Defy the Crippling Lie I’m Not Worthy
by Gena Barnhill @BarnhillGena
The Truth: I can defy the crippling lie I’m not worthy because I’m God’s treasured possession. My identity is in Christ, and He says I am valuable (Deuteronomy 14:2; Matthew 6:26).
The Lie: I’m not worthy.
I’m Not Worthy Skit
Have you ever watched “Wayne’s World,” the Saturday Night Live comedy skit with comedians Dana Carvey and Mike Myers? Press and I looked forward to watching this comedy skit when it aired on television in the early nineties. When he met a TV guest in his basement recording studio, Dana Carvey would bow, stretching his arms to the floor, and repeat, “I’m not worthy, I’m not worthy,” while the live audience howled.
Last week, Press jokingly lifted his arms up and down and said, “I’m not worthy, I’m not worthy,” when his friend offered help with a construction project. Over thirty years later, situations still arise that remind us of “Wayne’s World” and the phrase, “I’m not worthy.” Press accepted the friend’s offer, and we laughed while we remembered the comedy show.
Although “Wayne’s World” poked fun at Garth, played by Dana Carvey, feelings of unworthiness are not a laughing matter. We have seen hundreds of people crippled with the belief they are not worthy or valuable in God’s eyes.
Defy the Crippling Lie I'm Not Worthy #healing #hope Share on XThe Power of Words
Our words possess incredible power—they can hurt and destroy or uplift and edify. We must exercise caution in what we listen to and speak. Proverbs 18:21 reminds us, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue.” While Dana Carvey’s comedy skit aimed to entertain, we have witnessed countless individuals tormented by the belief they were unworthy.
Prayer recipients have shared their experiences of being told by family members and authority figures they were worthless and destined for failure. Often, they were compared to relatives who struggled to maintain employment or relationships. Phrases like, “Look, you’re just like Uncle Tony. He never amounted to anything,” cast a dark cloud over their lives, perpetuating a cycle of disappointment and feelings of worthlessness.
In other cases, individuals could not pinpoint the exact origins of their unworthiness beliefs. It could have stemmed from a critical teacher, bullying from peers, the misinterpretation of a comment, or a negative ancestral influence. Sometimes it resulted from embracing subtle subliminal messages. We must exercise caution in our self-talk because constant self-loathing can lead us to believe the lie I’m not worthy.
Discovering the Truth
When faced with individuals burdened by feelings of unworthiness, we encouraged them to seek God’s truth and ask how He sees them. Through prayer, they discovered their worthiness is not something to be earned but is bestowed upon them by God’s grace. In powerful encounters, they envisioned Jesus introducing them to Father God as spotless and blameless, experiencing a profound revelation of their identity in Christ. This transformation of head knowledge into heart knowledge allowed them to accept the truth of their worthiness in the presence of God.
Biblical Truths to Defy the Lie I’m Not Worthy
Throughout the Bible, we find reminders of our inherent worthiness. Moses reminded the Israelites they were God’s treasured possessions. He said in Deuteronomy 14:2, “For you are a people holy to the Lord your God, and the Lord has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.”
Psalm 139 reaffirms our value by proclaiming we were magnificently created by God. How then can we be unworthy? In Psalm 139:13–14, David wrote, “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.”
In Matthew 6:26, Jesus drew attention to the care God provides for even the birds of the air and emphasized our greater worth when He said, “Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?”
We were destined to be God’s children, adopted through Jesus. We can rest, knowing our identity in Christ. Paul confirmed this in Ephesians 1:3–5 when he wrote,
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will.
Recognizing Our Value
The Lord wants us to understand our immeasurable value in His kingdom. Jesus, through His sacrifice, has removed our sins, allowing us to stand before God as worthy and redeemed. Our worthiness lies in accepting Jesus as our Lord and Savior. By doing so, we align ourselves with the truth we are worthy in God’s eyes. Letting the enemy know we reject the lie of unworthiness further strengthens our resolve. Understanding our worth comes from God, and proclaiming our worthiness completes the process.
Overcome the Lie I’m Not Worthy
Unworthiness is a significant struggle for many individuals, but we must recognize the power of our words and thoughts. Through prayer and seeking God’s truth, we can overcome the lie I’m not worthy and believe in our value as God’s treasured possessions.
The Bible provides numerous affirmations of our worthiness, reminding us we are fearfully and wonderfully made, chosen by God, and of greater value than birds. Let us walk in the truth we are worthy, finding freedom from the shackles of unworthiness and walking confidently in our God-given identity and value. Consider using the acrostic below as a reminder of our value.
The Acrostic VALUE
Victory is in Jesus. We conquer the lie I’m not worthy because our identity is in Jesus.
Accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior. We come into a relationship with God, our Creator, through Jesus. This relationship allows us to experience the fullness of worthiness in Father God’s eyes.
Let the enemy know we no longer partner with the lie I’m not worthy. We stand firm in the truth of our identity as God’s cherished children.
Understand the origin of our worth. Our value is not dependent on achievements, possessions, or opinions of others. It originates from being created in the image of God and His unconditional love.
Exclaim our worthiness based on our belonging to Christ. Speak words of truth and encouragement to ourselves and others. Help others understand the importance of a relationship with Jesus and God.
Defy the crippling lie I’m not worthy and delight in your identity as God’s treasured child. Experience the joy of knowing He deeply loves and values us, despite our weaknesses. Let this truth transform our minds and inspire us to share the goodness of God with others.
Now it is your turn. We learn from each other. What would you share with someone who thought they were unworthy?
Be sure to leave your thoughts on our Facebook Group Healing Prayer Discussion.
Blessings,
Gena
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