SEARCHLIGHT
What are you doing to overcome your fears?
SCRIPTURE
For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. 2 Timothy 1:7 (New Living Translation)
SPOTLIGHT
Reports have listed the top 10 fears people have are: corrupt government officials, economic/financial collapse, countries using nuclear weapons, another world war, people I love becoming seriously ill, people I love dying, polluted drinking water, biological warfare, cyber-terrorism and not having enough money for the future.
What makes you fearful? It could be heights, marriage, thunder, the number 13, performing, lightning or crossing bridges etc. Fear is so powerful. It can physically or emotionally paralyze you, because it can feel like a large dark cloud hovering over your head. At any moment, the cloud could open and drop a deluge of rain that causes pain.
You need to know your fears. There are 3 forces that cause them:
#1 Forces of Nature- Thunder can spawn tornadoes. Hail stones can be as large as grapefruits. A lightning bolt can reach 50,000 degrees Fahrenheit. Floods can take lives and ruin property in minutes. Hurricanes and earthquakes account for a great loss of life and destruction.
#2 Forces of Evil- Satan is real, and is everyone’s enemy. [1 Peter 5:8] He provokes, tempts, steals, binds, divides, destroys and devours. In addition, there are evil spirits that speak, control, and overpower.
#3 Forces of Life- There are 3 uncontrollable forces you daily face that can create fear in you:
A. Circumstances are unexpected happenings, like sickness, accidents and death.
B. Things [possessions] can break or be stolen. Perhaps car driving or flying creates fear.
C. People can cause unexpected incidents, which make you feel overwhelmed and scared.
Obviously, fear can make you feel forsaken and forgotten. It can control you, consume your time, and waste your energy. Fear wants to be your boss. It does not easily trust. It claims to know how life really is by directing your emotions. And all of this simply means one thing, You need to face your fears.
Today’s Scripture focus teaches you HOW TO OVERCOME FEAR. What you learn is:
#1 God does not give you a spirit of fear. He does not want you to cringe or be a coward. God’s most frequent command is not to love. It concerns fear. In the NIV Bible, it says “Do not be afraid.” 48 times. In addition, it says “Do not fear.” 52 times and “Fear not.” 10 times.
#2 God does not treat your fear lightly. He does not look down on you or consider your fears to be trivial. Instead, He gives you power, love, and self-discipline to overcome any fear. The Bible clearly points to the fact that God is stronger than Satan, and your faith in God is stronger than any fear. [1 John 4:4; Romans 8:37-39]
Will you allow God to bless you with a calm spirit, an ability to love and a disciplined mind? He will do that when you put your faith in God to rule your life rather than any fear.
SOMETHING TO DO
God says “For I hold you by your right hand- I, the Lord your God. And I say to you, ‘Don’t be afraid. I am here to help you.” [Isaiah 41:13 NLT] Pray, and ponder about how you can better hold God’s hand so you can receive God’s help.
SOUL TIME PRAYER
Thank you Heavenly Father, for holding my hand and helping me. Thank you for understanding my humanity, which can easily allow fear to take hold. Fill me with your divine power, love, and discipline. Show me what I need to change, and thank you for not forgetting about me or forsaking me when fear may rush in like an unexpected storm. AMEN