One of the greatest lies that the enemy can tell us is that we don't matter. He spends our entire life trying to make us believe it. He starts when we're young, because if we believe that no one will listen to us because of our age, we begin to learn the habit of thinking of ourselves as insignificant. He's not biased as to who he tries to implant this lie in. He targets everyone, Christian and non. If he can keep us from the love of Christ, he's closer to success. He starts with: that doesn't matter, no one wants to hear that, even if you said it they wouldn't care, it won't make a difference. Then it progresses into: you shouldn't try to do that, it wouldn't work out anyway, someone else needs to do that but definitely not you. When we get caught up in and held captive by these lies long enough, the narrative changes. The words change to: you don't matter, no one wants to hear what you have to say, they don't care about your opinion or thoughts on this; you can't do that, you will fail because you're not good enough, just let someone better than you handle it. I've got to admit that it is a well planned strategy. If the enemy can stop us before we even begin, he wins without a fight.
I have been doing ministry for twenty years. When I was young and vibrant, I worked with junior high and high school students. I went for sixth graders because I felt passionately about instilling in them their identity in Christ before the pressures of being a teenager formed their identity for them. I've worked with college students and young adults and I've been a part of women's ministries. Let me tell you something. That feeling of not being good enough seems to never go away. I have spoken with numerous adults who are afraid to step out in faith because they are new in their faith or they feel that they are not "spiritual" enough for the task. I have spoken with adults who believe that their prayers are not enough and they ask everyone whom they view as more spiritually mature to pray as well.
If you happen to lean towards believing these lies. I'm here to tell you why you should stop. First of all, look out into creation. Do you see anything that is insignificant? The sky, the ocean, look out from a mountain top and tell me that you don't see something absolutely magnificent. I have binge watched the Our Planet show on Netflix and I'm in awe of creation. Are we excluded from that? When a baby is born we all recognize the preciousness of that life and are constantly amazed by each thing that our child does. Are you the one human being that is exempt from that? If your mind is answering "yes" right now, you're the one that I want to shake and scream at.
The Bible tells us that God knit us together in our mothers womb, that we are fearfully and wonderfully made because His works are wonderful (Psalm 139:13-14). We are His handiwork, created to do good works (Ephesians 2:10). When we are in Christ we are new creations (2 Corinthians 5:17). He remembers our sins no more (Hebrews 8:12) and we are warriors who WILL overcome the world (1 John 5:4). God made us, therefore we are significant. We are a part of a fellowship in which EVERY member is a part. 1 John 1:3 tells us that "we proclaim what we have seen and what we have heard SO THAT you may also have fellowship with us; and our fellowship is with the Father and with His son Jesus Christ". In a fellowship, everyone brings something to the table.
Satan doesn't want us to believe any of this. Here's why. He has read the end of the book, you know, the one that most of us tend to shy away from. Revelation 12:11 says that "they triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimonies". No matter what the devil does to try to conquer the world, he can never take away the blood of the lamb. Jesus died once, for all (Romans 6:10). But he can silence your testimony. He tries every minute of every day. If you feel insignificant you won't speak up, you won't pray, you won't share your story of victory because of the shame that you feel for your past, you will remain silent because you and your words won't matter. Satan's biggest lie of all and his greatest strategy in fighting a war that he will never win.
Step out in faith and believe that you were made for a purpose that only you can fulfill, and begin to use your voice to share what God has done and is doing in your life. Join Kristy and Amanda this week as they remind themselves that they are important and significant and discuss how they are learning to step out in faith.
