What am I afraid of? ….depends on the
day.
Once fear takes hold, it free falls
and mingles with every thought…every word…every situation.
I have discovered fear is a battle of the mind.
I have discovered fear is a battle of the mind.
Most of my fears never come to pass. But,
I build them up in my mind and they become an ogre hiding under the bed.
I do mental gymnastics to avoid anything
that conjures up my fear’s reality. I avoid situations. Build walls around me. Make
excuses. I pretend. Bring along a friend. I spiritualize.
I do whatever it takes to keep fear hidden.
Even stop living.
Fear is always bigger when we don't face it.
Not talking about it causes the fear to grow in size, sprout claws and sharp
fangs, enlarging its power over us.
Fear holds us captive with invisible chains
that encircle and squeeze so our life is crippled. We cannot embrace or enjoy life
when fear has tightened its grip. 
It is only through the power of Jesus
Christ that the chains are loosed.
Remembering that Perfect
Love—God—casts out fear, will help us to know who is on our side. He is the one
that fights the battle for us. The darkness of fear is exposed in His Light as
the Truth sets us free from the powers that hold us captive.
I am not an expert on the subject of
fear. I only know I have grappled with it for years. Sometimes it was winning.
And others I gained glimpses into what was really going on to understand my reaction.
I do know I have wanted to understand
more of what “perfect love casting out fear” means in my everyday life—to my
fears—to my battles. Someone once said that fear is the absence of God. Something
to think about.
God IS Love. So, He is the One who chases
away fear. He is already victorious through the battle on the cross. His
presence brings peace, because His name is Peace.
So, if I am fearful, I know I need
more of Him. Lloyd John Oglivie says,
“We can’t evict fear on our own. Only
Christ can do that. The secret is to focus on Him and not on our fears.”
~ Facing the Future Without Fear (pg 47)
When we see God as Mighty, All
powerful, Able…His power overrules our fear. And, the way we discover who God is,
is to delve into His word and see how He met the needs of those who faced
fears. He will meet us there and show us more about Himself.
Is fear reigning in your life? Do you
need more of Him?
I would love to hear how He is
delivering you,
Jeanne
* Lloyd John Oglivie's book is out of print but can be found on Amazon.com
Hi Jeanne!
ReplyDeleteThank you! Fear is indeed a battle of the mind and remembering that God loves us, can chase that fear away.
Arthur Blessit walked through every nation on earth with a huge wooden cross on his shoulders, spreading the gospel. He endured many dangers but has the most amazing testimonies of how God saved and protected him during the forty years of his mission. He said something that stuck with me: "the savest place to be, is in God's will"
So now I ask to be in God's will every day and I know Him in all my ways, even small things. I'll have to write a book on all the many ways He has stepped into situations in me and my husband's lifes. He is awesome!!
Love
Madeleine
I think others would be encouraged by your stories....have your written any down yet?
ReplyDeleteI am preparing a book project about fear and would love to include one from you when the time comes.
Blessings,
I go between no fear and lots of fear. It's interesting how easily I can move from one to the other. But God is the same. Forever powerful, forever in control.
ReplyDeleteWhen will I learn to totally trust Him?
No, not yet. But I'm planning on. Actually all Christians should write their stories down, because we forget so quickly and get so discouraged when things go wrong. It will help to then go back and read what God did for you in the past!
ReplyDeleteWill let you know when it happens!
God bless :)
Amen to memorial stones :)
ReplyDeleteFear is one of the enemy's primary weapons. So we will probably battle it in this life--but you are right. He is all powerful. It is a matter of focus for me
ReplyDelete"I build them up in my mind and they become an ogre under my bed". What a compelling description of how we make fear so paramount in our lives. Just as when I was a kid and sometimes afraid to get out of bed for fear of what might be under there. Like the ogre, most of the time it's not even there, but keeps us stuck anyway. Great post Jeanne!
ReplyDeleteSo true, Carol. Jesus said he came to set the captive free. I believe that has to do with our fears too
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your thoughts
Years ago I saw a sign in front of a barbeque place (of all places!) that said "God is bigger than any problem I have." I try to remember that when the fear comes upon me. Thanks for your post, Jeanne...
ReplyDeleteThanks for that, Carol. There must be a story behind that sign and the BBQ place :)
ReplyDeleteHe is Bigger, that's for sure!
I recently saw a good quote. Fear is the interest we pay on a debt we may never owe. So true. God isn't the author of fear, but of peace, love, and soundness of mind. Thanks, Jeanne.
ReplyDeleteGreat quote, Janet. Thanks for sharing it.
ReplyDeleteFear is pervasive but God is able to dispel our fears.