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How To Gain Self Esteem by Breaking Free from the Lies We BelieveWhat do lies have to do with learning how to gain self esteem? Well, let me start by sharing an illustration that makes sense to me. It has to do with weeds. Let me ask you a question. What is important when you are weeding your garden? Recognition of which plants are weeds. Otherwise, we may uproot the good with the bad or allow certain weeds to continue to take root, thinking they are life giving, fruit bearing plants! Isn't the same is true in our lives, in regards to our thoughts? We need to develop “weed recognition”, the ability to recognize when the enemy is planting those weeds of lies into our lives. Even Jesus said that they will know you by your fruit. In my life, this has made a huge difference as I've learned how to gain self esteem. In his book, “Waking the Dead”, John Eldredge says, “most of us simply try to ‘put things behind us,’ get past it, forget the pain as quickly as we can. Really – denial is a favorite method for coping for many Christians. But not with Jesus. He wants truth in the inmost being, and to get it there he’s got to take us into our inmost being….to go with him into the deep waters of the heart, uncover the lies buried down there, and bring in the truth that will set us free. Don’t just bury it quickly; ask God what he is wanting to speak to.” Begin to recognize and uproot the weeds or lies in your life is your first step in learning how to gain self esteem. Often times those thoughts that keep coming up in your mind again and again (and tear you down instead of build you up) will be those lies. My mom calls it….“Stinkin’ Thinkin’”!
Some examples: What about body image lies - have you fallen for this one? In place of the lies, begin to plant the seed of God’s truth into your mind (2 Corinthians 10:5). We are transformed by the renewing of our minds! Check out Romans 12:2. And the only way to renew our minds is to change what goes into it! Did you know that one way people are trained to recognize counterfeit money is by studying the real thing? Therefore, one way we can get better at recognizing the lies is to know God’s Truth, reading scriptures. There is no shortcut for this step. This seed may take time to grow, it’s hard work but worth it! One great way to do this is to memorize bible scriptures. I know it sounds boring, but think of it as a way to prepare for battle. I have found it to be one of the most effective ways for me to have victory over Satan in my life. Something else that has really helped me is praying God's word. If you are having difficulty overcoming a specific struggle in your life, I'd recommend trying it! It's changed my life. Starve the flesh and feed the spirit. The more we feed the flesh, the bigger this “monster” grows and the more damage is seen. It seems innocent at first. If you feel overwhelmed, don't! That's just another lie Satan is telling you to keep you from learning how to gain self esteem and true freedom in Christ. I have felt the same way and have had great friends to help me. You're not alone and if you need help or someone to listen, feel free to contact us. Watch this Cool Video of Casting Crown's Song "Who Am I"Practical Steps to Replacing the Lies with Truth…
Need some truth to get you started? Download this excel file to discover who your really are! (It will open as a .zip file) Remember, this is just one step in learning how to gain self esteem. But, I can tell you from personal experience that it is powerful when you apply it. If you need help in this, e-mail me.
Read this Self Esteem Poem Titled "Who Am I?" Return from How to Gain Self Esteem to Teen Beauty Tips Homepage
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Realize that those defeating thoughts are not from God, but from our enemy, Satan, who wants to destroy us and keep up captive. (
