Strong: From Insecure to Confident

Insecurity is a downward spiral. We either try to pretend we’re not insecure and puff ourselves up… and that doesn’t work. Or we hide in a corner and hope no one notices how insecure we are… and our insecurity grows.

Security comes only from God.

We need to deal with insecurity in our relationship with God, because insecurity can unravel your whole life.

When I felt secure, I said, “I will never be shaken.” Lord, when you favored me, you made my royal mountain stand firm; but when you hid your face, I was dismayed.

Psalm 30: 6-7 (NIV)

The Bible is not rules how to live your life. God shows us who he is and how to have a relationship with him. Feeling guilty and seeing our mistakes isn’t the end goal. We see our sin so we can be in relationship with God.

The Bible shows us how much we need God and how to be in relationship with God. The right attitude: “God has my back. God is with me. I know Him. He knows me. I can be confident.”

The cross is God showing that he wants a relationship with us. This is God saying: “I know who you are, what you need, I want to use you to help other people.”

Who is God? Who am I? How can I be close to him? That is a relationship with God—that gives you confidence.

Insecurity: The Unraveling

Saul’s life unravels because of his insecurity. Which areas of insecurity do you relate to?

Saul hides when he has opportunity to lead

So they asked the Lord, “Where is he?”

And the Lord replied, “He is hiding among the baggage.”

1 Samuel 10:22

Have you ever been too insecure to step up and lead? That’s where Saul started…

Takes control of things not up to him

So he demanded, “Bring me the burnt offering and the peace offerings!” And Saul sacrificed the burnt offering himself.

1 Samuel 13:9

Saul stepped beyond the boundaries God had given him.

Imposes a foolish rule on all fighters to motivate them

Now the men of Israel were pressed to exhaustion that day, because Saul had placed them under an oath, saying, “Let a curse fall on anyone who eats before evening—before I have full revenge on my enemies.” So no one ate anything all day,

1 Samuel 14:24

Lies about what he did because he’s afraid of public failure

When Samuel finally found him, Saul greeted him cheerfully. “May the Lord bless you,” he said. “I have carried out the Lord’s command!”

1 Samuel 15:13

Starts to view relationships as threats

So from that time on Saul kept a jealous eye on David.

1 Samuel 18:9

Are there certain people you are avoiding? Competitive with?

Paranoia leads to him destroying his closest relationships

Then Saul hurled his spear at Jonathan, intending to kill him. So at last Jonathan realized that his father was really determined to kill David.

1 Samuel 20:33

Insecurity makes us burn bridges all around us.

Leaves God completely

Saul then said to his advisers, “Find a woman who is a medium, so I can go and ask her what to do.”

1 Samuel 28:7

Commits suicide

Saul groaned to his armor bearer, “Take your sword and kill me before these pagan Philistines come to run me through and taunt and torture me.”

But his armor bearer was afraid and would not do it. So Saul took his own sword and fell on it.

1 Samuel 31:4

Insecurity completely unraveled Saul’s life.

Where are you at along the path of insecurity?

Confidence That Comes From God

“God’s way is perfect.
All the Lord’s promises prove true.
He is a shield for all who look to him for protection.
For who is God except the Lord?
Who but our God is a solid rock?
God is my strong fortress,
and he makes my way perfect.
He makes me as surefooted as a deer,
enabling me to stand on mountain heights.
He trains my hands for battle;
he strengthens my arm to draw a bronze bow.
You have given me your shield of victory;
your help has made me great.
You have made a wide path for my feet
to keep them from slipping.

2 Samuel 22: 31-37

Read the prayers that David wrote to learn about his relationship with God.

v. 32 How did David have confidence? He believed God that was his shield, that God would protect him.

v.33 David believed that everything he went through was actually God training him. If something bad happens, you don’t need to panic because you can trust that God is training you and making you stronger. Are you fighting in your marriage? Struggling with a special needs diagnosis for your child? Every challenge is God training us.

v.36 God’s help is what makes us great… not our own effort. Do you want to be great? Then invest energy into your relationship with God! If you made a pie chart with all the energy you spend, how much would be effort in your relationship with God? Ask your spouse or roommate the amount of energy they see you put into God!

We need to have more conversations about our relationship with God. Collin Kapernick is a great QB, because he spends 90% of his conversations talking about football. How much are we talking about our relationship with God?

How To Turn Insecurity Into Confidence

1) Decide to Trust

• Believe God is not done with me yet
• Believe God can work through others

2) Build Intimacy

• Heart honesty and openness with God
• Heart honesty and openness with people
• Talk about something that really scares you!

3) Take Risks

• Take a chance with your heart
• Do something that requires faith

How big of a factor is insecurity in your life? If we don’t take it on, it will unravel our life. If we take it on, we will build a relationship with God like David had and become strong.

Take a risk—choose to know God!