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Tag: Fear
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I am Broken: Fear Not
Fear can be caused by almost anything. It can be triggered through people, hardship, loss, the past, and the unknown of the future. Fear is that feeling of anxiety or dread concerning the outcome of something; that your needs or desires will not be met.
I recently came to realize that fear starts where faith ends. I have an amazing ability to conjure up all kinds of anxiety-inducing scenarios, many of which could easily send me into a panic, and most of which don’t even come true. Crazy, isn’t it?
God has given us many passages of Scripture that encourage us to not be afraid. There is even a Christian myth that says that there are 365 verses on fear in the Bible, one for every day of the week. This is not true. In the KJV, for example, the words “fear not” or “be not afraid” only occur 184 times. But we don’t need 365 “fear nots.” If God had said it only one time that would have been enough.
Let’s look at our verse for today and see some of the reasons why we do not be to be fearful.
1. He is YOUR God.
“… be not dismayed, for I am your God;” – Isaiah 41:10
God created all things by His Word and sustains all things through His power. He makes animals speak (Num. 22) and summons bees (Is.7). He parts seas and makes the sun stand still. He is so pure and holy that no one can look at Him and live (Ex. 33:20). He awakens dead hearts and gives life (Ez. 36). This awesome God is not just God, He is YOUR God.
Through faith in Jesus Christ you can claim Him and He claims you. He cares for those for whom Jesus suffered. He protects those for whom Jesus died. As members of His family we are completely safe and taken care.
What reasons do we have to be afraid? Always remember Romans 8:31:
What then shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
2. God is with you.
“… fear not, for I am with you;”
Have you ever asked yourself why you get afraid?
Sometimes it is because we look at the situation that we are in and feel exposed or alone, without control or help. We feel lost and we don’t know what to do or where to turn. A part of God’s greatness is that He is omnipresent, meaning that He is everywhere at the same time. He is not limited by time or space.
In John 14:23 Jesus says, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.”
He makes his home in every believer, protecting, teaching, and guiding. He is not just hanging around. He is not just there but distracted like many of us are when we are around our family but also on our phones. Despite all that is going on He is focused 100% on His child – that’s you and me! He is completely aware of our thoughts, our feelings, our desires, our weaknesses, and our strengths. He knows it all – every held back tear and every little sigh. He is there to uplift and guide, to teach and correct.
The more we let these truths sink into our hearts, the more fear will be replaced with divine peace.
3. God will help you.
“I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
Pretty much everything that we are called to do and be we cannot accomplish on our own, and this is good. It should create humility and dependence. Our God is so kind and gracious to give us all the help we could ever need to live out our calling and fight off the attacks of the enemy.
From Adam to the Apostle Paul, fear has been man’s constant enemy. It is a battle that many have to fight daily. Fear is a real foe, but our God is bigger. And the more you know about God, the more fear will keep its distance.
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I am Broken: Fear
Have you ever wondered, what might change in our life if we completely surrendered to the fact that God sees us and He hears us? What sin might we walk away from? What fearlessness might we have? What if we truly believed that God keeps his promises? How might we mine the Word of God for His promises? How might we cling to them when things are dry or stormy or dark?”
Have you ever prayed a dangerous prayer of willingness, offering up to God that if He could use someone like you – whatever it is that He’s calling you to – you’d do it?
“Here I am, Lord. Use me.”
You want to be used. You’ve prayed to be used. You may have even walked an aisle at one point, following a clear move of the Spirit, to boldly say “yes” to doing great things for God.
If you’re like me, you may have even had the perfect ministry scenario match-up already scripted out in your mind. Surely He’d use my most obvious desires and passions, in my most ideal location, to impact the people I like to deal with, and it would all come together in the most efficient, angelic sort of way down to the very last detail, right? Heh.
Boy, does God have a sense of humor.
Facing Goliath definitely wasn’t David’s most desired passion, entering the lion’s den wasn’t Daniel’s most ideal location, reaching the people of Nineveh wasn’t Jonah’s preferred people, and forty years in the desert most certainly wasn’t the Israelites’ most efficient route.
And eloquent speaking before a really intimidating, powerful national leader for sure wasn’t on Moses’ top ten list. Return to Egypt and free the Israelites from slavery? Surely God was confused. In fact, Moses wasn’t asking to be used, and he definitely wasn’t feeling equipped for the task.
Out of the burning bush he had heard the Lord call His name. “Here I am,” Moses had answered, not yet knowing Who was calling or what was at stake. But after hearing God’s version of his next assignment, Moses opposed God at every angle as his brokenness surfaced and his fear and weakness overwhelmed him…
Who am I, Lord?
In Moses’ first forty years he had been somebody – a rescued, protected, provided for, favored, influential prince of Egypt. But one life-altering decision, in Exodus 2, had sent him running for his life and into obscurity for the next forty. Moses went from residing in the palace to herding sheep in the desert – an official, unqualified “nobody” in the eyes of the Egyptians. Surely there’s been a mistake, God. You’re going to use this lowly outcast to do great things for You? I don’t think so.
But God answered: I will be with you. I’ll do the work. My strong hand will guide you. I will provide for you. It will come to pass and you’ll know without a doubt that I AM was the One who sent you.
No one will listen to somebody like me.
Fear of man began to overwhelm Moses. He knew the Egyptians were tough, and his comfort zone for the last forty years had to do a whole lot with convincing sheep to follow him instead of people. If his age, occupation, and foreigner-status weren’t enough, then returning to the scene of his crime surely was convincing enough. I’ve lost all respect from these people, God. I’m not your guy.
But God answered: My power will be with you, Moses. I’ll equip you with signs and miracles – not just one, not two… but three of them, just to be sure that they’ll listen. “This,” said the Lord, “is so that they may believe that the Lord, the God of their fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has appeared to you.”
I don’t have the right gifts.
As Moses began to break down just exactly what God was asking him to do, his greatest weakness began to stare him in the face and paralyze him with fear. Moses didn’t have the gift of speaking. In fact, God wanted to bring Moses’ greatest weakness to the forefront in what already seemed like an impossible task! With so many cards already stacked against him, Moses knew that he didn’t stand a chance once he opened his mouth. Lord, I can’t speak – never could, never will. I’m so weak. Please… I’m not cut out for this.
But God answered: I made you. I know you. I love you. I will speak for you. “Who gave human beings their mouths? Who makes them deaf or mute? Who gives them sight or makes them blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.”
Someone else is more qualified.
An exhausted Moses objected and pleaded once more, “Pardon your servant, Lord. Please send someone else.” After all of that? Let’s not forget that the God of heaven is miraculously appearing before Moses in a burning bush. He has already promised signs and wonders, and has patiently reminded Moses over and over that He is Creator, Sustainer, and Lord above all. But in his brokenness, Moses plays the comparison game in one last ditch effort to get out of this thing. Some people are made for things like this, God. Clearly, You’ve made a mistake.
Now before we begin to criticize Moses, don’t you see? This is us.
Like Moses, we get hung up on the mistakes of our past, the limitations of our present, and the impossibilities of our future. We name ourselves broken instead of fixing our eyes on Jesus who came to redeem our sin – past, present, and future – once and for all. We name ourselves inadequate instead of looking to our strong Father who is willing and able to apply His sufficient strength to our present weakness. We name our situation impossible instead walking in the Spirit who lives and longs to do the impossible through broken vessels just like us.
We were never meant to be good enough. We were meant to come to the end of ourselves so that we can be rescued and then rest in the great I AM.
Child of God, He names you chosen.
And He doesn’t make mistakes. God had been faithful to Moses in the past, and He wasn’t about to leave him now…
And He’ll do the same for you.
How are you letting fear and weakness prevent you from doing what God is asking you to do? What’s one way you can rest in God’s faithfulness today as you say “yes” to Him?
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You Are Good Enough!
I grew up with an amazing older sister, Tonya, who is great at everything she does. She is talented, smart, beautiful and outgoing. Growing up and being “grown” with her I have always striven to be as good as her. Spoiler Alert! I never was. The only thing I seemed to be a little bit better than her in was memorizing Bible scripture. Living in the shadow of someone truly talented can make you feel inferior and unworthy. It’s not Tonya’s fault. I Love her to death and would fight to the end with her. Satan knew that this was a weakness of mine and played on that to keep my mind off the truth. God made us different for different purposes. We are not competitors, we are teammates playing different positions.
The feeling that you are not as good as other people is awful feeling. Felling like that you are ugly and unattractive and that nobody likes you only keeps you from being you. That is Satan pushing that feeling that you are dumb and that other people are smarter than you. Satan is telling you that you are a failure and a loser.
Why do we feel like we are not good enough?
These thoughts come from accepting the Satan influenced values of the world. Satan knows that wrong thinking leads to wrong actions and wrong feelings. In this case, the wrong feelings are feelings of inferiority.
What does the world value most? The world puts its highest value on three things:
(1) Physical attractiveness,
(2) Intelligence, and
(3) Money.
Most people think that they must have these things in order to feel good about themselves.
Physical attractiveness
So far as the world is concerned, a person’s looks is one of the most important things about him or her. The world says, “If you are a ‘beautiful person,’ you are worth a lot; if you are not beautiful, you are not worth much and you probably won’t be happy in life.”
This is one of Satan’s lies. Even though it is not true, many people believe it and it has a profound effect upon them. Some people dislike themselves and some even hate themselves because they are so dissatisfied with the way they look.
1 Samuel 16:7
“God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart”
They think, “If only I could look like so-and-so, I’d be happy.”
The fact is that physical attractiveness does not make a person happy. God wants us to see that our worth as a person does not depend on our outward appearance.
Intelligence
The world says, “If you are smart, you are worthwhile; if you are not, then you are not worth much.”
This is another of Satan’s lies. Your value is not determined by how smart you are. I had a hard time in school. I do not learn as easily as others. When I would give a wrong answer in class, everyone laughed. That made me feel dumb and worthless.
The more a person fails at something, the more discouraged he gets. Gradually he comes to think that he is a complete failure. He may decide that he can’t do anything right and quit trying. This brings on more failure and fear of trying anything new.
God never values a person by his intelligence. When the Lord Jesus chose His disciples, He did not choose the smartest, most intelligent people of His day. He chose plain, ordinary people. The Bible says,
1 Corinthians 1:26-31 New International Version (NIV)
26 Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before him. 30 It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. 31 Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”
Money
A third way that the world values a person is by his wealth. The world says, “If you want to be important and you want to be happy, you must have money.”
This too is one of Satan’s lies. Money does not make a person happy, nor does it determine his value. The Lord Jesus said,
“A man’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things which he possesses.” Luke 12:15
Those who make wealth their goal in life fall into many sins. The Bible says,
“But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.” 1 Timothy 6:9
God wants us to see that we do not need money to be happy. The Bible says,
“Godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing let us with these be content.” 1 Timothy 6:6-8
Change Your Thinking!
Wisdom is seeing things as God sees them. God never values a person by his outward appearance, or by his intelligence, or by his wealth or social position. God deals with rich people exactly the same way he deals with poor people. The Bible says,
“For there is no respect of persons with God.” Romans 2:11
Physical attractiveness, intelligence and money are not evil in themselves. It is the wrong value that the world places on these things that is wrong. If we accept the wrong beliefs and values of the world, it will lead to feelings of inferiority.
To change the way we feel about ourselves, we must change our thinking. We must see that our worth as a person does not depend on our outward appearance, our intelligence, our wealth or our social position.
We must see ourselves as God sees us. What are we worth in God’s sight? We are worth what He paid for us. He gave His Son to redeem us. That’s how much we are worth in His sight.
We must see too that God loves us and accepts us as we are. His love does not depend on what we are or what we have or what we do. God says, “Regardless of whether you are a success or failure, regardless of what you may think about yourself, regardless of what other people may think about you, I LOVE YOU!”
Recognize that you are not alone
You are not alone in your feelings. As you go about school or work, you come in contact with many other people—some smiling, talking, and laughing. You might think that they do not have a care in the world. But underneath it all, you will probably find that they, too, have deep self – doubt and fear. Almost all people have these feelings.
When you realize that other people have the same problem that you have, it helps you to understand them.
Make genuine friends
You don’t have to be beautiful or highly intelligent or have a lot of money to make friends. The best way to have a good friend is to be a good friend. One of the best places to find good friends is in a local church. Never make fun of another person. Respect others and accept them as they are. Let them know that they are important to you. Be especially considerate of those who have difficulty making friends. They will love and appreciate you for this. Nothing helps your self confidence more than having genuine friends. When you realize that other people like and appreciate you, it is easier to accept yourself.
Learn to do something well
Everyone needs to have proper self-esteem. One way to build proper self-esteem is to learn to do something well. Everyone has at least on thing that they are really good at.
Find something that you like to do and then work at it! Say to yourself, “I’ll learn as much about the Bible a possible,” or “I’ll succeed in my part-time job,” or “I’ll learn how to play basketball as well as possible,” or “I’ll see how many friends I can make,” or “I’ll learn to be a good tennis player,” or “I’ll learn to be a good cook.”
Don’t waste time feeling sorry for yourself. Make the most out of what you have. Develop a skill that will make you feel good about yourself. One of the best ways to develop a skill is to use it for God. Cook for people, play basketball with younger kids that need friends, or be that joyful, positive christian at work. Do the best you can in that particular thing. As you do, you will begin to like yourself more.
Face your problems honestly
Get alone where you can be quiet and think. Then make a list of all the things which you most dislike about yourself. Be honest. No one need see this except you and God. Pray about these things.
Do people get the wrong impression of you from the way you dress? You can correct this and you should. Are you lazy and careless about your work? Do something about it! We should do all things to the glory of God. Careless, haphazard work does not bring glory to God.
Whatever your problems are, write them down so you can face them honestly. Check the ones that you can do something about. Perhaps you know an older person—someone you can trust—who could help you.
“Unsolvable Problems”
What about the problems you have left on your list—those “unsolvable problems”? Everyone has one or more of these.
The best thing to do with your “unsolvable problems” is to give them to the Lord Jesus. Tell the Lord that you cannot handle these problems and that you are giving them to Him. Your prayer should contain these thoughts, stated in your own words:
When you have prayed destroy your paper as a symbol that you have turned these problems over to the Lord forever. Whenever you start to fret about these problems again, remind yourself of your decision. Tell the Lord that you have turned these problems over to Him and that you are trusting Him to handle them.
Has your family struggled recently? What trials or difficulties have come your way? What pains have you experienced so far this year? These next verses in Psalms have a lot to say about these trials and how we should think and feel about them in relationship to the great God we serve and worship.
Psalm 91:9-10 New International Version (NIV)
9 If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,”
and you make the Most High your dwelling,
10 no harm will overtake you,
no disaster will come near your tent.
God is called the refuge for those who have made Him their dwelling place both in verse 2 and 9. A refuge is a place of protection and rest from dangers and troubles. We live in a wretched sinful world, one that is full pain and suffering. Because of that, all people will experience problems or as we read earlier in Psalm 91, “Terrors in the night” or “deadly pestilence.”
But, even in the middle of such difficulties, for those who make God their dwelling place, He will be their refuge. Look at this for a minute. To dwell means to live. a dwelling is a house, a place where you have all your stuff, where you rest, where you eat, and where you feel safe. Where you dwell is where you live. So “If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,” and you make the Most High your dwelling,” you are living in the Lord. You are going everyday and spending time. You return often and feel safe. And, ultimately and finally, God will keep evil from befalling those who are His. This is all because of the power and grace of His Son, Jesus Christ, who took the punishment due to those who are His.
The key, though, is that for people to experience this comfort and reassurance they must make God their dwelling place. This comfort and peace don’t come simply from thinking ‘happy thoughts’ or putting forth ‘positive energy.’ It is rooted and grounded in an objective being, God, or as the psalmist refers to Him, the Most High.
No harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent is the next section this does not mean everything is sunshine and roses. Look closely! No harm will overtake you. How can it? God is all powerful. Trails may come, but they can’t overtake you if you are living in the Most High. I have seen people go through tremendous tragedies and cancer and never lose their joy. It can not overtake them. They have the hope of eternity in Jesus and no earthly troubles are going to change that.
Are you clinging to God? Are you calling out to Him when the difficulties and trials of living in a sinful world come at you? Do you know and are you trusting in the Most High to be your refuge? If not, please turn to Him, the Creator of all things and experience the comfort and blessing of knowing Him and living under His comforting shelter.
If you read yesterday’s post, you know that Psalm 91 is my families go to scripture when we are “fraidy cats”. When we are feeling afraid of anything in our lives we can rely on God. Frequently; however, we need reminding of how awesome the safe places of God are.
Psalm 91:3-4
3 Surely he will save you
from the fowler’s snare
and from the deadly pestilence.
4 He will cover you with his feathers,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
I know what your thinking. When I first read this I thought, “Those words are English, right? But, I still don’t know what that means.” Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare. What is that! Well it’s really easy, a fowler is a person who hunts or traps wild birds(fowl) and a snare is the traps they use. The Fowler’s Snare – Satan is the fowler setting traps and snares to sabotage the Christians. God has saved the believer from satan’s traps. For God the Most High, the Almighty has secured everyone who is in Christ Jesus. No amount of trickery, luring, deceit, or bribery can undermine the work that God has done in those who are saved. Our enemy is fierce and he is smarter than we are, but he is not smarter than our Deliverer. If you find yourself caught in the trap of sin today, cry out to God, our refuge and fortress. Hide in Him and let Him work on your heart to free you from the snare of sin to once again walk in the light. He will do it if you will turn to Him.
The next tricky bit is deadly pestilences. I don’t know about you, but when I hear that I picture giant, human sized wasps or locusts. The Deadly Pestilence – There is no deadly pestilence that can eternally kill the Christian. However, as a christian you will face things that make you suffer. When these come we need to say like Job “I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last He will take His stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God.” Jesus our Redeemer has risen from the dead and secured our resurrection from the dead. One day we will rise with glorified bodies and will live forever. God has given us real and tangible hope when we suffer. Even though our strength and our heart may fail, the Lord will not leave us, but He himself will be the strength of our heart and our portion forever. He is our God who raises the dead, who has delivered us, is now delivering us, and will deliver us. It is He on whom we have set our hope (2 Corinthians 1:9-10).
He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge. Birds often put their young under their wings for protection. Did you know that the softest portion of the bird is the down under their wings? The Lord has the softest down under His wings; a pocket of security right next to His heart reserved for His children. The Lord, who is our fortress, is mighty, but He is not cold stone. Have you known the protection and warm comfort of His wings? Why do you wait? Come to Him and be enfolded in the feathers of His love. He will hide you there in the secret place away from danger and fear.
His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. Hear we go again, Rampart? It’s okay. Rampart is a defensive wall around a castle or a city. God’s faithfulness is our shield and wall. He is our defense. When we engage in the war against evil, it is not in our own strength, but in the power of God. He has proven His faithfulness to every promise and this knowledge equips us with the boldness and courage we will need for life. We belong to the Lord. It is almost too wonderful to comprehend, but He set His love on us, and has given us all we need to walk in a manner worthy of Him. Lift high your shield of faith and stand safely under the wings of the Most High God.
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Psalm 91: A Safe Place
My son, Jackson, is about to turn 18. When he was a young boy, he used to be scared of many things. From the age of 4 or 5 until 9 or 10, he would pray every night when we sent him to bed then walk into his bedroom and say, “Be gone in the name of JESUS!” This made him feel safe at night. Once he began to read we he would get scared of things, I would always say, “Start reading in Psalms 91 and don’t stop till you feel better.” One day we where in the car and driving through a sketchy neighborhood at night. He began to get twitchy because he was scared. I happened to have a Bible in my front seat and I tossed it over my shoulder and said, “You know where to start.”
Psalms 91 has been the scriptures in our house that we have used to ground ourselves when fear is creeping in. I would dare to say that every human has scared moments. When we are uncertain of things and we don’t know what to do. This is where this Bible study series comes from, a scared little boy and a mother that only had God’s word for protection.
Psalm 91: 1-2
1 Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.[a
2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.”
When life is scary, every task seems more exhaustive the last and you can’t t find a safe place or place to rest, these verses are reassuring, comforting and encouraging. When things appear to be their worst, I tend to get a bit negative, and most of us are like that. Our natural tendency is to get down in the mully grubs and miss out on what God may be doing in our situation.
When I find myself in these negative places, my goal becomes centering my mind to fend off the negative, and say of the Lord that He is my God in whom I trust, just as the writer of this Psalm did.
But there is also a deeper meaning in this passage, hidden in plain sight. In these verses there are four names for God: the Most High, the Almighty, the Lord, my God. Why does the writer use four different names in two verses, and why is it so important?
Whosoever dwells (lives) in the shelter of the Most High, Hebrew word, Elyon means the most high. It describes a Supreme monarch, one who is elevated above all things. The name signifies God’s majesty and sovereignty. Elyon describes a king that reigns above all other kings, and is first used in Scripture in Genesis 14:18, describing Abraham’s encounter with the priest/king Melchizedek, “Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High.” Melchizedek gives us a picture of Christ in several ways, and it is fitting that this story contains the first use of this name of God in Scripture. Verse 1 speaks to the protection of one who ‘dwells in the shelter of the Most High,’ and it causes us to ask where it is that we dwell. Do we dwell in our own self-doubt? Do we dwell in anger? Do we dwell in what could be or what could have been? Or do we dwell in the shelter of the Most High God, the Holy King of heaven who promises to protect and keep us?
The second phrase, will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. The Almighty, is translated from the word Shaddai (If you are thinking of the Amy Grant song right now, I assure you you are not alone). Shaddai has many meanings, but it as you may imagine, it primarily suggests a mighty, powerful God who is strong beyond our imagination and is more than capable to supply our every need. He is the God who who rained fire from heaven, shut mouths of lions, and controls all of creation. In His name and in His power, there is no need that cannot be met, and no circumstance he cannot overcome. So, if we live with the most high God we can rest in the shadow of his power. HALLELUJAH!!
The third section is I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress.The LORD, is the personal name for God, revealed to Moses at the burning bush (Exodus 6:2). This personal name for God was considered so sacred in Judaism, that the original pronunciation is uncertain, only that it contained the letters YHWH. It has been translated as Yahweh, Jehovah, and more often as the LORD (in all caps). The significance of this name is that it represents a relationship God who wants us to know Him on a deep, personal level. The God who knows every hair on our heads, every joy and fear in our hearts, and desires us to know Him as a friend. This God who created the universe and wants to be the place we go to feel safe.
The last section is my God, in whom I trust. My God, comes from the Hebrew Elohim. This name first appears at the very beginning of the Bible in Genesis 1:1, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” When Elohim occurs in Scripture, it is typically translated as “God.” It means the one who is first, or the creator, and is technically a plural word. So it is fitting that this is how God is referenced in Genesis 1:1; as a creator who is one, yet plural (Father, Son, Spirit). The Psalmist is proclaiming that the God in whom he trusts is the same God who created all things, the first and the last, and the God who is forever faithful to His creation.
In the span of just two verses we see the beauty of God: His ways are higher than our ways, yet we can speak to Him as friend. God is at the same time unsearchable yet so very near to us. In His shadow and in His shelter, we find strength, comfort, and rest for our souls.
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Fight Like a Girl
2 Timothy 1:7 – For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
When I was young, my boy cousins used to tell me, “You fight like a girl.” Oh yeah, I do! Boys may fight with their fists or legs, but girls use everything God gave them to fight. When push came to shove, I would scratch, pinch or bite to win. In life’s battles, we need to use everything we have to stand up and be brave.
I have had the distinct honor of being a mother to a son and an aunt to 4 nieces. My desire for all of them has been and is to chase hard after God. My dream would be for them to choose to live according to God’s word and not the world. To be brave through the light of God’s Word.
How to be brave and fight like a girl.
Living for God in the world is brave.
Making God the deciding factor in the choices you make is brave.
Defining yourself as a child of God is brave.
Leaving your sin filled life behind and choosing to follow God’s will is brave.
Every morning when we wake up is a new opportunity to choose God and be brave. God’s grace and mercy give us a new day to serve him and fight Satan like a girl. Our world is no fairy tale. There is a battle raging all around us, a fight for our hearts, minds, and eternities. Every day we are faced with choices that if we chose to fight like a girl, with all God gave us, we could push our enemy back and take steps closer to God.
To Fight like a Girl, Choose the Following.
To chase after righteousness and godliness, like they were diamonds and gold.
To run with faith and not bogged down in fear.
To love instead of hate or jealousy.
To endure instead of give up.
To be gentle instead of harsh.
To study, pray and strive to live like Jesus. Being brave looks a lot like Jesus.
One of the biggest lies we tell ourselves is that we can be brave standing all alone. We can’t do anything without God by our side. Then we need the help of an accountability partner or close Christian friend. In Mark 6:7 Jesus sent the disciples out two by two and paired Moses and Aaron. So were Ruth and Naomi and Paul and Luke. Dynamic duos are seen all through the Bible.
Where two are more are gathered in my name, there I am in the midst of them. Matthew 18:20
A partner or friend can help keep you on track when your old nature tries to peek his head out.
So gear up by putting on the armor of God found in Ephesians 6:10-18 because this battle we are about to engage in is not of this world.
Even though we know this world is not our home, that doesn’t mean we just give up and refuse to stand against the assault that is happening all around us. No, as daughters of the King of Kings, we know that greater is He who is in us than he who is in the world (1 John 4:4).
So with that in mind, let’s get up and fight like girls, in the battle. With the faith that God has placed us here for this. We were made for this battle.
No longer will we stand idle while Satan attacks our marriages, children, homes, countries, and churches.
Sweet sisters, it’s time to throw on some glitter and fight like a girl.
Pray that God will show you areas where you need to be brave and to lead you to people who will fight along side of you.
Challenge Yourself:What is God calling you to fight for? Take time this week to pray and seek His face. Then write down what steps you need to take to begin to fight like a girl.
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Move from Fear into Fabulous
“When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise—in God I trust and am not afraid. What can mere man do to me?” Psalm 56:3-4
The Shackle of Fear
I think we have all had that feeling. The one in the pit in your stomach, your heart is about to jump out of your chest, and rush of thoughts as you drop into a pit of fear, anxiety and flat out terror. It comes sitting across the table from a doctor, stepping into an angry bosses office or for some being asked to be more than a flower on the wall.
We are human and fear is something we can’t avoid, but it is something we can control. Having that tingle down your spine can alert you to a hazardous situation or danger. However, allowing that fear to take hold of you and keep you from moving forward will be detrimental to your Christian walk.
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” ~ Philippians 4:6-7
This doesn’t say that God will swoop down and change everything. It does say that if we take it to God. We will get peace. God understands that we will have fear and that we will need Him. Look at Psalm 56:3-4 “When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise—in God I trust and am not afraid. What can mere man do to me?” David doesn’t write, “If I am afraid.” He says, “When I am afraid.”
Becoming Fabulous because of a Faithful God
When we look at life just with our own eyes, we become fearful, fugitive & pessimistic. We start to second guess ourselves and every decision we ever made. When we look at the Bible and begin to see how God empowered normal average people. The Holy Spirit takes the Word of God and strengthens us and gives us courage that we didn’t know we had.
John tells us how God’s love fights fear.
“There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.” ~ 1 John 4:18
God doesn’t want us to be shackled to our fears. All throughout the Bible, God tells us how faithful He is.
1 “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” ~ Isaiah 41:10
“Peace is what I leave with you; it is my own peace that I give you. I do not give it as the world does. Do not be worried and upset; do not be afraid.” ~ John 14:27
“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” ~ 2 Timothy 1:7
“But now, this is what the Lord says…Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.” ~ Isaiah 43:1
“An anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up.” ~ Proverbs 12:25
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” ~ Joshua 1:9
“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” ~ Matthew 6:34
“Humble yourselves, then, under God’s mighty hand, so that he will lift you up in his own good time. Leave all your worries with him, because he cares for you.” ~ 1 Peter 5:6-7
“The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?” ~ Psalm 27:1
“’For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you. Do not be afraid, for I myself will help you,’ declares the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.” ~ Isaiah 41:13-14
“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” ~ Psalm 46:1
“The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? The Lord is with me; he is my helper.” ~ Psalm 118:6-7
“Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.” ~ Proverbs 29:25
“But even if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you for it. So don’t worry or be afraid of their threats.” ~ 1 Peter 3:14
“I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me. He freed me from all my fears.” ~ Psalm 34:4
How to change my fears into fabulous
- Put your hope in God—in God and His Word rather than the unreliability of ourselves or others.
- Do what is right—according to God’s way of approaching life, not the world’s way, especially those cultural practices that go against God’s Word.
- You can choose to give God your fears
Choose to give God your fear
We have a faithful God. Who wants you to rely on him and step away from fear.
Your Faith Walk
Read John 14:27 and 16:33. What does Jesus promise to you?
John 14:27 New Living Translation (NLT)
27 “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.
John 16:33 New Living Translation (NLT)
33 I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”
He is with you through any trouble. You can trust Him. Our God is trustworthy!
What might be holding you back from trusting Him whenever you are afraid?
Fabulous-in-Action:
#1: God loves you
John 3:16; John 16:27; Romans 5:5
God sent Jesus to die for you. He loves you. Jesus would have died for you even if you were the only person on earth.
#2: God knows what is happening to you and around you.
Matthew 6:31-32; Psalm 139:1-10
God is everywhere and knows everything. So, God knows what is going on in your life. He knows your needs and how best to meet them.
#3: God can change you or your situation.
Genesis 18:14; Luke 1:37
Is anything impossible for the Lord? NO! Our God is all-powerful. He is capable of doing anything He chooses to do that is in agreement with His character, will, plan and purposes.
#4: You can trust His goodness in whatever He chooses to do
Psalm 119:68; Proverbs 3:5
The Bible says that God is good, and what He does is good. It’s a choice to trust God and bank on His goodness.
What is causing you fear today? What are your choices for acting on that fear?
Pray
Pray about your fears and decisions you are making to trust God in them. Thank God for His grace toward you and His love for you.