The only way to defeat fear...

There are many tactics that are being promoted for appeasing, suppressing, and even partnering with fear.

We play worship music nonstop, we pin up scripture verses all around us and we declare and fight for breakthrough in our difficulties all for the sake of trying to conquer an enemy who has us by the throat.

There is a song that I wrote years ago that personifies fear and explains his tactics against us. (Here is the link to listen to it) The interesting thing to me is that the most damaging way that fear works is the one that is the least noticed.

It’s called, ‘what if’.  And in this simple statement that passes through our minds like a phantom, we are all prey to its leadings.  

-What if I lose my job?

-What if my spouse leaves me?

-What if the project I’ve been working on is a failure?

-What if others mock me, laugh at me, and don’t accept me?

-What if our power gets shut off?

-What if they take our home?

-What if someone close to me dies?

-What if there’s no solution?

-What if I’m not enough?

-What if God doesn’t come through like I need Him to?

-What if I can’t get that thing that I’ve been saving for?

-What if we can’t have what others around us have?

-What if our church has to shut down?

-What if _______________?

-What if _______________?

-WHAT IF……………. Screams at you and consumes your thoughts, it leads your emotions, and it becomes the only voice you can hear. 

It is no wonder that we have such a tough time trusting God with our lives when our enemy has infiltrated through our minds and into our hearts.  The wellspring of our lives has been infiltrated, and we must take it back.  

But it is not an easy path, it is treacherous and formidable.  However, as bad as it can feel to our flesh to face our fears on this path, it is also lined with fruit that can be found no other place.  Fruit like: long-suffering, self-control, goodness, peace, joy, hope, faithfulness, gentleness, kindness, and others.  You see, gaining these fruits only comes when we are willing to make the difficult decision to follow Jesus, even unto death.

Friends, we were not made for this world, and my fear is that we have begun to allow worldly philosophies and perspectives into our hearts.  It is so easy for us to want to take the easy road, myself included, but the treasure isn’t on the easy road.  It’s on the road of obedience and surrender to the plan and path God has for you.  He spoke of His plan for your life in Psalms 139, and again in Jeremiah, and all throughout the Bible we see story after story of people who walked through pain and trial and received the reward for it.  We don’t see any stories of people walking off the path God had laid for them and receiving the reward, because He is a Good Father, and a Good Father will not act in a way that creates enabled children.  A Good Father calls His children up to accomplish more than they feel they are able to.

My son and I were on a backpacking trip that I had promised him a few years ago.  He was only about 5 years old. We were hiking a couple of miles into the mountains in Northern California.  We started beside this beautiful mountain lake and hiked up to another lake called Heart Lake.  It was a small lake that was shaped like a heart.  On our way, he slipped and scraped up his knee.  We took a break, a couple of deep breaths, and continued on our way.  Not long after, he slipped again and scraped up his knee again.  With tears in his eyes, he said: “I just want to go home.” 

I said, “I know you do, and we can do that if you want.  We can drive back home tonight, and I’ll tell the girls you did a really good job, but we decided to come home early.  Or we could keep going, we could push through the pain, and tomorrow when we get back you can tell the girls about how you didn’t give up, even though you wanted to.  Which one do you want to do?”

He looked at me with all the courage he could muster and said, “Let’s make it there.”  

Because we made it there we now have incredible memories of our adventure, which includes getting to see a mountain lion getting a drink from the lake, right across from us.

A Good Father knows when it is essential for you to stand up and fight, and if you allow Him to, He will lead you on the path to freedom.

It is good to listen to worship music and to post scripture throughout your house and to do other things that keep your mind stayed on God.  But these in themselves will not bring freedom.  It is your steps up the mountain that will lead you to true freedom.

I mention this concept in both ‘The Compass Series’ and ‘Before the Clock Ticks’.  If you need to be encouraged in your journey with Jesus, consider picking up these books.  They have been used powerfully in others’ lives, and I believe they will be used powerfully in yours! Here is a link to get them.

Do not give in to the many ‘What ifs’ that exist and come after you daily.  Ask Jesus to reveal the ones that are present in your life and be determined to surrender to His path for getting them out of your heart, mind, and life.

You are worth freedom, friends, that is why Jesus, our best friend, was willing to lay down His life for you. Let us not waste His death!