Rise Up: How to Cultivate Godly Confidence and Step Into Your Calling
Pastor Victoria Sowell
Feeling like you're not enough? Struggling with insecurity and that quiet inner voice that constantly compares, questions, and critiques? You’re not alone—and more importantly, there’s a better way forward. Confidence isn’t about charisma or control. It’s about knowing whose you are and walking boldly in that identity.
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Confidence Isn’t a Personality Trait, It’s a Spiritual Posture
Let’s start with this: godly confidence has nothing to do with being loud, extroverted, or flawless. It’s not rooted in how many followers you have or how easily you can speak in front of a crowd. Confidence that lasts—the kind that shapes lives and sets people free—comes from knowing you're deeply loved and called by God.
When your identity is tied to your performance, you’ll always be left questioning your worth. But when your identity is tied to Christ, you can face uncertainty without falling apart.
The truth is, confidence doesn’t just show up one day. It’s cultivated over time, through trust, obedience, and dependence on God.
Why Does Godly Confidence Even Matter?
Confidence rooted in God isn’t just a warm, fuzzy feeling. It’s a lifeline. When your heart is settled in who God says you are, here's what begins to shift:
You find courage instead of fear (Isaiah 41:10).
You live with peace instead of anxiety (Romans 15:13).
You fear God, not people (Hebrews 13:6).
You experience fulfillment in Christ, not striving (2 Corinthians 3:5).
You receive grace instead of shame (1 John 3:20-21).
You walk in wisdom instead of foolishness (Proverbs 28:26).
You live with direction instead of wandering (Proverbs 14:26).
You discover purpose and calling (Romans 8:28).
These aren't just perks—they’re promises for those who choose to root their lives in Christ.
Don’t Throw It Away
Hebrews 10:35 says, “So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded.”
How many times have we thrown away our confidence because of fear, comparison, rejection, or the sense that we’re too much—or not enough? We give it away in moments of weakness, and then wonder why we feel lost. But this verse is a reminder: confidence has value. It's not disposable. It has a reward. Guard it. Fight for it. Don’t trade it for cheap lies.
A Woman Who Rose Up: Deborah’s Story
Sometimes the best way to understand confidence is to see it in action. That’s exactly what happens when you look at Deborah’s story in Judges 4–5.
Israel was in chaos. The people were cycling through sin, oppression, repentance, and temporary deliverance. They were doing “what was right in their own eyes.” (Judges 17:6). It was dark, discouraging, and destabilizing.
Enter Deborah. She wasn’t just a judge; she was a prophet, a spiritual leader, a woman of wisdom who others came to for counsel. When God gave her a word for the nation, she didn’t hesitate—she passed it on to the military commander Barak.
But Barak hesitated. He told Deborah, “If you go with me, I’ll go; but if you don’t, I won’t” (Judges 4:8). That might seem cautious—but it actually revealed a lack of trust in God’s word. Deborah, on the other hand, stood in full confidence. “Certainly I will go with you,” she replied, “but the honor will not be yours... the Lord will deliver Sisera into the hands of a woman” (Judges 4:9).
What Happens When Women Rise
Deborah’s obedience led to a miraculous military victory. Sisera, the enemy commander, was defeated, not by Barak, but by another courageous woman—Jael—who delivered the final blow. Together, these two women changed the course of a nation.
Later, in Judges 5:7, Deborah sings, “Villagers in Israel would not fight; they held back until I, Deborah, arose, until I arose, a mother in Israel.”
There’s a powerful lesson here: when one woman rises in confidence, others find the strength to rise too. Confidence is contagious.
It’s not about spotlight or fame—it’s about obedience and trust. Deborah didn’t boast in herself. Her confidence came from hearing God clearly and responding without hesitation.
“So may all your enemies perish, Lord! But may all who love you be like the sun when it rises in its strength.” (Judges 5:31)
The Lies We Hear
So what’s standing in our way?
Often, it’s not failure or even fear. It’s the quiet, internal lies we’ve been believing for far too long. Lies like:
“I’m not enough.”
“Someone else could do it better.”
“I’m too much.”
“I’m not qualified.”
“Who am I to lead, speak, go?”
We forfeit so much when we agree with these lies. Not just peace, but purpose. Not just security, but the joy of walking in our calling. That’s the enemy’s strategy—keep us insecure so we never become who we were created to be.
Identifying the Lies and Replacing Them With Truth
This isn’t about pep talks or self-help slogans. The work of building confidence is slow, holy, and intentional.
Here’s what it takes:
Get still with God. You can’t hear truth when you’re constantly distracted. Make space to meet with Him.
Identify the lie. Don’t just brush it off—name it.
Speak the truth out loud. Use Scripture. Say it until it sinks in.
Surround yourself with faith-filled people. Let their trust in God strengthen yours.
And remember: this isn’t a self-improvement project. It’s about letting God speak into who you are and walking that out, day by day.
The Trap of Self-Reliance
One of the most common lies the enemy whispers is deceptively empowering: “You’ve got what it takes… on your own.”
Sounds good, right? Until you’re drowning in the pressure to perform. When confidence is based on your strength, there’s no room for failure. And failure will come.
Paul reminds us: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.” (2 Corinthians 10:17)
True confidence isn’t self-assurance. It’s Christ-dependence.
That’s where the pressure lifts. That’s where peace flows. That’s where real power begins.
What Confidence Is Not
We need to let go of the illusion that confidence means having it all together. Real confidence doesn't require a curated Instagram, a perfect marriage, or a five-year plan. It doesn't come from:
Relationship status
Body image
Job title
Income level
Personal achievements
Others' opinions
All of that is sand. The only firm ground is Jesus.
Psalm 37:4-6 tells us:
“Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun.”
Delight. Commit. Trust. That’s the path.
Building a Confidence That Lasts
So how do we build it?
Time in God’s presence. This isn’t a checkbox—it’s where your soul breathes.
Replacing lies with truth. Every day. Every moment.
Speaking Scripture aloud. Let it echo until it drowns out the noise.
Leaning on community. We rise better together.
And above all? Recognize that this confidence is a gift, not an achievement.
It’s not about becoming something you’re not. It’s about believing what God already says you are.
What Happens When You Rise
When one woman rises, others rise with her.
She inspires courage in the hesitant. She brings clarity to confusion. She reveals the beauty of God’s plans simply by walking them out in faith.
And then—when the breakthrough comes—she doesn’t take the credit. She simply says, “The Lord did this. I just did what He told me to do.”
That’s confidence. That’s power. That’s faith.
Want to Rise in Confidence?
What lie have you been believing?
What truth does God want to speak over you?
What would change in your life if your confidence came from Him alone?
Start today. Write down what God says about you. Keep it close. Let His words shape your mind, your choices, your relationships.
You were made to rise.
Further Reading
What Is Godly Confidence? – Desiring God
How to Replace Lies With God’s Truth – Proverbs 31 Ministries
Other Links
Want to hear more? Check out this past message on Identity and Insecurity by Pastor Victoria from View Church.
Looking for more resources? Visit www.viewchurch.co/resources for Bible studies, tools, and encouragement.