Tag : fear-2
Tag : fear-2
The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
(2 Corinthians 4:4, NIV)
Last week I was invited to a Dallas Mavericks basketball game and was assigned the responsibility of taking one of the Vice-Presidents of the company I work for safely back to his hotel room. Being mindful of this, I parked my car as close as possible to the entrance and made sure to take a photo of the parking spot, as well as the front entrance. Ten minutes before the end of the game, the VP asked if we could leave so we could beat traffic. Of course, I agreed, and we left.
When we walked out of the entrance, I noticed the outside looked different than when I walked in. At this point I looked around and thought I had come out the wrong way, but the entrance looked familiar, so I kept going. When we got to the parking garage, I was confused because my car was not there. I apologized to the VP and said we must have come out of the wrong entrance. We walked back and went to the other side of the building where there was a parking garage facing another entrance but my car was not there either. I tried to remain calm and apologized again. The VP was quiet while I tried to show the picture of my parking spot to a parking attendant. The attendant was not helpful. He said all the parking garages look the same. I found that out the hard way. An hour later, after walking around the entire American Airlines Center and asking three other attendants, I discovered a kind attendant that looked at the same picture and pointed to the correct parking garage. We finally found my parked car.
Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
(James 4:7, NIV)
During this stressful hour, I felt embarrassed, but I remained focused on finding my way back to my car. My mind was telling me that I was an idiot for losing my car and I kept wondering what the VP was thinking about me. Distraught, I kept praying and hearing the voice of God saying, Stay focused on Me, be quiet and ignore the other voice. So, I did. This helped me to remain calm during the chaos and confusion that the enemy was creating in that moment. On the way to the hotel, the VP finally said, “I hope you have a sense of humor because I will be talking about this memorable night for a while.” I was so grateful for his light remark that broke the awkward silence.
What I learned from this memorable night is that the enemy will attack your mind if you let him. In life, he will create chaos and confusion, which creates fear, and that causes your emotions to rule your actions. Thankfully, I was able to reject the lies that were in my mind and replace them with the peace of the Lord. In Colossians 3:15, the Bible tells us, “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.” I am so grateful that the Prince of Peace walks with me every step of the way (or 10,000 steps around the American Airlines Center) and that even when I get lost, He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
If you have enjoyed this story, please leave a comment, or share your testimony of overcoming fear with us in the comment box below. May the Prince of Peace be with you this Christmas season!
And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.
(Colossians 2:15, NIV)
Categories: Blog
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people (Ephesians 6, 10-18, NIV).
A friend of mine shared a story with me this weekend and it fit in perfectly with the blog that the Lord had already placed on my heart to write that morning. She was telling me about the childhood trauma she had carried with her all her life which had manifested itself into a reoccurring nightmare for over 20 years. I won’t go into the details of the nightmare, however, during one of her night terrors, when confronted with the evil assailant, she fled and ran for her life. As she was approaching the light, almost free, she heard God say to her, “Go back and face your enemy, tell him you are covered in the blood of Jesus.” She turned around and went back and faced the assailant. When she told him she was covered in the blood of Christ, he disappeared. That was the last night she saw the assailant and her nightmares ended.
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin (1 John 1:7, NIV).
When faced with a perceived harmful event, attack, or threat, our body reacts with a natural physiological response to fight back or flee. In my friend’s case she was fleeing, which is what most people do when they are afraid. We run—hoping that we can escape, and sometimes we never stop running for fear that the threat is still at our heels. The interesting thing is that when we put on armor, the only thing exposed is our back. Consequently, when running away from our enemy, we are exposing our back. Why not put on the Armor of God and face your enemy with the sure knowledge that the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.
Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you (Deuteronomy 31:6, NIV).
Categories: Blog
The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners (Isaiah 61:1, NIV).
Are You Broken-Hearted?
Are you in a season of pain and suffering? Many people today suffer abuse at the hands of another person, sometimes someone they trust and love. Some are victims of sexual/physical abuse and others are victims of emotional abuse. Sadly, many are children, and the abuse or trauma can affect their development and negatively distort their view of the world. They become frightened and feel unsafe, unloved, and unprotected which can be carried into future relationships—causing more pain and hurt. Some grow up and suffer depression, anxiety, relationship conflicts, and turn to alcohol, sex, or drugs.
This is the desire and goal of the enemy since the beginning of human existence. He wants fear and doubt to sever our intimate relationship with God. Fear is at the root of many of our problems. This fear, which develops from childhood, is in direct opposition to love. The Bible tells us “God is love” (John 4:16) and “There is no fear in love” (1 John 4:18), so one can safely say that fear is not of God. He never intended for us to live in fear. He created us to be in loving relationships. The very nature of God is to be in relationship, a caring committed connection between one person and another. Like God, we have a need to be connected. He created Adam and Eve so He could have a relationship with them. We were built to be connected; attachment is the core of the soul’s existence.
“Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.”
(1 Peter 4:8, NIV)
Jesus’ heart beats close to the victim of abuse or trauma, especially the children. We are in a spiritual battle against the spiritual forces of evil in heavenly places (Ephesians 6:12). The powers of darkness will constantly try to put out the Light of Truth in your life. The worldly ways of life will battle for your mind every day. Fight back! Fight for the freedom of your mind. “Repent”, translated from the Greek, simply means change your mind. God is merciful and wants you to accept His invitation of mercy. No more pain, anxiety, depression, or fear.
You are a beautiful child of God, and He is a loving Father who wants your heart to change. He wants you to turn your heart towards Him and towards each other. We are rebellious and disobedient children, but He is a loving and forgiving Father. Jesus was the ultimate victim. We were the ultimate abusers. Our sin nailed Him to the cross and yet He still loved and forgave us. Turn your broken heart towards your loving Father and let go of fear. You do not have to be a victim, the road to restoration is waiting for you. We serve a God who has overcome the world. Stay strong in your faith, and love others well.
Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong. And do everything with love.
(1 Corinthians 16:13–14, NIV)
Categories: Blog
God’s voice thunders in marvelous ways; he does great things beyond our understanding. He says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth,’ and to the rain shower, ‘Be a mighty downpour.’ So that everyone he has made may know his work, he stops all people from their labor (Job 37:5-7, NIV).
Millions of lives have been touched in one way or another by powerful storms. From hurricanes to record–breaking rainfalls and snowstorms, these unsettling and unpredictable events can bring fear and anxiety. Yet, In Job 37, the Bible says God does great things beyond our understanding so that everyone he created may know His work. During the storm, we see the wonders of His work and He temporarily stops us from our laboring to reflect on the His powerful ways. This can be applied to spiritual storms as well as physical storms. In the middle of a spiritual battle, we can be still and seek shelter in Him. We can let His Word remind us that even when the storms come, we can seek shelter and comfort in His promises.
He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm (Mark 4:39, NIV).
Dread of the unknown can sometimes create a spirit of fear, especially when you are battling a storm. Faith is necessary to overcome anxiety. In the Bible, when Jesus calms the storm in Mark 4:40, He said to His disciples “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” Troubles, trials, and tribulations in life are like storms. Every time a storm comes your way, God wants to see you stand strong in your faith and trust His ways.
He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed (Psalm 107:29, NIV).
He allows the storms in your life because that is how your faith grows. Miracles happen when you stand tall in the middle of a storm, knowing you have Jesus with you. Even though they had Jesus with them on the boat, the disciples were so fixated on the storm, they were afraid. How many of us know that feeling of terror when we are faced with a storm? How many of us forget that Jesus is with us through the storm?
There will be a shelter to give shade from the heat by day, and refuge and protection from the storm and the rain (Isaiah 4:6, NIV).
Categories: Blog
There are many things I dislike about COVID but the one thing that stands out is the isolation it creates.
This past week we signed up for a gathering of leaders at our church campus. Day of, I began to waffle. I thought, Do I really want to expose myself to that many people who might have COVID and not know it? But we made a last minute decision to go, and it was the right decision. We worshipped with other leaders from our campus, heard some encouraging words and fellowshipped with friends afterwards, enjoying cake balls and hot chocolate. I would have missed all that if I had remained in a spirit of fear and not attended.
I realized I was overdue for fellowship. I needed to share and laugh with others.
And this is true for all of us. We need each other.
In Exodus 23, as the Israelites continued their journey in the wilderness, God expanded his in-person audience to not only Moses but also the seventy leaders that had been appointed to assist Moses with decisions. The Word says, “Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and the seventy elders of Israel went up and saw the God of Israel. Under his feet was something like a pavement made of lapis lazuli, as bright blue as the sky. But God did not raise his hand against these leaders of the Israelites; they saw God, and they ate and drank” (Exodus 24:9–11).
There are three truths I draw from this passage:
What if they had not gone? Fear of the unknown could have overtaken them.
The enemy of our souls wants us to be fearful as well and to isolate, but even before COVID we risked getting sick when we ventured out. Flus, colds and upper respiratory infections are always lurking. I have had COVID, and it is one of the most difficult illnesses I have experienced, but even so, I am not afraid. I simply pray before leaving the house, Protect me from illness LORD. I trust God with my life and don’t want to miss the blessing that awaits. What about you?
Categories: Blog