~ Wendy Blight - Hidden Joy in a Dark Corner ~
At one time many years ago intimidation and insecurities definitely defined my life and clearly defined who I was. As a very young, inexperienced pastor's wife, I had absolutely no clue what it was I was supposed to do! Without a mentor in my life, I was lost and lonely. Insecurities from my childhood and strong intimidation from the ministry truly sent me on a very long agonizing journey that was very painful. God was there for me all the time but as a very immature young Christian, I did not tap into the available resources until many years later. Those painful years helped to define who I am today.
The Oxford English Dictionary defines intimidation as: to render timid; to inspire fear; to discourage; or, suppress by threatening.
Basic intimidation occurs through our distorted perception of self. The enemy is a master at convincing us that we are worthless and have no value. The Bible is full of scriptures of who we are in Christ. Start memorizing them, but more importantly mediate on them. Get them from your head to your heart. John 1:12 says, “Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave us the right to become children of God.” Roman 8:11, “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”
Think about it for a moment. The God of most high accepts us as His own children without any condemnation because the price that Jesus paid on the cross for our sins. I challenge everyone to purchase a Bible concordance or do a search on the Internet for the “Who you are in Christ” Bible verses. Spend time memorizing them and allow them to penetrate your heart and mind. The key is not just memorizing them, but accepting them as truth; as face value; as a word from God to you. The scripture does not mean anything unless you believe and speak them in your life.
Another step in overcoming intimidation is to like your self. Do a soul search and honestly evaluate yourself. Of course, it is easy to say you do that, but take a look deep down into yourself. When you look in the mirror do you like your self from the physical and spiritual side? Jesus told us to love neighbors like we love ourselves. If we don’t like ourselves, how can we expect to like anyone else?
Stop measuring your God given talents and abilities to others. In reality,there will always be someone better than we are by experience. That does not minimize the talents and gifts God has blessed us with. Even though spiritual gifts are from God, they still need to be mastered and polished. God wont give you more than he knows you can handle. His main agenda is not to see you fail, but to succeed.
God can provide all we need to overcome whatever it is hindering us from being who we are called to be for the Kingdom. We need to step up to the plate and allow God to guide our steps as we pursue the call He has placed on each of our lives. Stepping outside the box will definitely take us on a journey that may no longer be in our comfort zone but that is exciting and a tool for spiritual growth. We should never look at others around us when we are seeking God for guidance and direction for our lives. Look to Him. He knew us even before we were in our mother's womb. He knows every tiny detail of our lives and wants the best for us. The enemy comes to kill, steal and destroy. God gives peace, joy, strength and life!
Get thee behind me Satan! I have work to do for the Kingdom!!!! Woo Hoo!
Get thee behind me Satan! I have work to do for the Kingdom!!!! Woo Hoo!
