Have you ever felt like you don’t belong, or wondered if you were included, accepted, or invited, by mistake? Have you worried that you’ve been accepted by accident, that your boss overestimated your abilities, or your church thinks you’re a better Christian than you actually are?

One memory I have of feeling like an imposter happened the night I graduated from Bible College. I’d just finished a three year diploma and was heading off to take up a full-time mentoring role with Teen Challenge the very next day. 

I will never forget listening as the presenter proudly spoke about this graduate who was going off to work in full-time ministry. The first student to go straight from Bible College into full-time ministry. The crowd clapped, and I remember thinking to myself, “Uh, what?” and then silently realising, “Oh, they’re talking about me!”

The fear is real. Feeling like you don’t belong, that you’re not good enough, that somehow you tricked everyone into choosing you, and that sooner or later they’re going to figure you out. 

This fear has a name. It’s called Imposter Syndrome. And it’s very common.

It’s also very powerful! And, it’s a lie!

Imposter syndrome is the reason we quit early, sabotaging ourselves before we have the chance to disappoint. Imposter syndrome cripples us, making you feel like a fraud. It keeps us from being vulnerable to others, because we’re so afraid of being found out.

Imposter syndrome can be found at all levels of society, lurking like the underhanded, silent killer of your destiny. It hides in the shadows of our insecurities, shaming us with lies about our inadequacy.

But, imposter syndrome isn’t based on truth, and that’s why we should resist it! 

There’s a character in the Bible who suffered from imposter syndrome, his name was Peter. The book of Luke (chapter 8 vs 4-11) tells the story of Peter fishing all night long, with nothing to show for it. I can imagine Peter’s reluctant frustration when Jesus tells him to cast the nets out again.  Like those moments when the boss asks you to go back to the drawing board, after spending hours on a proposal that isn’t “good enough”, or doesn’t meet the brief. The imposter whispers, “See I told you! Nothing you do is ever good enough.”

I’m sure Peter grumbled as he threw the nets out again. And then! Then he witnessed a miracle as the nets filled with fish. The Bible says Peter fell on his knees and pleaded, “Oh, Lord, please leave me, I’m too much of a sinner to be around you.” In that moment, Peter felt exposed, ashamed and unworthy. He knew all the ways he fell short, and his response was to hide. 

What happened next is really interesting. Jesus didn’t respond with encouragement by appealing to Peter’s insecurity. Jesus doesn’t seem to acknowledge Peter’s insecurity at all. Instead Jesus replies, “’Don’t be afraid! From now on you’ll be fishing for people!’ And as soon as they landed, they left everything and followed Jesus.”

These words cut to the heart of imposter syndrome. The core problem isn’t that you feel bad about yourself. The core problem is this:

• Imposter syndrome is a distraction from action.
• Imposter syndrome stalls and disables you. Fear and inadequacy become the burdensome weights that may prevent you from even starting, let alone finishing anything.
• Imposter syndrome keeps your eyes fixed on your inadequacy. As long as you’re preoccupied with your inability, rather than God’s ability, you will live a life restrained by fear and small goals.

In other words, imposter syndrome stands between you and your destiny. It convinces you that you’re not good enough, or able enough, or worthy enough to have joy, or experience success.

So how do we disarm the power of imposter syndrome? Firstly, we must recognise that we have an adversary who’s single-minded focus is to spontaneously abort our dreams. An adversary who’s hell-bent on keeping us held down by fear, doubt, and inadequacy (John chapter 10 vs 10). 

The book of Proverbs (chapter 3 vs 5-6) challenges us NOT to lean on our own understanding. I do that by trusting God with my whole heart. In order to repeatedly overcome imposter syndrome in my own life I’ve needed somewhere to anchor myself. Somewhere to anchor the insecurity, fear and doubt. For me, that anchor is my faith. 

When imposter syndrome takes hold of me, I take hold of it, making it obedient to Christ, the one who died on the cross to justify my belonging. If my belonging is justified, then I’m not an imposter. I belong! You belong! You belong in your calling, and you belong anywhere else that God wants you to be. 

So don’t look at the people around you, don’t look at your shortcomings. See yourself the way God sees you! God exchanged His own son for you. Now you are called to disarm the imposter and occupy your destiny.