Anna Light - In_Security: Break Free from what Holds You Back

In_Security:

Break Free From What Holds You Back

By: Anna Light

Copyright 2016 by Anna Light All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be used, reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any means whatsoever except for brief quotations in articles and published reviews without the prior written permission of the author.

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ISBN: 9780988209640
Library of Congress Cataloging in-Publication Data

Table of Contents

Scripture references are from the New International Version (NIV), unless otherwise indicated.

Some names have been changed to protect the privacy of the individuals.

Foreword

Pastor Amy Groeschel

Co-founder of Life.Church

Co-author of From This Day Forward and SOAR

Security a confidence that comes from feeling safe and free from fear is not a luxury, it is a vital and basic human need.

Security heals us emotionally as well as physically. Security is like a sheep experiencing the care of a good shepherd like that of our Psalm 23 God. Security is the confidence to live knowing that Gods goodness and mercy will follow you.

But too often, and for all sorts of reasons, fear and anxiety are commonplace in the human heart, and the root of these two ominous emotions is insecurity.

Do you know, without a doubt, that you are infinitely loved? Do you know that you have value that is far beyond what you produce, look like, or even act like?

I would long have answered, Yes, of course, I know I am loved. But now I know these Truths in a far deeper and more personal way. God uniquely revealed them to me through various difficult circumstances. Now I shout a resounding, Yes! God loves me! I am His and He is mine. Nothing could ever separate me from His love. Above all else, knowing and experiencing Gods love sets us free. The more we gain a better grasp of His indescribable love, the greater freedom we live in.

Anna Light isnt too different from you and me. Shes known the thrill of romance and success, but shes also tasted the bitterness of disappointment and rejection. What makes Anna a standout in the crowd is her newly found freedom in Christ. And not just the amazing freedom that came from her faith in Christ, but a growing freedom of discovering her true value because of Christ.

In_Security was born in Annas heart because of her obedient compassion to serve others by teaching them the same truths that transformed her heart and mind.

The book you're holding is full of potential. With Gods help, it has the potential to open your eyes to view yourself as God sees you. It has the potential to break the strongholds of lies that youve believed about yourself. It can potentially bring you a level of freedom that youve never known before. My prayer is that In_Security will be your new normal.

May you know that you are wonderfully fashioned by our glorious God. May you overflow with courage, love, faith, hope, compassion, and dignity - just to name a few - because Christ Jesus came to bring us the good news that through His amazing grace we are chosen, loved, and adored His very Own!

Introduction

The old idiom Better late than never is appropriate here. This book has been writing itself in my brain over the last ten years. Ive worked on it, agonized over it, hated it, loved it, needed it. There were times I gave up on finishing it for the very reason I felt called to write it. Ironic, isnt it? Insecure about writing a book about insecurity. The inadequacy Ive felt while writing has only fueled the fire I have to help others overcome the insecurities holding them back. I see others struggling under the weight of insecurity, living in lies, and being held back from their full capacity, and I realize that yes, I must finish it no matter how long it might take. I have to remind myself that I really dont care what people thinkor at least Im not supposed to care. But I do. We all do. We care and compare and judge and believe things that arent true, and therein lies my desire to get this story out. God has called me to help people overcome the insecurities that hold them back, so I choose again to honor his calling and get to work.

Sometimes I look up quotations about writing to inspire myself before I start, and the one I read today expresses how I feel about this subject. A real writer doesnt just want to write; a real writer has to write. The urge gnaws at me until I have no excuses left. This story has to be told, even if its just to remind me what I know. But I believe Gods timing is perfect, that someone reading this book needs to hear these words. You've lived in the shadow of your own insecurity for too long and it is your time to walk into the light, liberated from your bondage. For you, I write. If you have ever felt stuck in your abilities, drained by lifes circumstances, wrought up from self-hate, or held back from a full and vibrant life by an indefinable weight of fear, this book is for you.

But why must a book like this be written? Why is there so much bondage in peoples lives to sin, depression, fear, anxiety, self-destructive behaviors, insecurity and lies? I believe it is because the enemy knows the most powerful person on the planetand the most dangerous to himis a free person, a person set free by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, a person who is able to rise above the lies that bind her and walk in the Truth of who she is. Our enemy is threatened by our power and influence, so hes doing everything he can to keep us bound up, focused on the wrong things, and wallowing in despair. When were free, were not held back by fear, self-doubt or self-hate. When were free there are endless possibilities for God to work in and through us to accomplish all Hes called us to do. The enemy doesnt want us free. That is the very reason we must become free.

Heres how this book can help get you to that freedom. In the first section, "Problem, Prison, Pain", we will define insecurity in its various forms, finally putting a name to what it is we are fighting. Once we have laid the foundation, we will build on our knowledge in section two, "Presence, Perception, Power", and learn how to stop living our lives for the approval of others. By section three, "Promise, Pursuit, Prize", you will have the tools you need to break free from the insecurities holding you back, launching your capacity and influence to the next level.

As I share my journey I give you the framework to begin your own journey to freedom. At the end of each chapter we will Take a Deeper Step In_Security. This is an opportunity for you to write out your own thoughts and personalize the framework to fit your unique struggle. There will be times I ask you to stop reading and do an exercise. There will be time and space for you to engage in the material, apply it to your life, and see the lasting effects as you put it into practice. But before we get there I want to make one thing clear. Trying to find freedom from insecurity without a relationship with Jesus Christ is like jumping out of an airplane without a parachute. He is the creator of your heart, the founder of your life. If you're looking to rid yourself of the chains that keep you bound, your relationship with Him needs to be the center of your life. Whether you've known His grace before, or never known it at all, it is ready and waiting for you to accept as your own and begin the journey to become the person He designed you to be.

Its time to become free. Lets become dangerous to the enemy.

Part 1