hurts!! It’s not fun. Why does it need to be so tough in my life?
What He has shown me recently has been that, as He’s pruning me in order to bear more abundant fruit, is that I’m not really a vine. Pruning a vine can’t really hurt all that much; maybe for a short period of time, but it’s finished and done.
I, however, am a tree planted by streams of water. Pruning a tree HURTS!! A tiny vine is easy, but branches – now that’s gonna leave a mark or two! So, as I begin to walk in my God-fidence, I welcome the times of pruning, because it’s a reminder that I am marked by Him. May God richly bless you, Renee, as you continue journeying to share this new confidence message with so many women!
I struggle with confidence alot. Always doubt myself. Can’t wait to read your book! Thank you!
Renee,
I needed all of these! I never feel like I measure up, most of the time I just feel useless. Thank you for the encouragement!
Carol
I take joy in being able to say that I never measure up! It’s true! But that’s the beauty of the gospel! We never will measure up and we don’t have to in order to be accepted by Christ! ONe day the Lord spoke something to me that really go my attention. He said “you ain’t worth nothin!” (I’m a country girl so He often speaks to me in my known dialect! 🙂 ). What He was showing me is that value is not always determined by what is intrinsic to an object. Value is often determined by something external that places a certain amount of value on something no matter what intrinsic value may be present.
In dollars and cents, my physical body is not even worth $10.00. But I am infinitely valuable to God. It’s His placing value on me that makes me valuable. So anything can be valuable even though it has no real value in it’s make up. A photo, a trinket, a sentiment written on a card can be incredibily valuable even though what it’s made of is not. It’s because it’s value comes from a source outside of itself.
We are valuable and we measure up simply because God does and He places that value on us. It has nothing to do with us! What a blessing to be valued so highly by the King of all creation! And yes, how valuable we are!
Thanks for this post Renee. What wonderful words of wisdom and verses to remind us of the confidence we can have in who we are in Christ! The more I see of your book, the more I’m convinced it is going to be a must-read for me. God bless you for following Christ on the adventure he has set before you.
Thank you so much. I’ve needed to hear that I have been chosen by Him for quite some time. I’ve been listening to the lies of the devil. You have been sent by God on this very day to speak to me and many others. May blessings pour upon you. Kathy
■Philippians 1:6 I am confident God will complete the good work He started in me.
Renee,
I relied heavy on this verse for more than 3 years, as a christian friend attacked me over and over. At first I felt that she was just hurting and needed someone to attack(and I was available), but my Pastor saw the change in me. I was defeated by the constant attacks, my self worth, who I was in Christ and what I felt Christ calling me to do in my ministries were being deflated….Thank you God for using my pastor to guide me. It’s awesome how we can grow during these spiritual attacks
It would have been a growing experience and a blessing to read your book A Confident Heart thru those years! I would love to be able to send this package to my friend, to help her see who she is in Christ. Sometimes we lash out at others because our own confidence is being attacked by satan, and he would love to bring us all down to his level. I would love to support your ministry and would buy it for her myself, but our finances have been hit very hard this year and we are on a very tight budget. Thank you so much for listening to God’s calling in your life to help other women grow closer to Christ.
Angel
I am doing a Bible study about living with unmet desires and today’s devotion goes hand-in-hand with what I have been working on through the study. I no longer want to compare myself to others, whether it be in physical beauty, material possessions, or even the blessings they have been given. It is time for me to put my focus on Christ and not others. Thank you allowing God to use you to speak to me today.
The line you wrote about the enemy whispering lies to pull us from Christ and others really spoke to me. I am like doubting Thomas, sometimes it’s just hard to wrap my head around, even though we aren’t to be leaning on our own understanding…..I’m very interested in your new book, winning would be great, but either way I am glad I found it. God knows who and what to place in our paths…thank you Renee, I will go back and read the last 5 days of the doubt diet:)
SO glad to see you here Julie!! Praying God will provide a way for you to read A Confident Heart – there is so much more in the book to help us know God’s heart and experience His heart towards us!!
We were just talking about staying focused on Christ and not believing satans lies in Sunday School. This devotion was so encouraging to read midweek and I truely appreciate all the scriptures to counteract the lies. Thank you for sharing this with us.
Thank you so much. I’m printing this to keep in my bible!
This was just what I needed to hear today, I find myself quite often comparing myself to others, thanks you for Gods uplifting words of encouragment.your daily word is great I share it with my family and friends.
I struggle with self-doubt every single day and this message was something I needed to hear this morning. I have believed the lies from the enemy too long and will chose to denounce those messages and trust in who God made me to be each and every day! Thank you Renee for sharing your gifts with us, I pray your day is blessed as you have blessed ours!
Kerry
Hi Renee
I commented on Face Book but I am sharing a comment here your blog has been a blessing to me . What you wrote today must have been just for me because I cannot begin to tell you how much self doubt I do have sometimes I have to ask myself where did that come from, I have doubted myself all my life I think, but thank the Lord for Godly women like you and a few others that are faithful to the calling God has placed on your life’s that you all keep pointing us to God and I am thankful for that. I am always comparing myself to other women and always wish I was like that but I know the grass is not greener on the other side. I am unemployed and have been for 2 yrs. And I have had a lot of insecurity from losing my job and have been having a few anxious thoughts and I want to have a job but things are very bleak in this world. So I feel like my self worth has gone down the tubes. Just recently I had to give up my vechile due to not being able to keep up on the payments but I am not proud of this at all and I wish things were different but I do know God is in this and He is walking this road with me and at times the waves want to overcome me and knock me under but my God is Faithful.
The verses that spoke to me were
1John 5:18
2 Timothy1:7
Thanks again Renee for all the encouragement you give us.
Carol
2 Timothy 1:7 I have been given a spirit of power, love, and a sound mind.
This is such a wonderful reminder that I am not powerless but because of Jesus Christ I have the power through him to go through anything. His strength is always available to me & His love working through me. And then of course I have a sound mind. The mind can get very disturbed by the enemy of discontent, comparisons & not good enough. I am so thankful that I don’t have to a scattered or confused mind. I am sound in my mind. I am so thankful for this promise.
Thanks for this message and your devotion. I’m feeling very anxious about this weekend and I really needed to hear this. I’m headed to my class reunion. I’m not in life where I thought I would be at this point so I’m sure I will be trying to measure up. I’m going to write out a few of the verses you gave us and carry them with me so that I can try and avoid the negative thoughts.
I needed to read ALL of these today. My confidence has definitely been shaken, and it is totally baffling me! These are the same feelings of doubt and insecurity I experienced as a new bride, 7 years ago. Funny how Satan uses the same stuff over and over to trip us up. It’s time to pull out those scripture spirals and keep them with me at all times. Thank you for this timely devotional. I can’t wait to read the book!
Renee … Thanks for speaking words of truth. You are inspirational. The one verse that I truly cling to is Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Satan is the master at planting those seeds of doubt in our minds. I tell myself … “no can do because …” and I proceed to give a million and one excuses. If God has called me He will enable me. It is a message I need to firmly implant in my heart and mind!!!