5 Tips to Overcome Insecurity

Insecurity can be a killer.

It results in lack of confidence, hesitancy, and decreased performance.

This was my story.

For years, I tried to overcome a host of insecurities. I read books, talked to sports psychologists, used breathing techniques, and tried positive affirmations. Sometimes things would improve, but without fail, the insecurities always came back.

Discouragement hit its height on a bus trip in college. I thought to myself as we traveled, "I guess this is just how I am going to be the rest of my life."

Then, I met Jesus Christ and He changed everything.

God has given us everything we need as Competitors for Christ to live a godly, victorious life. The same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead dwells in us as believers. (2 Peter 1:3, Romans 8:9-13, Philippians 4:13).

There is no insecurity too difficult for the Lord to overcome.

Therefore, we can engage the confidence battle with courage and boldness! We are more than conquerors through Jesus Christ who loves us (Romans 8:29-31). We do not need to suffer any longer as a slave to insecurity, fear, and their effects. 

Every championship team has two things in common - They have a relentless offense and a strong defense.


As followers of Christ, we need both!

However, many of us live focused solely on defense. Our mindset is: "Don't let insecurity win!" "Don't sin!" "Don't think bad thoughts!" We defend, defend, defend in an effort to overcome insecurity and live victoriously. As a result, we end up in survival mode trying not to mess up or make a mistake.  

Today this changes!

The truth is we are more than conquerors through Jesus Christ! The same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead dwells in us. We are the victors, not the victims in every circumstance we face. God always leads us in triumphal procession through Christ. Because the Word of God abides in us we are strong! (Romans 8:11-13, 28-31, 2 Cr. 2:14, 1John 2:14, Phil 4:13).

As victors, our approach to overcoming insecurity is offensive, confident and bold! We do not stay back on defense. We go on the attack and make every insecurity obey God's truth!

How do we go on offense to overcome insecurity?

1. WE ABIDE IN CHRIST. Above all, we get intimately connected to Jesus Christ, the Power Source. He is the Vine; we are branches. Apart from Him with can do nothing (John 15:4-5). Every day, we boldly approach the throne of grace that we might receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need (Heb. 4:16).
   
   Seek intimacy with Christ.
   Declare dependence on Him.
   Invite Him into every part of your day.
   Abiding in Christ is a non-negotiable.
   
   
2. WE STAND ON GOD'S PROMISES. God has declared many powerful promises about who we are in Christ. We need get rooted in these promises and then stand boldly upon them! This offensive effort is described in more detail in the next section.
   
   
3. WE WIN EVERY MORNING! Offense is an attitude that refuses to let our emotions win the morning. The moment we awake, we set our eyes on Christ and win the morning. Once we win the morning, we win the day. We take every thought (and emotion) captive to obey Christ (2 Cr. 10:3-5). We start our day moving forward, taking ground, and pressing on to the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus (Phil. 3:14). 

To overcome insecurity, we must live with relentless offense and a strong defense.

One of the biggest lies we can believe is: “Who you are equals what you do.”

This is not true.

We are not defined by our performance and what others think.

The truth is God, the Creator, determines our identity and significance. He defines who we are, not our performance and what others think of us. He declares us as followers of Christ to be:

• Deeply Loved  (John 3:16)
• Totally Accepted (Romans 15:7)
• Absolutely Significant (Matthew 6:25-33)
• Completely Secure (John 10:27-30)
• Entirely New (2 Cr. 5:17)
• Purposefully Sent (John 20:21)
• Strong and Courageous (1 John 2:14)

God's promises establish us on secure ground. Whether we play good or bad, we are deeply loved. Whether scouts like us or not, we are totally accepted. Whether we sign big contracts or get cut from a team, we are absolutely significant.

Insecurities cannot stand when we are firmly rooted in our Identity in Christ!

Download a FREE Identity in Christ PDF below to start standing upon God's promises, or take the 30 Day Identity Challenge!

What we believe about ourselves impacts the way we view life.

For years, one my greatest insecurities was "I am slow." As a result, every time I lost a race on the ice, the first thing that went through my mind was "Man, I am slow!" Next, came discouragement and fear. I would wrestle insecurities about what my coaches thought, what scouts thought, what it meant for my future, and a host of doubts about if I really had what I took.

It took me years to recognize I was believing an incorrect "I am" statement.

Yes, I needed to get faster. But I wrongly attached my performance (my speed) and what others thought about me to myself as an identity statement.

I am slow.  

The truth is I am who God declares me to be. I am fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:13-14). I am gifted exactly as God purposed me so I can impact the exact lives He created me to impact for His glory.

The truth is "I am fearfully and wonderfully made and I am getting faster."

Do you have any incorrect "I am" statements destroying your confidence right now? 

• I am not good enough
• I am a failure
• I am not offensive
• I am not a leader
• I am not cared for 

When we identify our incorrect "I am" statements, our insecurities come into the light. The darkness of falsehood cannot overcome the light of truth. 

Craig Groeschel, in his book Winning The War In Your Mind, nails it when he says we need to build trenches of truth to renew our mind.

Once we decide to go on offense, start getting rooted in our identity in Christ, and identify our incorrect "I am" statements, we must commit to digging a trench.

Trenches take time, effort, and commitment to build. The faint of heart do not build trenches. Warriors dig trenches. Why? They need it for the battle.

We need trenches of truth to win the battle against insecurity.

How do we build them? We verbally declare God's promises every day.

Over time, as we diligently dig our trench of truth, the neuropathways in our brains literally get rewired. The truth (our Identity in Christ) then becomes the new lens we view life through.

Stay encouraged. Be tough. Renew your mind. Build a trench of truth.

Freedom in Christ Ministries developed an incredible tool called the Stronghold Buster to help people rewire their minds.

It goes like this. Once we identify a lie, we pair it up next to God's truth. Then, for the next 40 days, we verbally declare God's truth every morning. The focused, diligent, offensive effort rewires our minds and tears down strongholds.

What an incredible offensive attack to destroy the strong-holds our insecurities have in us!

Little bits of effort over a long period of time create big gains.

Use the PDF below to build your own Stronghold Buster list and start attacking them!

Be Encouraged! Through Christ, we can overcome insecurity.

1. Go on Offense. 
   • Get intimately connected to Jesus
   • Attack and win every morning!
2. Get rooted in your Identity in Christ!
3. Identify incorrect "I am" statements
4. Build trenches of truth
5. Use the 40 Day Stronghold Buster

“Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the LORD GOD is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.” (Isaiah 12:2)

Join other athletes from around the world training their confidence on our weekly Zoom training groups. We run off-season (May-Aug) and in-season (Oct-Mar) groups. Click the link below to join a group for your age and skill level.