Sermon on the Mountainside Self-Intimidation

Sermon on the Mountainside

Self-Intimidation

Have you ever felt intimidated?

To be intimidated is to be frightened or made fearful

Intimidation hinders you from peace and security

It causes you to feel less than you are

It keeps you from moving forward

   Don’t let your self-intimidation insult the work of God in you

When God revealed to Job is lack of knowledge Job replied

"I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted. Job 42:2

Our confidence to do all things comes from knowing God’s plan

God has always used unlikely people to fulfill His plan

You are a part of His plan

Don’t sabotage His plan by self-intimidation  

Self-Intimidation 

Have you ever felt intimidated?

To be intimidated is to be frightened or made fearful.

Intimidation hinders you from peace and security.

It causes you to feel less than you are.

It keeps you from moving forward.

There are a lot of reasons we become intimidated.

There is self-intimidation, personal insecurities

that hold us back from a fuller life.

Self-intimidation is when we believe we are weaker

because of our family background, education,

the way we look at our physical image.

We should never consider ourselves better than others.

Yet we need to have confidence.

   

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit,

but in humility consider others better than yourselves.

Each of you should look not only to your own interests,

but also to the interests of others.

Philippians 2:3-4

When we allow self-intimidation to bully us…

We lose the strength to serve and help others.

God has given you everything

you need for life and godliness.

He has made you different

than others for a purpose.

Self-intimidation will cause you

to look at what you don’t have…

In a way of keeping you from

seeing what you do have.

Humility is the way we approach life.

But being timid is…

 Showing a lack of courage or

confidence; easily frightened.

We need to know the difference

between being humble and timid.  

Jesus in His Sermon on the Mount

speaks to this issue of intimidation.

If you and I are going to face persecution,

insults, false accusations in this world.

We need to deal with our self-

intimidation, personal insecurities

that hold us back from a fuller life.

This form of intimidation is self-generated.

It is not others who are

getting in your face but self-talk.

2 Corinthians 10:12-ff Paul says…

 It is not wise to classify or

compare ourselves with others.

The result of comparing yourself with others

is going to result in our silence or our boasting.

I have had to deal with self-intimidation.

There are many great pastors

doing a wonderful job of preaching.

I deal with feelings of…

There are so many who can

preach better than me so why try.

Or, what if people judge me by the

better quality they see in others.

Paul says recognize you proper

limits and don’t go beyond them.

Also we need to recognize God’s work

in our lives and His promise to continue His work,

so use what you got and expect to grow

and get better at what you do.

Being confident of this, that he who began a

 good work in you will carry it on to

completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

Philippians 1:6

   Don’t let your self-intimidation

insult the work of God in you.

When God revealed to Job is

lack of knowledge, Job replied…

"I know that you can do all things;

no plan of yours can be thwarted.

Job 42:2

Our confidence to do all things

comes from knowing God’s plan.

Philippians 4:13 says it this way…

I can do all things through Christ

which strengtheneth me. KJV

God has always used unlikely

people to fulfill His plan.

You are a part of His plan.

Don’t sabotage it by self-intimidation.   

 

Scripture Reading

Matthew 5:10-16 NIV

10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,

for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11 "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

13 "You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.

14 "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.