This is a time
in our world when many people have a lot of fear – fear of the coronavirus,
fear our finances won’t hold out, fear of losing our job, fear we will lose our
business. This virus makes us have a fear
of helplessness. Not only do we fear the
coronavirus and how it affects us and our family, but all kinds of fears invade
our minds. Maybe it’s fear of public
speaking, fear of heights, fear of rejection, fear of flying, fear of crossing
bridges, fear of elevators, fear of water, etc.
Fear is very
common to us all from time to time, but we want the world to think that we have
our lives under control and fear isn’t an issue. It’s something we really don’t discuss not
even with our friends. If you let it, it
can dig down deep in your life and then dominate you. It shows up in all kinds of ways. It can show in your behavior. It can show up by you lying, making excuses,
and even in denial. It shows up as
anxiety, nervousness, worry, stress, tension, bad attitude, and even in our health. It impacts your thinking and decision making. We all have or have had some kind of fear.
Fear is opposite
from faith. Hebrews 11:1 describes faith.
“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and
certain of what we do not see.”
Hope can’t be separated from faith, because without hope, there can be
no faith. Fear is lacking faith and
denying the hope God’s gives you. When you
grow in faith, fear leaves you.
Jesus knew we
would be afraid and we would doubt. He
said “Fear not” over and over again. But sometime fear is a good thing. Courage is not the absence of fear; it’s the
will to persevere in the face of fear.
It is a feeling and it will pass if we realized what it is. We need to remember that Jesus is with us and
is on our side protecting us always. We
can’t run from fear. We must deal with
it. “If God is
for us, who can be against us?” – Romans
8:31. We must trust in what He
said. We can use the weapons He has given
us – His Word, talking with Him in prayer, our church, Christian friends who
are there for us and who encourage us along the way.
God doesn’t want
us to walk in fear. He tells us in Philippians 4:6, “Do not be anxious about anything…” He goes on to say, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable,
whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable,
if anything is excellence or praiseworthy - think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard
from me, or seen in me – put into practice.
And the God of peace will be with you.” – Philippians 4:8-9.
Isaiah 41:10 – “Don’t be afraid, for I am
with you. “Don’t be
discouraged, for I am your God. I will
strengthen you and help you. I will hold
you up with my victorious right hand.”
God doesn’t
condemn us for our fear, but He wants to free us from it. He gives us the power to overcome fear. We can arm ourselves with God’s armor found
in Ephesians 6:10-18.
Faith and fear
cannot exist together. Faith can deliver
us from fear and worry because it’s the opposite of unbelief. Faith is a gift from God. It is an absolute belief that God is
constantly working behind the scenes in all areas of our lives no matter our
circumstances.
What can you do
to rid yourself of fear? You need to
have faith and trust in God, because He is sovereign and in control. So take your eyes off yourself and answer
fear with the truth of God’s Word. Let
faith take the place of your fear. Romans 10:17 – “Faith
comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the Word of
Christ.” Philippians 4:19 – “And my God will supply
all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” When you are not in constant intimacy with
God, that’s when fear and panic can take hold.
If you give God only crumbs of your time and attention, your faith can
weaken. When you walk close with God and
trust Him daily in all situations, your fears will be conquered. So stay in His Word and stay in communication
with God through prayer. Then trust Him
and your fears will disappear. God’s got
this!
What fears do
you have in your life?
Do your fears
cause you shame?
Do your fears
lead you to doubt your faith?
What do you
do at the first sign of fear?
Do you turn
to God in prayer?
Faith vs. Fear
While fear cowers, faith
stands.
While fear frets, faith
prays.
While fear looks within,
faith looks to Jesus.
While fear despairs,
faith hopes.
Principle:
Fear cripples, but faith sets us free.
Prayer to Fight Fear with Faith
Dear Father,
We live in a
chaotic time right now. You know my
struggles and that my mind is limited and weak.
I confess that I sometime look at my situation with fear. Help me to fight back against this fear with faith
in your Word and your truth. Calm my
thoughts and my emotions. Help me stay
focused on you and not on my fear. Help
me not to be anxious about anything. Give
me strength to be thankful for my blessings and not grumble. Thank you, Lord, for who you are and that you
are in control and I am not. In Jesus
Name I pray, Amen.
Join me here
next time. -- I encourage you to
trust in and have faith in Jesus.
__________________________________________
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