“For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21).
CONSIDER
Once again, I’m reminded of the plague of insecurity that the devil contaminates believers with in hopes of getting them off track. I see it tormenting people of every gender, race, and age. And it still knocks on my own door occasionally.
Thankfully, this is an area I recognize quickly because I battled it fiercely for so many years. It can knock on the door of my heart but I don’t answer it anymore because I’ve learned who I am in Christ and understand my purpose is found only in Him.
But this isn’t the case for most people. Many are bombarded daily with the fear of rejection. I meet people all the time who hide behind masks only letting their eyes reveal the truth. Some masks smile, some show no emotion, while others change regularly trying to find just the right “disguise” to hide what’s really going on inside.
I’ve come to realize insecurity is an epidemic. It doesn’t care who you are. It will find a way in your heart if you let it. In Facing the Mirror, I wrote:
Insecurity is an evil. It doesn’t matter if you’re young or old, male or female, American or European. Every human being has to come face-to-face with insecurity at some point in time. With the best of intentions, our friends and family can tell us how wonderful and loved we are, but unless we believe it for ourselves, insecurity has the ability to squelch dreams, mask truth, and redefine destinies. “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he” (Proverbs 23:7a).
God has created every person unique with individual gifts, talents, and callings. But with the world and media constantly blasting their idea of perfection on each new generation, it’s hard to find your true self in the mix. From kids on the playground to executives in a boardroom, insecurities can arise from comparisons and a lack of inner confidence—and that’s if you are close to perfect by the world’s standards.
So what about the person who was abused or neglected as a child? How do the injured, the maimed, the rejected, and the self-inflicted find confidence in who they are in a world that barely lets the “beautiful and perfect” person survive? [page 6]
This is a good question, but not the one we need to focus on. A better question is, “What’s the cure for this awful plague?”
The answer is simple: an understanding of who we are in Christ. It may sound religious, but it’s not. My answer may even sound too simple, and maybe it is, but that’s what the devil doesn’t want you to know.
Paul nailed it when he said, “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21). The Amplified Bible says, “For our sake He made Christ [virtually] to be sin Who knew no sin, so that in and through Him we might become [endued with, viewed as being in, and examples of] the righteousness of God [what we ought to be, approved and acceptable and in right relationship with Him, by His goodness].”
Number one, it was for “our sake” God made this exchange for us. And number two, what matters is how God sees us. Knowing and understanding the righteousness we received through Christ at salvation is a vaccine against insecurity. In fact, it is the only cure.
REMEMBER
The devil has many counterfeits (or we could say over-the-counter imitations), but they are nothing more than another mask. When you’ve found freedom from insecurity, you don’t need a mask because your life is now “hidden in Christ” (Colossians 3:3). He becomes the only covering you need– the perfect vaccine against the plague.
It is my prayer that every person discover these truths quickly.
PRAY
Holy Spirit, open my eyes with revelation of truth. Help me see myself the way God sees me. I choose by faith to believe and accept who I am in Christ. Thank you for revealing that as a believer, I am the righteousness of God in Christ. Insecurity does not control me.
