Overcome Intimidation

The Oxford English Dictionary defines intimidation as: to render timid; to inspire fear; to discourage; or, suppress by threatening.

Like other strongholds people battle intimidations, however most do not confront the source of it or even realize that there is actually a source. Some battle intimidations by going to counselors and learning to cope and function with their intimidations. If they are “lucky” they will find a psychologist that will prescribe some sort of happy pill. They don’t have to learn anything, just take a pill and their issues go away. While others withdraw into isolations. The bottom line the church, as a body, and as an institution, suffers from those who are living in intimidation. Things aren’t getting done because of it.

Tonight, I want to share how intimidation comes about and the consequences of those who yield to it.

Let’s look at now how does intimidation come about. There are 4 basic ways intimidation happens.

ONE. Through WORD CURSES. Word curses are something spoken over you by someone. There was a saying when I was in elementary that I am sure everyone has heard, “Sticks and stones can break your bones, but words will never hurt you.” In actuality, they can. Depending who says them, become word curses. Especially someone in significant – like a mother or father or a teacher or spouse. Even your peers.

Second basic intimidation occurs is THROUGH YOUR OWN PERCEPTION ON YOUR SELF. I’ve learned three secrets to overcoming low self-esteem. Want to know what they are? The first one is, to stop the negative self-talk. Even though, word curses and rejection can play a large row in low self-esteem, it is what you say and speak into your own life can do just as much damage. You too, can bring forth word curses on your life, just like someone else can.

If you would have told me a year or six months ago that I would be up in front of you, I probably would think you were crazy.

The Bible is full of scriptures of who you are in Christ. Start memorizing them, but more importantly mediate on them. Get them from your head to your heart. John 1:12 Says, “Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave us the right to become children of God.” Roman 8:11: “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

Think about it for a moment. The God of most high accepts us as His own child without any condemnation because the price that Jesus paid on the cross for our sins. I challenge everyone to get a good Bible Concordance or do a search on the Internet for the “Who you are in Christ” Bible verses and take each one of them and spend time memorizing them and letting them sink in your heart. The key again, is not to just memorizing them, but accepting them as truth as face value as a word from God to you. The scripture doesn’t mean anything unless you believe and speak them in your life.

The second secret I have learned about overcoming self-esteem is to like your self. Do a soul search and honestly ask yourself, “Do you really like your self?” Of course, it is easy to say you do, but take a look deeper down into yourself. When you look in the mirror do you like your self from the physical and internally. Jesus told us to love neighbors like we love ourselves. If you don’t like yourself, how can you expect to like anyone else and you are also opening yourself up to a whole can of demons.

The third secret I have learned is to stop measuring my God given talents and abilities to others. In reality, yes, there will always be someone better than me by experience. That does not minimize the talents and gifts have bestowed onto me. But, I can’t think it is realistic to think that someone that has been doing something longer and poured their life into doing something that I can learn it through Cliff notes version and overnight and be at the same place they are now. It doesn’t work that way. Even though Spiritual Gifts are from God they still need to be mastered and polished. God will only give you what you can handle.

When I was 15, I was given my first car before I knew how to drive.. But, before getting it, my mom decided that she would be the one to teach me to drive in one of their cars. A word of advice, do not decide to teach someone how to drive in a standard transmission car on a slightly uphill surface, especially when the house is the prime target below. Then, tell them to turn to key and put it in reverse. Well, that was my mother did. I did something wrong and the car died and started rolling towards the house. My mom screamed in panic for me to push the break. Well, I kept pushing, but it wasn’t the break. It was the clutch. The car ended up rolling into the house. I only hit the side of the house. Not much damage to the car or the house. I can remember my dad running outside to see what happen. After that, my parents enrolled me into Driver’s Education and told me that before I was able to drive my own car, I need to get my driver’s permit and took the responsibility of teaching me how to drive and place it on someone else that had a break on the passenger side of the car.