"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new" (2 Cor. 5:17).

"The memory of the just is blessed" (Prov. 10:7).

"The memory of the righteous continues a blessing." (Berkeley Version)

"For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him" (2 Cor. 5:21).

The psychologists teach that most all adults have either a little boy or a little girl living inside them. If this is true, then most human behavioral problems could easily stem from scars left deeply imprinted in people's minds.

If your childhood memories and experiences continue to have a bearing on your psyche, you do indeed need to endeavor to become a new creature in Christ Jesus. As long as the old things, especially experiences, have direct influence on your daily life, you cannot, as a believer, have full benefit of your new life in Christ Jesus.

If you first face the possibility that the small child you were is yet being dealt with, you can easily understand why so many people have to continually deal with their insecurities.

As a child, you charged, then retreated; you tried to come on boldly, courageously, determined. That strong expression of your emerging will was met with the equally strong parental "no" - or perhaps even with the back of a hand! Then you no doubt sought another way to satisfy your growing curiosity; you tried to find fulfillment of your unalienable rights.

You longed for some kind of recognition in a very strong, adult-dominated world. Or, you may have been babied, coddles, and spoiled. If your every whim was granted, you ended with even greater scars because you were not then learning obedience.

Those painful and harsh childhood experiences are buried somewhere deep within you. You either seek to become a new creature in Christ totally, or you continue to give way to the little child.

No doubt the adult world is much closer to childishness than anyone would care to acknowledge. As someone has said, "You either parent the child or give in to him."

If what a Christian receives with his salvation is immediate perfection, including complete security, you may expect to be continually surrounded by an adult church - a church made up of people completely free from insecurity. This would mean that there would be no more church quarrels and splits, no more marital strife and divorces. A perfect love would be shown by all and to all.

Since this isn't the case, you can assume that your insecurities must be dealt with, and your new life of security in Christ your Lord must be cultivated continuously and be coveted above all else.

Maturity and security are strong words; insecurity and childishness are fearful words. Security and trust are words of peace. Fear and unbelief are words of torment. Security and generosity are the opposite of insecurity and selfishness.

As God our Father looks down upon us, He sees us as believers 100 percent pure and holy, because he views us through the mighty sacrifice of His Son, Jesus, on the cross. In the eyes of God, a believer is as much a completed saint the day he is saved as he will ever be, whether he lives one hour or a hundred years.

We cannot, by works, improve on our standing with God. Jesus our Lord not only died for us, shedding His precious blood for our sins, He also gave to us, as a free gift, His own perfect righteousness.

There are no great laws we must fulfill to get to heaven. There are no great sacrifices to make. The laws were all fulfilled for us by our Lord. The complete sacrifice was made. All anyone needs to do is believe the Gospel story of our Lord and receive Him as personal Savior. That's all!

What then are we to contribute? We get to become partners with Jesus in God's Kingdom. We are permitted to share that wonderful new life with the world around us. We get to pray, give, and love. For these things we will be rewarded after we get to heaven and hear Him say, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant."

There are other things we are privileged to do. We get to crucify the old nature and put it under. We get to cultivate good fruit - to watch the old man die and the new man being renewed day by day.

If we fail to recognize our weakness and our insecurities, they will remain very much a part of our lives. We will then remain as a baby Christian, immature and dominated by the carnal flesh. Childhood behavioral habits will try to surface and rob us of a glowing testimony and maturing life.

If Christian fruit were automatic, all would have an equal portion. If Christian maturity were natural, it would be seen equally by all. If godly temperament were the Christian norm, we could forget about church fights and splits. There would be none.

One of the damaging things that can happen when great truths are being reemphasized is that those truths can become substitutes for the Lord Jesus as our security.

Submission is a biblical truth. Its new emphasis was needed, but some have allowed those to whom they were submitting to take the place of their Lord.

Faith's confession is a great truth, much needed by the Church, but we must not prostitute this biblical truth by making it merely a way to "get things from God." God wants us to claim what belongs to us. His provision for us is healing and prosperity. But if having these things becomes your security, it is misplaced security! The Lord Jesus, our wonderful Savior Who purchased these things for us, must always be our only security.

Security, as it relates to everyday living, can only surface and become part of us as our insecurity is recognized and dealt with. James 5:16 states it so well: "Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed."

We do need that confessing, recognizing those inherited weaknesses that war against us as believers. Then the wonderful security of our Lord Jesus the Perfect One Who lives in us, will emerge; and we will walk in newness of life as mature and secure saints of God.

A Prayer
Dear Father, there is nothing I desire more in this life than for others to see Your beauty in me. I desire to become a big person. I don't want the weakness of the flesh to continually surface and be seen in me.

As I become acquainted with and acknowledge my insecurities that bind and hinder my desire to be like You, help me to overcome them. Help me to allow that wonderful security I have in You to become my life-style.

I don't want the little child that I once was to dominate me. I want You to live big in me. I confess my faults and weakness to You now. I believe with my heart and say with my mouth: Old things are passing away and all things are becoming new.
In Jesus' Name, Amen.


Source: Healing Your Insecurities by Roy H. Hicks
Excerpt permission granted by Harrison House Publishers