%20(1)_.png){kind=small}
“But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people.
(I Peter 2:9)
Many people and more than you might think deal with low self-esteem and low self-worth and the key to overcoming this is to allow the Lord to open your eyes to the truth. We will look at the 3 topics below to help you in this area.
I. Admitting the Identity Issue
II. Discovering the Cause
III. Healing & Believing in Your True Identity
I. Admitting the Identity Issue
How do you know if you have identity issues, meaning low self-esteem? First, you need to admit that you do have a problem, then you need to discover what caused it. We will talk about that in the next section.
How do you know if you have low self-esteem and what are the signs? There are three ways someone with low self-esteem presents themselves:
1. The victim—everyone is always against them.
2. The Rebel—Defiant attitude
3. The Imposter—always trying to be a people-pleaser—being what others want you to be.
In these 3 different personas, they exhibit themselves in the following ways:
An overriding feeling of inadequacy.
Low self-confidence, and self-worth.
Feel unable or ill-equipped to cope with stressors.
Generally uncertain about the world and people.
Anxious about their relationships with others.
Poor decision-making skills and limited ability to choose quickly.
Being overly critical of yourself and other people.
Trying to portray yourself as overly confident to mask how you really feel, can be very controlling (when you control you do not get hurt, always afraid of being hurt, expect it)
Perfectionism to the point of never being satisfied.
Strong desire to be alone and avoid social situations.
Struggling to believe others and build strong relationships based on mutual trust and understanding.
Poor communication patterns that focus on the other person’s needs and wants more than your own.
II. Discovering the Cause
Now that you have realized that you do have low self-esteem, you now have to discover what caused it. It can be things that happened over and over more recently in your adult years, or stemming from your childhood that you never got over. Regardless, it will be a “thorn in your side,” so to speak until you deal with it and receive the healing that God wants to bestow on you. As He told the invalid in the Book of John, “Do you want to get well?” Well, do you? Do you want that confidence that you are priceless and valuable to God, just as our main verse states?
The first root cause is Satan himself, his sole purpose is the destroy anything that God loves.
“Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: “Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Messiah. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down.”
(Revelation 12:10)
He also tempts you and entices you into situations where you make the wrong choice and causes and chain of events that leads to low self-worth.
“When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when by his own evil desires he is lured away and enticed. Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.” (James 1:13-15)
He also puts thoughts into your mind, thoughts that if you dwell on them will take you into a pit of depression, despair and low self-worth. Don’t fall for it and you do not have to own those negative thoughts! Trash them!
“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.: (II Corinthians 10:3-5)
“Every good and perfect gift is from above.” (James 1:17)
Note: in some cases in which you may have severe emotional issues such as depression and extreme low self-worth, please do not hesitate to get medical help.
1. Most issues with low self-esteem or low self-worth come from:
· Troubled childhood—dysfunctional family and did not get much attention.
· A lot of rejection
· Bullying
· Others critical of you a lot
· Many failed relationships
· Ongoing issues in life (job issues, things never working out, etc.)
· Past trauma
2. Effects of Low Self-Esteem
· create anxiety.
· Stress.
· Loneliness.
· An increased likelihood of depression.
· Cause problems with friendships and romantic relationships.
· Seriously impair academic and job performance.
· Leads to increased vulnerability to drug and alcohol abuse.
III. Healing & Believing in Your True Identity
Now that you have seen the signs or symptoms of low self-esteem and are going to the Lord to help reveal areas in your present or past life experiences that have aided or caused it, it is now time to be healed and receive the truth! The devil is the one who does not want you to believe that you are a child of the King, Royalty! “The thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy; I have come that you may have life and have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10)
You find the truth in the Word! The truth about who you are to God. “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:32)
Reminding you again of our opening verse:
“But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people.
(I Peter 2:9)
You are a child of God and He paid a hefty price to pay for your and all of mankind’s sins, the very painful death of His One and Only Son, Jesus Christ.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)
You are special, chosen, and loved and He loves you all the time, when He created you, and even when you sin; He still loves you.
“I have loved you with an everlasting love, therefore I have drawn you with lovingkindness.” (Jeremiah 31:3)
“God demonstrates His own love for us in this, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)
Not only that, He created and fashioned your heart individually, just for you!
“He fashions their hearts individually; He considers all their works.” (Psalm 33:15)
Even the very hairs on your head are numbered! You are very special to God and since HE died for your sins so you could have an eternal home in heaven, that makes what HE says about you count more than any man or woman on earth. Would the very people who sometimes criticize you or put you down die for you? So why do you believe them over God?
Shrug those comments off and trash them! Send them to hell where they came from, because it is Satan who wants to take you down, he wants to send you into a pit of despair! Do not fall for it and take every thought captive, and believe in what God says about you!
“We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” (II Corinthians 10:5)
“And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.” (I John 4:16)
Once you get this, your confidence will be secure and you will be immovable!
Comments