“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.”  Isaiah 41:10

Where does fear come from? Everyone has fears. Kids. Young Adults. Adults. Psychology defines fear as, “Fear is an unwanted, unpleasant feeling of anticipated or perceived risk or danger, whether it be real or unreal.” Most of can relate to this meaning because most of us have a fear of something. However, the Bible states in Ephesians 6:12,”That fear is a spirit of torment sent out by our enemy the devil.” And to counteract that statement in 2 Timothy 1:7 it says, “For God did not give us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, of love, and of self-discipline.”

I have been reading a book called “In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day” by Mark Batterson. This whole book is about facing your fears, or in this case your “lion”, and defying the odds that are stacked against you. For 7 years I have been deathly afraid of heights, even to the point in movies I get nauseous. This past Easter weekend, I went out with my family and faced one of my biggest fears…. heights. I decided to bungee jump off 7 stories, an equivaliant of 70 feet. Walking up the stairs, with my feet latched together, I quoted scripture to remain focused on the task. Now don’t get me wrong I almost chickened out until the stunt master pushed me off the ledge. Falling 7 stories never felt so good. I looked at my feet bound together symbolizing shackels that held me from moving forward in God, but as I killed that “lion” those shackels were loosed and I is freed from that fear.

Fear can come in any shape or form. Maybe its rejection. Or being alone. Maybe you are afraid to fail. Or entering a new stage in life. Perhaps you are scared of heights just like I was. As I was reading this book I came across a statement that has stuck with me, “You have to be willing to fail in order to succeed.” What we have to grap is God is not a God of fear. He stacks the odds to watch His children succeed. He wants us to trust and rely on Him knowing that He already knows the outcome and we are victorious regardless. When we do succeed and we do kill our “lions” nothing brings our Father greater joy. 
    

Are you going to use the power God has instilled in you to fight those “lions” head on? Or are you going to allow your fear to control you? Think about it.

Blessings!

Advertisement