Overcoming a spirit of fear - Part 2

As I have studied about fear in my efforts to overcome my own fears. Here is what I've learned.

#1 We should fear God

In the fear of God is wisdom, safety, peace of mind, and even long life. Here are some verses:

Psalm 34:4
"I sought the Lord and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears."

Psalm 111:10
"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise."

When I think of fear, it is not the kind of "Oh, I'm afraid God is going to zap me if I don't do that." God does not want puppets and although he has the power to "zap" that is simply not how He works most of the time.

To me, fearing God means that I am afraid to live without Him. As I drift away (invariably as close as I get to God sometimes, I always drift), I snap back into the reality that I simply cannot live this life, I cannot live a good life, I cannot be pleasing to God, I CANNOT DO THIS ALONE!

I am as dependent upon him as I am the air I breathe. Just as one can only hold their breath for a certain length of time without then beginning to panic. Likewise, I can remain prayerless or away from His word for a certain length of time without then beginning a similar panic of feeling cut off from life. The longer I go, the weaker I get.

I need my God and Savior. Jesus Christ is near to me when I draw near to Him. God, His father, is as vital to my being as the heart that beats in my chest! That is what fearing God means to me. Acknowledging that I cannot live properly without Him and that I'm desperate to return to His goodness!

Tomorrow I'll share the second lesson I've learned about fear.

From the Mission Field

Meanwhile, our missionaries in Niger have created a prayer blog to pray for the Tamashek (Tuareg) people that we have been praying for since I started blogging in December. The missionaries are specifically asking that we:

Pray that He will send rain to Niger. There have been a few rains but much later and less than normal. People are suffering from lack of water and fear of famine. While in the bush we saw people who had to go 14 km to get drinking water. Most of their time is consumed in finding water for themselves and their animals.

Lord, help us fear you and not fear man. Bless our missionaries and the people in Niger. Help us provide water and send rain to them so that they will have time to learn about Your word. Thank you for your many blessings and for the United States of America. May we turn to you and away from our sins. In Jesus name. Amen.

Tags: Tuareg, Tamashek, fear, Christian, Jesus, Bible, SBC, missionary, blog, blogs, Vicki A Davis, coolcatteacher

Overcoming a spirit of fear - Part 3

We discussed in the last post that we should fear God. Today, we learn that:

#2 We should fear nothing else.

Prov 29:25
"Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.

God doesn't use reluctant warriors. In fact, as part of the principles of Jewish warfare, God set down this question that is to be asked of those fighting:

Deuteronomy 20:8
“The officers shall speak further to the people, and say, ‘What man is there who is fearful and fainthearted? Let him go and return to his house, lest the heart of his brethren faint like his heart.’

So the untrusting, fearful person was to be winnowed out from the midst of the army. Of course warriors fear, you say. Who wouldn't? Well, this command comes just after this statement in Deuteronomy 20:1-4

1 “When you go out to battle against your enemies, and see horses and chariots and people more numerous than you, do not be afraid of them; for the LORD your God is with you, who brought you up from the land of Egypt. 2 So it shall be, when you are on the verge of battle, that the priest shall approach and speak to the people. 3 And he shall say to them, ‘Hear, O Israel: Today you are on the verge of battle with your enemies. Do not let your heart faint, do not be afraid, and do not tremble or be terrified because of them; 4 for the LORD your God is He who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.’

The Jews were typically outnumbered. That is what made their military victories so notable. Many military historians are shocked at the prowess of their military knowledge. I know it is the prowess of their redeeming God.

As Christians, we WILL usually be outnumbered.

Psalm 55:18
He has redeemed my soul in peace from the battle that was against me,For there were many against me.

About those who warred against Jesus, it says:

Mark 14:56
For many bore false witness against Him, but their testimonies did not agree.

Mark 15:4
Then Pilate asked Him again, saying, “Do You answer nothing? See how many things they testify against You!

About those who came up against the Apostle Paul:

Acts 25:7
When he had come, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood about and laid many serious complaints against Paul, which they could not prove,

Why does God not allow us to be in the majority against evil men? I think the answer lies in Gideon's battle, where God says:

Judges 7:2
And the LORD said to Gideon, “The people who are with you are too many for Me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel claim glory for itself against Me, saying, ‘My own hand has saved me.’

Christianity is not for the faint of heart. Our redeeming God wants to make it very evident to us that:

one Christian + God = a majority.

I believe it takes more strength to be a Christian than to go one's own way. In Him, I know that when I am outnumbered that He will make my feet walk on sure paths. In Him, I know that He will always uphold me. In Him is my protection.

I think the Psalmist best says it in Chapter 91

4 He shall cover you with His feathers,
And under His wings you shall take refuge;
His truth shall be your shield and buckler.
5 You shall not be afraid of the terror by night,
Nor of the arrow that flies by day,
6 Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness,
Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.

I love the idea of nestling under the wing of my loving Father! God is more than sufficient to handle my fears. Whether it is fears at night or fears of the potential for bird flu. I am to focus on today and allow God to handle tomorrow. (Do not misunderstand me, if there is something I can do to help protect myself tomorrow, I should do it, but once I have done all I can, it is truly in God's hands.)

God is my safety. In Him, I know no fear. He is the refuge and safety and as I remain in Him, I will bear much fruit.

Corrie ten Boom said:

"Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow. It empties today of its strength."

Have strength in Him. Have you spent time in His word today?

Lord, guide and lead us. Help us to give our fears to you. As we see uncertainty around and wonder if the earth will end tomorrow, remind us that You are the God of all of our tomorrows for eternity, if we trust in You. Teach us calm assurance and steadfast faith. Forgive our reluctance as warriors and let us recommit to put our trust in You. In Jesus name. Amen.

Tags: Jesus, Christian, Bible, hope, fear, strength, Corrie ten Boom, God, salvation, heaven

Overcoming a spirit of fear - Part I

2 Timothy 1:7
For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

Prov 20:23
"The fear of the Lord leads to life: Then one rests content, untouched by trouble."

Prov 29:25
"Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe."

What keeps you awake at night?
Fear is a suprising thing, it comes on you in the night with often no warnng.

As a child, I would sometimes lay in bed at night afraid of "something scary out there." I felt safe as long as I kept all of myself under the sheet (which was a big deal on hot Georgia nights as a child.) Something about being covered and safe.

As a woman, when I was pregnant with my children, I would sometimes lay in bed at night afraid of something terrible that might be wrong with my unborn child. I would lay awake at night praying over every scenario, searching for peace and finally drifting off to sleep as God's peace would calm me for the night.

As a mother, as my children sleep peacefully in their beds or go off to camp, I sometimes lay in bed at night afraid that something will happen to them or that I have done something "wrong." I lay awake praying for them (and for me), again seeking that peace that only God can give.

But two nights a go, I lay awake for an entirely different kind of fear. I believe that evil is real and that demons are too. The major reason I used to lay awake at night as a child was a horror movie I saw at a spend the night party when I was twelve. Since that time, I realized I have to be careful about the movies I watch and I have always steered away from such movies. The visuals take seed in my mind and literally come "back to haunt me" as my mind takes over and replays the disturbing images.

I don't have to see such images in the theater any more, unfortunately. As I was drifting in and out of sleep on Saturday night, an advertisement for a horror movie came on the channel. I opened my eyes just enough to see the most terrifying, fearful, movie commercial that I have ever seen. I was wide awake then.

I went to bed, but I was afraid. The images in this movie combined with a conversation with a friend about "ghosts in south Georgia" (she swears they are real) to concoct some very scary scenarios in my mind.

I lay there for at least 5 minutes with accelerating fear and then I recognized it for what it was. The devil would like us to think he is more powerful and more strong than our God. After all the Bible does call him, "the prince of this world." It is certainly within his realm of control to make unseen things happen and strange occurences. It is certainly his desire to make Christians think He is in control and can harm us at a whim. That is completely wrong.

I battled the "night fears" in the way that God has always taught me to.

1. I pray (there is power in the name of Jesus)
   
2. I quote scripture (there is power in the Word of God)
   
3. I praise God for his goodness. (It is music to God's ears.)

In every such "night fear" (I haven't had one in years) this has always worked for me.

So, Sunday morning during my Bible study, I got up and studied "fear" so that I may be better equipped should such a thing happen again. I will be sharing these with you over the next several days.

Lord, guide and help us as we deal with our fears. Let our fears not paralyze us and draw our eyes off of you. Greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world. You are our protector, guide, and friend. Thank you for loving us and providing ways that we can live our lives unafraid and fearing You but fearing no man. You are the King of my life and I love you. In Jesus name. Amen.

Tags: fear, Christian, Jesus, Christ, Bible, hope, protection, God, save me, blog, blogs, Vicki A Davis