Breaking Through Life's Biggest Barriers - How to Overcome Inferiority and Low Self-Image, Part 2

Any chance you feel coming down today. Hello, depressed look in the mirror and you say I don't like what I see years of self-doubt. Failure clouded your ability to see who you really are that you may believe that you're not worth much, that life really doesn't matter.

I'm here to take. It's not true. In fact, the God of the universe cared so much that he sent you a letter to tell you how important would you like to know what that letter says associate. Thanks for joining us for this Wednesday. Addition of living on the shipping Living on the Edge features the Bible teaching of Chip Ingram on this daily discipleship program today. Chip continues his current series working through life. Ellis Georgia for part two of his message how to overcome inferiority most open.

First, you need understand faith is knowing God's word. Hebrews 1017.

Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. I do not understand this. I don't understand what I'm telling you that when you expose yourself to the Scripture.

When you the word of God.

When you read the word of God.

When you put Christian music on that has content and lyrics.

In truth, faith grows. Secondly, though, is not enough just to be exposed to the Scriptures.

It grows when you renew your mind. Romans 12 to tells us that don't be conformed any longer to distorted mirrors don't be conformed along to this world but be transformed how metamorphic size from within change by the renewing of your mind that your life or your lifestyle could demonstrate what is acceptable and perfect. The key is the renewal of your mind. See one of the things you know I've got some real problems with the whole positive thinking movement promised pie-in-the-sky you think it think and grow Rich. They can do this thing can do that. A lot of that is thinking by their books negative riches that works but there's there's a tremendous kernel of truth in the positive thinking movement you know what it is you are what you think you are what you eat and you are what you think. Whatever you think eventually because that scriptural. Proverbs 23 seven as a man or woman thinks in her heart. His heart so he or she becomes not. Ask yourself, you watch 20 to 25 hours of TV you read three or four cheap novels.

Make sure you get in the sports page the business section every day or 4/5 days and you put all that information combined with all the commercials. All the billboards and all the people you need and their agenda is to say your value depends on your appearance, your value depends on your status, your value depends on your performance thinking a belief lies. But if instead you took some of that time and you begin to take seriously mastering the English Bible. In fact, memorizing key passages and studying it and getting God's view of you. You know what happened you be transformed to be transformed you because you're going to be what you think you only have hundred 68 hours every week and if you think that 45 minutes or an hour or so here together is offset the content of what's going to your head.

The other hundred and 67 your dream for some of you memorizing some Scripture. In the next 4 to 6 months if you got real serious about it could change and transform how you think about life and how you feel and that would change all your relationships, but is hard work more than renewing your mind nothing to come up with a plan. Notice three. Develop a plan to remove the distorted mirrors of the world with the mirror of God's word.

I stole this material from my wife. I watch my wife for over five years. Read this every morning and read it every night. These are affirmation statements from Scripture about appearance belonging, worthiness, security and confidence GMT and try wasn't legalistic to know I gotta read this this morning wanted to see herself how God sees her and so she would read in the morning appearance. My physical appearance in my unchangeable aspects is beautiful or handsome in God's sight.

He is my designer and maker and that she can bring it over to memorize the passage underneath belonging as I am wanted appreciated and loved by God. The most important person in my life. She affirmed that she prayed and just let it wash over worthiness.

I am now a righteous person in God's sight. Since I trust in Christ. I am covered by the robe of his pure goodness. Also, since I have a new nature.

I am a good person in my general practice of life. As I continue to grow in Christ, and she would read this over and read it over and you know what happened.

I watch my wife like a flower blooming years. It took to where she begin to look in the mirror and say I'm unique.

I don't have it all together.

Lot of room to grow, but I'm not a bad person and what other people think of me as their own personal business. I will not give it the power determine whether I'm an okay person or not. I put that in there. Some of you some of you will talk about if we were one-on-one and we knew each other better tears become deniers your cheek right now as you know, like you you like you at all and your curtains down deep inside and it was amazing. Some of you feel the most this way are some of the prettiest most talented gifted people in the room. There is no correlation no correlation whatsoever between how you really look at feel confidence in what goes on inside of learned that over the years, but God can change house and start you get God's view view number one number two believed God's view is true now three here's the kicker. My wife told me to warn you all, especially those of you this is hard. All right, some to warn you.

She said she had make sure when you get to number three you let people know they may not be able to do this one alone they might need a coach they might need a cheerleader, a chip were different personality and you've got to make sure to tell people for some people this is really a scary thing and what I want you to know is that I'm to ask you to do some things that will be real hard for some but if you want to gotta show to see you can know it. You can start to believe it, but some things can never ever become a part of your psyche in your life until you experience them so you have to discover the use of its truth. Jesus taught this watchmen when Peter was in the boat. Jesus was walking on the water. He believed his Lord he said yeah. Peterson.

What is really you, I believe we walk out to you. What did you learn when he was walking on water. It's true, it's true, and then he did what we do and he looked around so that's how faith grows.

It's true it's true it's true it's true that's life. The spiritual life, isn't this a spiritual life is this. But notice the direction lots of ups and downs member when they were fishing Jesus. Let him experience of the confessional night they heard a sermon he wanted to have some faith in who he really was.

You have to discover you have to experience it.

So Jesus is watching take units and throw him out on the boat on left side. The professional fisherman. The basic answers looked at we done this limit ourselves we been out all night. They don't bite. At this time a day you can almost hear him say in this little fish here and you can almost hear you know you paint the text in your mind. Jesus would look at what humor me guys, just humor me just throw that out and they do remember what happens is it's so filled with fish and eggs that start to break how they teach him. It wasn't just lecture it just wasn't intellectual, cognitive, faith and belief. You have to discover it.

Here's the axiom. Here's how a lot of things transpire in your life. The principles Luke 638 give, and it will be given unto you, good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over for by whatever measure the ideas you know school work by whatever measure you give in that same measure and be given back to you now that passage is often quoted with reference to money true, but that passage is not a money reference in Scripture you go read Luke and you just fine. It is in a section of Scripture that talks about how life works. When you give away friendship. What happens people want to be your friend when you give away a listening attendant dear what happens people want to listen to you when you give away compassion. What happens people are compassionate to you when you give away short quick abrupt rude actions toward others. When you get back is axiomatic. Some things can only be learned by experience. I'm gonna give you five things about away. This is a mouthful. Someone asked me how how is it take to prepare messages. This would took about 2025 years. I'm dead serious. These are things I've been learning for 25 years and I'm just getting over the mountain peaks and encouraging you to go back and study, but here is all I want to get the big main points see yourself the way God does believe what God says about you is true, and then discover the you that is true by experiencing it.

Let me give you five key ways to begin to experience what's true view number one unwrap your spiritual gift. First Corinthians chapter 12 verse one says now about spiritual gifts, brothers, I don't want you being gone once every person in this room to know you have a super natural ability. If you trust in Christ.

If your partner's family say that every believer is a soup natural ability. At least once when you put down on the plane for the body of Christ.

Stuff happens.

People get wound and you what happens when you exercise your spiritual gift and you see people moved in change through you. Guess what happens to you God used me.

Maybe this is more real than I think. Second, unleash your spiritual passion. Psalm 37. Four. Delight yourself in the Lord will give you the desires of your heart. Some of you have desires. We never share it with anyone you got a desire to see disabled people reach for Christ desire to see what can happen in third-graders desire for Hispanic ministry to growth. You have a desire for people to meet homes all over the county and study the Bible become close friends. These passions and nobody knows what they are and you not put them out on the playing field and align because no one would ever want to listen to someone like you. And if you tried it. Of course it wouldn't work with, of course not an inferior person like you like me unleash on this young get out there in the playing field of the body of Christ and see what God will do. This is the part where those of you are thinking this guy is nuts. Teresa was right.

This is Gary you're right give an Adobe given unto you. Third, use your God-given talents.

Speaking of the building of the temple. The Lord says in Exodus 31, three, and I have filled him with the spirit of God with skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts.

Some of you can work with wood so you can crochet some can work with computers.

You have all comments you where a lot of talents are in this room, buried under the floor. We don't even know what you think.

I will honey let you know when you're really talented. Here's my almost 99% experience with talented people. Everyone here has talents but the one that you're good at, because you're good at ease shot is nothing for you for the rest of us is like well you do that well you Monday play the guitar undistorted taken little bit and maybe in the you know you say all I don't know much about computer I just taught myself. You know will build anything I just I just tinker around the garage and it's 4500 ft.² on that in a week.

There is no sir. People take your guess and say to serve people get your passions out of the playing floor. Take your talents and say somebody with these. I don't think it's much apply for, embrace your God-given personality. First Corinthians 211, the living Bible says it well, it says no one really knows what anyone else is thinking or what he is really like, except that person himself, and no one can know God's thoughts except condoms. There's different personalities.

There is not a right.

When he got you have to be up front, outgoing, visible, motivating people and don't have to be sly and cool and reserved and stoic you can be you.

If you're funny be fine if you're laid-back be laid-back if you're driven get driven in the right direction most attractive personality.

The whole world is why copy some mouse. I asked you sanctified you, Lord willing. The spirit controlled you, Lord willing, just for you. The person that people most be attracted to is not you trying to fulfill what you think they want each human being who you really are fifth leverage your past experience. Romans 828 great promise.

It says, and we know that in all things God works for good of those who are loved by him who have been called according to his purposes. Some of you have educational experience. Some have vocational experience.

Some of you have marriage experience. Some of you have parenting experience. Some of you have suffering experience and you've been through the agony of just cancer or of a divorce or you've been through a childhood. It was just unmentionable.

God doesn't waste paying second Corinthians chapter 1 says that the comfort in the grace God gave to you through your pain. He wants to take that.

So you can comfort others in the same way God doesn't use people strengths. Normally he usually uses your weaknesses. You and someone has it all together so you want to know for me. I'm really good at this most to say no, not really, but when someone walks up to you and says what I struggle with that to you know what my dad left one when I was 521 surely had some struggles and here's what the Lord showed me as I've grown up with. Leverage your experience if you hear what I'm saying let's get out of the cubicle. Let's move out of the TV room with the entertainment center.

Let's get out of the fence is a go all the way around to keep our life safe, let's get out of making sure our 401(k)s and all those things we thinking to keep it secure the wall and let's serve other people.

Let's get our focus out on others because here's the axiom ministry is God is how God makes what's true of us trooping, thinking that ministry giving away is how God makes true in us what's already true of us. Sometimes it's only in the act of loving others that we can fathom that we ourselves are loved. Sometimes you can only fathom how deeply loved. You are when by giving love to another, God let you see how very real it is. I struggle with grasping the God loves me unconditionally for even the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister to serve DD. Are you hearing it.

Believe what's true, but discover it by giving away what he's given you risky yes you cheerleader probably need a coach yes need help.

Absolutely. According to a Gallup poll, only 10% of all layman are involved in ministry in the church of Jesus Christ 50% of them said they have no interest. I feel sorry for them.

I feel really bad for them because they're ignorant. I mean that ignorant people have no desire to be involved in ministry there gonna miss out on the richest blessings of life, but 40% of them said no one's ever asked me for I just don't know what. If you're involved in ministry here. I start asking people to join you people just need to get hooked up gifts and deploy their talents on the playing field.

You must get God's view of you. You must believe God's view is true and you must discover the you that is true but skillful so is God's own social takes a lifetime to understand why no maybe today's message struck a chord with you like to hear it again. You can today's message how to overcome inferiority and a low self-image is available online at http://livingontheedge.org when sugar just click listen now ship will be right back.

But if you're just joining us, you're listening to Living on the Edge with Chip Ingram this message is part of Troop series called breaking through life's biggest barriers in the series trip tackle some of the most common obstacles to personal growth. You learn how to overcome the feelings of loneliness and isolation will discover how to conquer personal stagnation and you'll find out how to defeat the thoughts of inferiority and a low self-image is a series that will bring hope and give you the tools you need to build a better future. Based on the truth of God's unfailing love. This series is available for a limited time at a special on-air discount price to order Troop series breaking through life's biggest barriers. Just dial 1-888-333-6003 or visit us online at http://livingontheedge.org which are before you come back with some practical application for today's teaching we have an email hear from a person who's been a Christian for many years and has given up reading the Bible because every time they try, they say they just don't get anything out of it. What would you say to someone like that.

Well Dave I have to tell you, first of all, it breaks my heart because the Scripture was written for the common people. The common people heard Jesus gladly. You didn't have to have a PhD. You don't have to have some level of intellect. You don't have to be super spiritual. To understand God's word.

But what I can tell you is I don't think most people know how I know I didn't. And I know that you can open the Bible, especially if you open someplace in the Old Testament, or may be in one of the epistles and and you can read for three or four minutes and become convinced pretty clearly. I'll never understand this. What I want you to know that's not true. There are some simple tools that you can learn so that you cannot only read the Bible and understand it but that you actually hear God's voice. In fact, because this has been such a big issue in my life. We've created an online video course entitled how to hear God's voice in Scripture and the teaching is bite-size. It's like seven minutes and then I give you a few things to practice each time you're in the word so that you really experience God and that we have a companion Bible study that goes with that afterwards called encountering Jesus in the Gospel of John. That takes those simple tools and helps you begin to form the practice in the gospel.

That's really pretty easy to understand our heart.

In 2019 is to help people, not just have a high view of God's word but to get in it to be ministered to and actually meet Jesus through the Scriptures breaks trip will this online video course how to hear God's voice in Scripture really is a great new resource from living on the judge will matter where you are in reading the Bible what your peers will take your ability to discern God's voice to a whole new level. You can do these five video sessions on your own time at your own pace is your relationship with God deepens your confidence will increase will actually begin to look forward to spending time with them. Just go online to LivingontheEdge.org and take your next step toward hearing God speak to you through his word without her strip with some final application you know it's rather ironic, isn't it the paradoxes of life the way that you really get is to give the way that you really live is to die the way that you discover who you really are is not getting getting getting taking taking taking halving and experiencing it serving and yet we resist that we all do the Gallup poll that we cited in the message. Only 10% of all the believers in America are active in ministry. Now don't get me wrong I'm not talking.

There's no guilt trip coming about, you know, if you haven't served in the nursery and allow you better get with the program. No no no no no. What I'm talking about is God's wonderful gift of giving you a shape. I mean a miraculous unique thumbprint and imprint that only you have. You might say will audit what's all this shape stuff. It's an acronym we use around here for how God made us the S stands for your spiritual gift. We believe every believer needs to know your spiritual get the supernatural ability that I talked and message unwrap your spiritual gifts you need to know what the and get them into play and point exciting things happen in the H is for heart or or passion you need unleash your spiritual passion.

There's some things deep inside of you that if you begin to express them. I'm telling you, you'll get up every morning and you knocked down the law of the a stands for ability that you have certain abilities are not necessarily spiritual but it's the way you think it's what you can talk. It's your artist.

You can use music you're an engineer with abilities. God wants to use us. Think about how to put those in the practice for the kingdom. The PS personality as extroverts and introverts. There's all kind a great test to discover that God gave you a personality that combined with your passion, your gifts and your abilities. I'm telling you there's only one of you and when you get involved in your local church.

I don't mean just the 10 I mean get involved in ministry aligned with the shape exciting things happen. You see, why don't know exactly where I would do that. Will the easiest for experience.

God has been preparing you for ministry and so your spiritual gifts your passions, your abilities, your personality, and those past experiences all blend together where a hand drops into a glove of ministry that handed you the gloves the ministry and I mean, you begin to do that and you will discover your unique design joy like you've never known in the kingdom will grow. I challenge you before God today get engaged in a specific ministry.

Take a risk, say, your pastor, I want in where you need me at Living on the Edge were excited to announce a new way to listen to our extended teaching podcast your chip anytime on Amazon's Alexa echo and echo.simply say Alexa enabled the Chip Ingram podcast once Alexa is enabled with that skill.

All you need to say is Alexa play the Chip Ingram podcast you'll hear that these extended teaching anytime you want will be with us again tomorrow when she continues her current series children. This is the thanks for listening to this Edition of Living on the Edge