Listeners will be moved by the passionate teaching on how Satan uses pride and self-doubt as entry points to derail believers from their God-given destiny. Using relatable analogies and scripture, the discussion highlights the incredible worth ascribed to us through Jesus’ sacrificial love, positing that our true value is not measured by worldly standards but by the price God was willing to pay. By understanding we are accepted in the beloved, Christians can confidently walk in the power and privilege of their divine identity, breaking free from the chains of condemnation, and live fully for God’s glory.
I believe you or someone you know needs to hear today’s message, Defeating Self-Doubt. While there is a need for preaching against the pitfall of pride that snares many in the church and ministry, I believe you or someone you know needs to hear today’s message, Defeating Self-Doubt. At the other end of the spectrum are those who grapple with a false sense of inferiority and worthlessness. They need this word of the Lord, defeating self-doubt. Glory to God. You may be seated if you want to. And some of you that didn’t make it out here today, you missed it. You know, sometimes you’ve got to press your way. If you’re waiting till you feel better, the devil will make sure that every Sunday you don’t feel good. He’ll make sure every time something goes haywire, you’ve got to make up your mind. You’re going to press your way in spite of. Amen. Because the devil’s already figured you out. He knows how to stop you. He knows how to send that back pain. He knows how to send that knee pain or whatever pain it might be, that headache or whatever. And you’ve got to learn his strategy and say, you know what? I’m going to get there this morning. I’m going to press my way and I know God is going to meet me and he’s going to work it out today. Amen. Because we’re going to minister this morning on the subject of defeating self-doubt. Now, I understand that the month of May is supposed to be the mental health remembrance month and they focus on mental health. And we have seen some very terrible heartaches in the news of beloved people who have become so oppressed by depression and such. And it’s very heart wrenching when we think about it. But God is a deliverer. Yes, he is. He’s a deliverer. And we’re going to preach on that this morning. We’re going to go to the book of Philemon, which nobody ever preaches out of. And people say, where’s that? Is that in the Bible? Yeah, it’s in there. It’s squeezed in between 2 Timothy and the book of Hebrews. It’s only 25 verses. Little tiny book of Philemon. But that’s where we’re going today. Because it has a powerful verse we want to look at. And we’ll begin… I won’t tell you the chapter, okay, because it’s only one chapter. But we’ll look at verse 4. I thank my God, making mention of you always in my prayers. I’m encouraged already. If I was Philemon, I’d be encouraged thinking the great apostle Paul was mentioning me in his prayers. Hearing of your love and faith, which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all saints. Not just some of your favorite ones, but all saints. That the communication of your faith is. may become effectual by the Acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus Somebody say I’ve got some good stuff in me Because Jesus is in me I Am in Christ See, we have good stuff in us. And that’s what we’re going to talk about. Now, let me premise this by saying that for a great number of Christians, they have the opposite problem. They have a problem of pride. They tend to be puffed up in their own imaginations, thinking more highly of themselves than they ought. And you know, the Corinthian church was like that because Paul mentioned six times in one letter about them being puffed up. 1 Corinthians 4.6, 4.18, 4.19, 5.2, and maybe this will be on the screen, 8.1. In 8.1, he says, knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. That’s a good one, isn’t it? Yeah, knowledge. I really, I know a lot, you know. Amen. The know-it-all, puffed-up person. But he said love builds up. And then here’s a good one. It comes from the love chapter, 1 Corinthians 13. And one of the things it denotes about love is in verse 4. Love is not puffed up. Amen. And I have to say that by far… This is the greater tool that Satan will usually endeavor to use as an entry point in a Christian’s life. And there’s a good reason for that. Because it was the thing that made him fall. We see that in 1 Timothy 3, 6. It says, lest being lifted up with pride, he fall into condemnation of the devil. And the verse before it, he said, don’t put someone who’s young… Young in the faith in an important office. Do not give them an important office because they are in danger of being lifted up in pride. Because that’s what made Satan fall. So, of course, he uses this as one of his prime stratagem to come against Christians. But on the other end of the spectrum, there’s something that’s just as insidious and just as detrimental to our spiritual growth. And that is when someone, and this can be harder really to identify, when someone has a false sense of inferiority. When they have very low self-esteem. When they battle with feelings of worthlessness. Or you know their life is just worthless. It’s not worth even living. When they battle with self condemnation. And self incrimination. This can actually undermine their faith. And their productivity as a Christian. And a child of God. When they’re always thinking. I’m so unworthy. But I feel so unworthy. I feel so worthless. And you know. It doesn’t matter how you feel. It’s not what you feel. It’s what God’s word says. The devil isn’t a master at making you feel things. Amen? And when people just get tuned in only to their emotions and their feelings, oh, Satan really has a heyday. Amen? And we preach, and over the years, our beloved brother Hardy, we know that over the years, and sister Hardy, preached a lot of messages about crucifying the flesh. Amen. Amen. And, you know, Brother Hardy always said, you know, get yourself by the back of the neck and put yourself up on that cross and be crucified with Christ. Amen. And we got to die every day. And we know these messages and we need to hear them because that is Satan’s primary entry point of attack. And make no mistake about it. Self-will will kill. Self-will will kill. And that’s why we have to preach messages like that. And you don’t really hear them, a lot of them. At least I haven’t heard a lot of them when I watch TV and such. Amen. But I believe there’s also a need in the body of Christ for some people to be encouraged to have more self-confidence. And I say self-confidence with the understanding in Christ. Amen. If you go in the world and listen to what the talk shows are saying, that’s all you will hear. It’s the age of the selfie. Everything is about how you feel, what you want, what your truth is. And, you know, and it doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter whether it doesn’t even agree with common sense. If that’s your feeling and your truth, whatever. Do it. Go on. Do it. Amen. We remember a while back when they used to say, if it feels good, do it. But we’re talking to children of God. We’re not talking to the world. We’re talking to people of God whom Satan comes against them with this false sense of unworthiness. And it robs them. It deeply robs them of all of their benefits that they would have in Christ. Because not of who they are or what they are or what they’ve done, but who we are based on what Christ has done for us. See, it’s what Jesus has done for us that determines our worth. My worth is determined by what God has done for me through Jesus. And the price that he paid for us determines our value. What is your value? What is my value as a child of God? It’s what Christ paid for us. You see, the value of something, anything, is determined by what a person is willing to pay for it. Now, we know that sometimes auction houses put things up for sale. And they will auction off paintings and portraits and works of art and sculptures and jewelry. And even mementos of famous people. And… They offer them up for auction and the price, the value of that thing is ultimately determined by whatever someone is willing to pay for it. And sometimes the price can go up exorbitantly because aggressive bidding keeps driving the price up. And this person bids higher, but that person really wants it. So they go higher. And it goes on and on. And after a while, everybody’s looking at you. People start dropping out of the bidding. Dropping out. But it gets down to two, you know. But they keep going at it until finally somebody drops out. And there’s the one that kept bidding the highest. They drove the bidding up. And the price that the value of that thing became exorbitant because they were willing to pay that price. Like a lot of times I often say, let’s suppose that this handkerchief here is being auctioned off. And it used to belong to Elvis Presley. And not only that, but at one of his concerts, he used it to wipe the sweat off his brow. And now it’s going to be auctioned. Now, honestly, they’ll start it off. Let’s say they say we’re going to start at $100. There’s no way I’m giving my $100 for that. I don’t care. I think Elvis Presley, you know, had a lot of talent and very gifted. And sometimes I even listen to his gospel hymns because they’re quite pretty. But I don’t care about spending $100 to get a handkerchief with which he wiped the sweat off his brow. I’d rather have my $100. Oh, but there’s some Elvis fans out there, folks. Diehard Elvis fans. And they said, I’ll give you $200 and $300. And before you know it, that handkerchief sells for $2,000. That’s the value. Because someone. Was willing to pay the price. That exorbitant price. Because they saw in their minds. The value of it. Amen. And I want to tell you. That God was willing. To pay the exorbitant price. Of the precious. Of the perfect. Of the pure and sinless blood of his holy son. The lamb of God. Who took away the sins of the world. That’s what God was willing to pay. Amen. And he paid the price of that precious. Pure holy blood of his beloved son. When we were damaged goods. Amen. Amen. I mean, a vase might go for $500 as long as it’s not cracked and broken. But if someone accidentally knocks it over, that’s the end of that. We were damaged goods. We were broken. We were cracked. Amen. But God paid the highest possible price in the universe for you and me when we were damaged goods. Amen. Amen. That’s the price he was willing to pay. Flip over two pages to your right and you’ll come to Hebrews. And look at chapter 2 and verse 11. Okay, I’m going to say it now. I might say it again. But right now I’m going to say this is one of my favorite verses. Hebrews 2.11 For both he that sanctifies and they who are sanctified are all of one. For which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren. So let’s look at this. Who is he talking about? For both he that sanctifies. Who sanctifies? Jesus sanctifies us. And they who are sanctified. Who’s that? You should be waving your hands. You should be saying me, me, me. That’s me. Amen. So I want you to get the impart of this verse. Both Jesus, the sanctifier and Sharon, the sanctified person are one. I’m one with him. Therefore, he’s not ashamed of me. He’s not ashamed of me. Jesus is not ashamed of me. Somebody say he’s not ashamed of me He’s not ashamed of me Because in God’s mind and in Jesus mind We are just as sanctified as he is. This is very hard to digest But we’re just as holy We’re just as righteous and I hear the protest but that’s not true. I know I’m not that holy I And I agree, not in yourself. And neither am I. But in Jesus, God sees me that way. He sees me that way. He sees you that way as long as you are in Christ. Amen? Let’s turn to 1 Corinthians chapter 1 and looking at verses 30 and 31. But of him are you in Christ Jesus. So I’m going to put my name in there. You can put yours in there. But of him is Sharon in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us. Jesus is made unto Sharon, wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. That according as it is written, he that glories, let him glory in the Lord. You see, right here we’re told he that glories. We could use a modern word and say he that boasts. Because it’s the same meaning. He that boasts, let him boast in the Lord. It’s okay to boast. As long as you’re boasting. Amen. And you’re declaring who you are and your position in Christ Jesus. You know, David said it in Psalm 34. Oh, bless the Lord with me. And let us exalt his name together. He said, my soul shall make her boast. Who? Where? How? In the Lord. It’s okay to boast as long as you’re a boasting in the Lord. He didn’t say you couldn’t glory. He didn’t say you couldn’t boast. But you’ve got to have the correct posture. To glory and boast who we are in Christ. And let’s go to 2 Corinthians. And now for real this time. My favorite scriptures. I promise I won’t say it anymore today. But I have to say 2 Corinthians 12. And I’m living this right now too. Right this moment. Verse 9. Well, first of all, Paul said he had this problem going on and he prayed three times about it. And he wasn’t getting an answer he wanted. And verse 9, that he finally got an answer. And he being God said unto me, my grace is sufficient for you. For my strength is made perfect in weakness. And when that sunk in, it had to sink in. Paul said, well, most gladly, therefore, will I rather glory in my infirmities that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Whatever price I got to pay for the power of Christ to rest upon me is well worth it. Verse 10, therefore, I take pleasure. In infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses. For Christ’s sake, here I go. For when I am weak, when Sharon is weak, I am strong. I am strong. I am strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Amen. So you see, my boast is in the Lord. And I tell the Lord this too. I remind him, you know, that that’s what his word says. I remind him that my weakness is a showcase for your strength. So this is time for you to show off, Lord. About time for you to show off. Amen. Because my weakness is a showcase for your strength. So our acceptation of who we are and what our value is in God’s mind is vital to us being able to stand when we come up against attacks of the devil. Don’t forget what the Bible tells us about him amongst a whole lot of things that he’s a deceiver and a liar. And one of the things he is, is an accuser. an accuser of the brethren, or we’ll just say an accuser of the believers. This is one of his number one occupations is accusing the saints. Let me tell you something. He doesn’t just come and sit on your shoulder and accuse you. He goes up to God and accuses you to God. And then he comes back down and accuses God to you. We saw that in the book of Job. We won’t go there. But you know, we are told that Satan appeared before God and accused Job to God’s face. And then he came back down after God gave him a window where he allowed Job to be tested. He came back down and accused God to Job. That’s what he does. Amen. And that’s why we have to know who we are in Christ. When we begin to flounder in condemnation. Ah, Satan sees an opportunity. And he will capitalize on it every time to come and heap accusations on you. Amen. So you got to always remember it’s what Jesus has done for us. What God has done for us. And since he chose to do it. He chose to do it. I’ve made a decision. I’m going to accept it, receive it and operate in its power and in the privilege that I have. Amen. Oh, I said I wasn’t going to say it again. I’m not going to say it again, but you get the idea. Ephesians goes with this. Oh, my. I have Ephesians one. Somebody say it for me. Thank you. Ephesians 1, 6, which someone said is, I didn’t say, but they said it was one of my favorite scriptures. To the praise of the glory of his grace. Oh, what kind of grace are we talking about? Wherein in this grace, he has made us accepted in the beloved. No wonder it’s one of my favorites. Because of his grace, he’s made me accepted in the beloved. Who is the beloved? In the beloved. We’re accepted in the beloved. Answer me the one right here in the scripture. Who’s the beloved? Who are we accepted in? All right, Jesus. Didn’t three times God… Verbally out loud speak out of heaven. This is my beloved son in Whom I am well pleased Jesus is God’s beloved son and I’m accepted in the beloved son of God How many believe that God loves Jesus course he said it three times when he said this is my beloved son it’s another way of saying this is my son and I love you or I love him and you know I have never ever in my entire Christian walk had the devil come and say to me you know God doesn’t love Jesus I have never heard that anybody ever heard a voice say to you that God doesn’t love Jesus No, me neither. How many have ever heard the devil come and say, God doesn’t love you? Oh, yes, I have. I even had an audible voice one time speak to me and say, God hates you. I almost fell off where I was sitting. That’s how strong it was. So the devil never tells me that God hates Jesus. So if I’m accepted in the beloved. How many see where I’m going? If Satan comes and says that God doesn’t love me. Well I know God loves Jesus. I know that he loves Jesus. And the devil will never ever refute that. So therefore he must love me. Because I’m in the beloved. Amen. Because I’m in the beloved. Amen. Amen. What a bondage-breaking word of the Lord, defeating self-doubt. I have observed that the primary tactic Satan uses to snare Christians, especially those in ministry, is pride. I mean, after all, it’s what caused him to fall. But on the extreme opposite are Christians who struggle with their worthiness in Christ and in life in general. They are handicapped by self-doubt that holds them back from being what God designed them to and steals their joy in Christ. They have not learned how to acknowledge every good thing that is in them in Christ, as Paul wrote to Philemon. Knowing who we are and what our value is in God’s mind is vital to be able to stand when we face satanic attacks against our minds and emotions. Defeating self-doubt is a word that will lift the clouds of doubt, worthlessness, and despair. Open one’s eyes to our value and worth in Christ, accepted in the beloved. It can be ordered on CD for a love gift to the radio ministry of $10 or more. Request offer SK222. Please consider an extra love gift to help with rising postage costs. Mail to Sound of Faith, P.O. Box 1744, Baltimore, Maryland, 21203. Or go online to our e-store on soundoffaith.org where it is available on MP3s. But to order by mail, send your minimum love gift of $10 to P.O. Box 1744, Baltimore, Maryland, 21203 and request SK222. Till next time, this is Sharon Knott saying, Maranatha.
