What Do You Fear?

But I will show you whom you should fear……

Luke 12:5

I was amazed to discover how many scriptures are in the Bible about fear. HUNDREDS in the NIV alone. As God has put this topic on my heart and mind over the past few weeks I have seen more than ever how much the Lord has to say about this BONDAGE of body, mind and spirit. Fear does in fact, take hold of all three. Fear captures us. Fear traps us. Fear steals God’s blessings from us. Fear gives the devil a big fat playground! Take some time today to do this for your self. Research the word FEAR in your dictionary and concordance and follow the path the Bible provides to see it for what it is. Dig up some truth about how God feels about FEAR.

The scripture above tells us that Jesus says HE alone will tell us whom to fear. What does He say?

I have battled fear all of my life.

When I was a little girl I cried myself to sleep most every single night. Even though I slept in a room filled with sisters, I was terrified of the dark. Today, as a big girl, and with all of my trust and love of Jesus, I still do not like to be in complete darkness and often wake in the night to go check door locks. Fear of the dark is not my only confession. Another fear I have constantly battled is fear of flying in airplanes. I have always hated flying so much that when I first surrendered my life to the Lord close to 30 years ago, I can remember thinking and even saying out loud, Lord, I will do anything for you but PLEASE never ask me to speak in public or fly on airplanes, I’ll do ANYTHING BUT THAT!!

Insert big God grin right here 🙂

There have been some very specific times in my life when I was so deathly afraid that years later I can still remember the weakness in my body during those seasons–like when my oldest son broke his neck in a diving accident; the days upon days driving back and forth from the hospital when our daughter Julianna lay in NICU at 1 pound; being out of town at a speaking engagement while my husband was taken by ambulance to a hospital with what they thought was a heart attack.

LIFE can be VERY scary.

Years ago as I began to sift God’s WORD into my life and fill myself with HIS teaching, I heard a sermon called “Do it Afraid” by Joyce Meyer. You know, our minds are RENEWED only through God’s Word–reading it, hearing it, trusting it. That message changed my life and I made a choice at that moment to face my fears and fill myself with God’s promises. I decided right then that I would NOT let the devil steal a single thing from me that God has for my life.

I want it all.

I made a decision to step into everything I possibly could gripping trust and leaning on HIM!

God called me MANY years back to start speaking in public (imagine that!) and sharing my deepest secrets no less. I was petrified but I did it anyway. I am still often petrified when I stand up to speak but God has been faithful to use the word of my testimony over and over again. (Revelation 12:11)

Just a few years ago, He called me into new territory and started plopping me on airplanes. OMG. I can not tell you how many times I have sat on an airplane with tears running down my face in surrender. One of those times I was flying to a connecting flight on a small plane with the Lifeway team. Beth Moore, Travis Cottrell and their entire SPIRIT FILLED WORSHIP TEAM sat just a few seats behind me and that still didn’t help. Have you ever done that on a flight, tell the truth!! One of my attempts to overcome my fear of flying would be to tell myself–God would NEVER let this plane crash with THEM on here!! 🙂

On that flight I don’t know which I was MORE afraid of, flying or those Godly people knowing that I was crying!!

I have since learned that God loves me just as much as anybody and THAT is a life changing revelation!!

A few weeks ago I LIVED THROUGH a flight that I honestly thought might be my last. It might have been but I tell you this, if it had been, the WORDS in my mouth would have been Psalm 139:16 “ALL THE DAYS ORDAINED FOR ME where written in your book before one of them came to be.”

God’s Word sets us free. He turns my fears into surrender and trust. Only Him.

What do you fear my friend?

If you were NOT afraid, how might God use you differently? What blessings could you be missing? What experiences might He have for you that you refuse?

Spend some time considering your fears today, journal them and replace every fear with a promise from His Word.

If you do not know what God says about your fears you will be a prisoner of them forever.

Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.

Is 41:10

 

Your thoughts with me and this verse of scripture with a trusted friend.