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Dont Be Afraid Of Fear

Fear is a lethal weapon the devil uses to steal, kill

and destroy the Christian! The trouble with fear is that its like smallpox or the measles. ormally, you dont have !ust one little spot. They "ome in bun"hes. #o does fear. $ou %et one fear, then another, and another, and another, and another! &lmost all of us have been %ripped by fear at some point in our lives. Fear may %rip us, but we dont have to let it stay! Charles and ' were in a bi% (C)1* airplane on our way to Canada, and we had !ust taken off from the +ouston airport when the plane apparently %ot "au%ht in the tail end of a tornado. The plane tilted at su"h an an%le ' wondered if we were %oin% to "rash ri%ht into the %round on the left win% of the plane. For a moment there was real fear in my heart. $ou should have seen the rest of the plane! There was pani"! #uit"ases "ame flyin% throu%h the air. ,y purse went up, hit the "eilin% of the plane and boun"ed ba"k on my head. -verythin%
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that wasnt tied down was sailin% around the interior of the plane! Fear %ripped both Charles and me. . .for a moment. /hat did we do0 /e immediately be%an to pray in the #pirit! /hat happened0 The fear instantly left. /hy0 1e"ause we trusted 2od. The moment we be%an prayin%, fear disappeared! Fear and trust "annot exist at the same time. 3rayin% in ton%ues was instantaneous for both of us, be"ause we didnt think about how to pray, so our spirits prayed in an unknown ton%ue and 2od heard and answered! /ebsters di"tionary says that fear is 4a feelin% of anxiety and a%itation "aused by the presen"e or nearness of dan%er, evil, pain, et".5 timidity5 dread5 terror5 fri%ht, apprehension. & feelin% of uneasiness5 dis6uiet5 anxiety, "on"ern.7 /e "ertainly did have a feelin% of anxiety be"ause of the 4nearness of dan%er,7 but as soon as we reali8ed where our trust was, fear "ouldnt stay. ,aybe in your life you are experien"in% some of the most 4"ommon7 fears su"h as death, %ettin% old, si"kness, failure, poverty, losin% a mate, re!e"tion. The list "ould be endless! 'f you have
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any of these fears, %et ready to %et rid of them ri%ht now! 4Fear involves torment7 :' ;ohn 9<1=>. This tool of the devil "auses physi"al sufferin%, mental an%uish and distress5 it also brin%s terror, pani" and horror. /e dis"over we "annot think "learly or rationally when fear %rips us. 'n fa"t, we may not be able to think at all! 's there an answer to su"h devastatin% fear0 /hat is it? 's there an antidote0 There "ertainly is! /hen faith looks at a situation, fear disappears! 4Faith "omes by hearin%, and hearin% by the word of 2od!7 :?omans 1*<1@>. 2ods word has the answer to this kind of fear and also talks about a kind of fear that is %ood A the fear, or reveren"e, of 2od. The fear whi"h brin%s torment does not belon% in the Christians life be"ause 2od has %iven us the answer! /e need to know and understand who we are in Christ in order to have pea"e in our lives. This knowled%e, firmly embedded in our hearts, "an dispel all the fear the devil tries to throw our way! Bne of my favorite portions of s"ripture whi"h reminds us of who we are in Christ, is ' ;ohn 9<9)=. The &mplified 1ible brin%s !oy to your heart when
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you meditate on these verses and reali8e what they say to $BD< 4Eittle "hildren, you are of 2od A you belon% to +im A and have FalreadyG defeated and over"ome them Fthe a%ents of anti"hristG, be"ause +e /ho lives in you is %reater :mi%htier> than he who is in the world.7 That verse alone should dispel all the fear you "ould ever a"6uire! ow lets examine some of the thin%s it says and apply them to our own lives< We are of God A we belong to Him! 'f we belon% to 2od, we are +is possession, and if we are +is possession, +e is %oin% to take %ood "are of us. /e take %ood "are of our possessions, dont we0 2od is the same way! +e "ares about a sparrow that falls and even "ounts the number of hairs on our heads, so naturally +es %oin% to take %ood "are of us. 'f +es takin% "are of us, why should we worry about the devil and have fear0 /e belon% to 2od! /e dont belon% to the devil! Jesus lives in us and is greater t an anyt ing outside of us! Bne of the thin%s that will stren%then your life more than anythin% else "on"ernin% fear is to be "onstantly aware of the fa"t that ;esus is livin% in you! 4Christ in you, the
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hope of %lory7 :Colossians 1<2@>. Eet that spirit in you rise up and say to the world, 42reater is +e that is in me, than he that is in the world!7 #ay it over and over and over until it be%ins to sti"k to your ribs and be"omes embedded in your heart. #ay it to 2od! #ay it to yourself! #ay it to your family! #ay it to the walls! #ay it on the telephone every time it rin%s! #ay it in your bathtub! #ay it to your bed! #ay it! #ay it! #ay it! #ay it until youve heard it often enou%h that you are thorou%hly "onvin"ed that inside you lives that Bne who is %reater and mi%htier than he that is in the world! +allelu!ah! We ave already defeated and over!ome t e devil" How !an we be afraid? 'f we really love ;esus, our trust in +im will always ex"eed our fear of the devil. /hen we "onfess that we have fear, we are sayin% the word of 2od is ina""urate and not true. /e need to know what 2ods word says so we "an firmly plant our two feet on it. The 1ible says we have already defeated and over"ome the devil!
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+ow "an we be "on"erned and full of worry if we believe what 2ods word tells us, that we have already over"ome0 Eets a"t on vi"torious trust in 2ods prote"tion, not on the devil)instilled fear that 2od "annot perform what +e says! This fabulous bit of s"ripture %oes on to say, 4/e are F"hildrenG of 2od. /hoever is learnin% to know 2od pro%ressively to per"eive, re"o%ni8e and understand 2od Fby observation and experien"eG and to %et an ever "learer knowled%e of +im A listens to us5 and he who is not of 2od does not listen or pay attention to us. 1y this we know :re"o%ni8e> the #pirit of Truth and the spirit of error.7 We are ! ildren of God and "an a"tually believe that we are when we %et to know +im better. There is another wonderful key to findin% freedom from fear. #now that you are a "hild of 2od. Inow it, know it, know it! +ow do you know it0 1y %ettin% to know Him better. +ow do we %et to know +im better and better0 1y readin% +is word over and over and over! -verythin% you read in +is word points to +is love and "are for you, but you "an never I B/
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this until you read it and %et it firmly fixed in your heart and mind! ' think of all the years ' lived in this world, attended "hur"h and had a 4pre"ious7 1ible. ' wanted to take su"h %ood "are of it that ' never used it for fear 'd wear it out. o wonder ' didnt know what 2od had for me! ' never bothered to find out. ' was starvin% to death spiritually even thou%h +is whole basket of %oodies was ri%ht there waitin% for me to eat! 41eloved, let us love one another5 for love Fsprin%sG from 2od, and he who loves Fhis fellow menG is be%otten :born> of 2od and is "omin% :pro%ressively> to know and understand 2od A to per"eive and re"o%ni8e and %et a better and "learer knowled%e of +im7 :' ;ohn 9<@ &mp>. oti"e the words 4know,7 4%et a"6uainted with,7 4understand7 and 4knowled%e of +im7 mentioned in these two verses. These are the se"rets to dispellin% fear A %ettin% as "lose to 2od as possible by spendin% time with +im in +is word and in prayer. ' think ba"k to the times when ' first be"ame a Christian and read the 1ible until two or three o"lo"k in the mornin%. ,any ni%hts ' sat beside my printin% press, wat"hin% it run, but
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"on"entratin% on the word of 2od and feelin% the love that was pourin% into me while ' was %ettin% a"6uainted with +im! These are still some of the most beautiful times in my life, and they will be in yours, too, when you are so immersed in the word of 2od that you are totally possessed by +is wonderful love! There is no short "ut to knowin% 2od and experien"in% and feelin% 2ods love. /e must be with +im and let +im be in us, lettin% +is love flow into us and throu%h us. 1y doin% this, we will over"ome this fear that involves torment! & woman "alled me on the telephone the other day and asked me to pray for her physi"al "ondition. ' asked her what her problem was and she said, 4,any!7 #he be%an to name a whole strin% of illnesses< "olitis, ul"ers, rash all over her body, sleeplessness, diarrhea, and bitin% her fin%ernails. ' said to her, 4/hat are you afraid of0 /hy are you so fearful07 ' knew it wouldnt do any %ood to minister healin% to her body until we dis"overed the "ause and removed it! -very sin%le affli"tion she asked me to pray for was "aused by
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nervousness, anxiety, worry, bein% upti%ht A all of whi"h were "aused by fear! &fter talkin% to her for a short while, she reali8ed her problem had "ome from listenin% to the devil. +e always wants to %rab your mind and thou%hts! #he had re"eived the baptism with the +oly #pirit three years previously in a %lorious experien"e. Then the devil "ame around and told her it wasnt real! This may be diffi"ult for you to believe, but as a result of the devil tellin% her this lie, she had lived in fear of speakin% in ton%ues or asso"iatin% with anyone who did. #he thou%ht it was of the devil. #he was afraid to open her mouth and praise 2od in her prayer lan%ua%e be"ause the devil had told her for three years that she !ouldnt pray in ton%ues. #he be"ame "ompletely "onvin"ed that it was an impossibility for her. #he was unbelievably depressed and had apparently been this way for three lon% years of defeat, all be"ause she failed to depend and stand on the word of 2od! /ith a short, simple "ommand, we "ast out the spirit of fear. 'mmediately she started prayin% in ton%ues as the !oy of the Eord "ame over her!
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$ou mi%ht feel that this was a very insi%nifi"ant thin% to be afraid of, but the fear that is t e worst in t e w ole world is t e fear t at atta! es itself to you" 't mi%ht seem to be nothin% to someone else, but when fear has hooked its "laws into you, re%ardless of what it is, it will be"ome a hu%e, overwhelmin%, overpowerin% for"e in your life until you learn what 2od has to say about fear! ' had no sooner hun% up the telephone when another "all "ame in with almost the same hysteria. & woman, approximately forty-five years of a%e, thou%ht her mind was %oin% to snap. The devil had been houndin% her with su"h thou%hts as< 4$ou like to talk about +oover (am and 1oulder (am be"ause you like to "urse. $ou !ust like the word 4dam.7 Then the devil "ontinued, 4#ay it, say it, say it!7 &nother day he would say, 4$ou like to talk about your skin bein% damp, be"ause if you dont pronoun"e the last letter, you "an swear and no one will know it!7 Then he would start a%ain sayin%, 4#ay it, say it, say it!7 ' told her to pray a simple prayer with me, rebukin% the works of the devil, and lettin% the
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%reater Bne who was in her rise up above the devil. ' reminded her that (avid said in 3salm 2., 4' will fear no evil.7 /hy and how "ould he say that with su"h "onfiden"e0 4For $ou are with me,7 he pro"laimed in that same 3salm! +e stood on the promises of 2od and said he would fear absolutely B evil. $ou may say, 41ut (avid was never surrounded with the bad situation 'm in.7 $ou may ar%ue that his problems never "ompared with yours. &re you sure of that0 +e says in 3salm .<H, 4' will not be afraid of ten t ousands of $eo$le who have set themselves a%ainst me all around.7 The Eivin% 1ible says, 4&lthou%h ten thousand enemies surround me on every side, ' am not afraid!% /hy wasnt he afraid0 +e %ives the answer in other verses in 3salm .< 41ut $ou, B Eord, are a shield for me, ,y %lory and the Bne who lifts up my head. ' "ried to the Eord with my voi"e, &nd +e heard me from +is holy hill. ' lay down and slept5 ' awoke, for t e &ord sustained me"% (avid really loved 2od and showed it by trustin% +im.
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+ave you ever had ten thousand enemies surround you on every side0 Then your problem "ouldnt be as bad as (avids problem be"ause he was loaded with enemies all over the pla"e. The thin% ' love so mu"h about his answer is that he simply %ave the problem to 2od and went to sleep! 2lory! ,ost of us would have stayed awake all ni%ht worryin% about the problem, but (avid knew when he "ried out to 2od that +e heard him, so he !ust went to bed and relaxed! Thats the %reatest way to %et rid of fear that ' know of A !ust %ive it to 2od and then let +im handle the problem. & s"ripture that re"ently "ame alive to me "on"ernin% fear is in the fourteenth "hapter of -xodus. ' espe"ially like it in the Eivin% 1ible. ,oses had led the 'sraelites out of -%ypt and the -%yptian army was "hasin% them. &s ' visuali8ed all these "hariots and "harioteers, horses and people "omin% pell mell after the 'sraelites, ' "an understand why they "omplained and murmured to ,oses. They were !ust plain s"ared! ' probably would have been s"ared, too, if ' had been lookin% at the "ir"umstan"es with them instead of lookin% at the answer!
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,oses said an interestin% thin% to his people< 4(ont be afraid. ;ust stand where you are and wat"h, and you will see the wonderful way the Eord will res"ue you today. The -%yptians you are lookin% at A you will never see them a%ain. The Eord will fi%ht for you, and you wont need to lift a fin%er!7 :vs. 1.>. /hat he was really sayin% to them was to $ut t eir trust in God and not loo' at t e $roblem! They didnt reali8e that not only was 2od on the s"ene already, but a host of an%els was there to defeat the foe. ' love what 2od said then, 4Kuit prayin% and %et the people movin%! Forward, mar"h!7 :vs. 15). 2ods answer was a plan that involved a"tion! +e told them not to !ust sit there and wait for disaster to overtake them, but to %et movin%! +allelu!ah! This is what we need to do in our own lives5 let 2od answer us and then %et movin% out of the realm of fear into the realm of faith, be"ause 2od will never let you down when you are doin% what +e tells you to do! 4$ou will see the wonderful way the Eord will res"ue you today.7 Too many times we sit and bemoan our problems instead of movin% out for 2od in order to %ive +im an opportunity to solve our problems!
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2od is not on the defensive. 2od is on the offensive! 2od likes a"tion! The devil tries delay ta"ti"s all the time! +e wants us to sit down and "ry and have a real 4pity party7 for ourselves. +e wants us to talk to all our friends about how afraid we are of the future and what it holds for us instead of standin% on the promises of 2od and knowin% who holds the future! The devil makes fearful Christians waste their time by tryin% to %et someone to "ounsel with them, or at least listen to them, instead of movin% out. Forward( mar! ! The devil delays5 2od moves! 3robably the %reatest fear in the world today is the fear of failure. &t a re"ent meetin%, we asked everyone to stand who had fear of poverty, old a%e, "an"er or losin% a husband or wife. ,any people stood. 1ut when we asked the final 6uestion, 4+ow many of you have a fear of failure07 approximately ninety)five per"ent of the audien"e stood! /hat a sho"kin% revelation at a meetin% of Christians to have that many of them admit they have a fear of failure.
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The %reatest over "omer of fear is the word of 2od. /e need to sharpen that two)ed%ed sword, be"ause 4...the word of 2od is 6ui"k, and powerful, and sharper than any two)ed%ed sword, pier"in% even to the dividin% asunder of soul and spirit, and of the !oints and marrow, and is a dis"erner of the thou%hts and intents of the heart7 :+eb. 9<12>. /hen we keep that sword sharp, we "an "hop fear into tiny little pie"es they really didnt know, but we praise 2od that and s"atter it to the four winds. Fear has no ri%ht to be in the heart of a believer! Those who are fearful often blame a la"k of time for not readin% the word of 2od and learnin% the promises they "an stand on, but they will take all the time in the world to dis"uss their fears with anyone who will listen to them. 2ods word says, 4Eet no "orrupt "ommuni"ation pro"eed out of your mouth, but that whi"h is %ood to the use of edifyin%, that it may minister %ra"e unto the hearers7 :-phesians 9<2J>. /e "ertainly dont do mu"h edifyin%, do we, when all we talk about is fear0 &nd did you ever think how "orrupt our "ommuni"ation is when we talk about how fearful we are0 +ow mu"h
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better for the hearers when we let them know that we know who we are in Christ! Fear "omes into our lives when we dont know what we have in Christ, or when we dont know our a"tual inheritan"e from 2od. The minute you dis"over who you are, you will be%in to have vi"tory over the fear of failure. ' re"ently wrote a letter to a number of people who had written us pa%es and pa%es of their troubles and problems. &lmost all of them related to fear. ' wrote and told them to take all their fears, doubts and unbelief and write them down on a sheet of paper. Then at the bottom ' instru"ted them to write the followin%< 4 ay, in all these thin%s we are more than "on6uerors throu%h +im that loved us.7 Try it yourself. 2et a pie"e of paper ri%ht now and write on it the fears you have in your life. ,ake the list as lon% as you need to. /rite down every one of your fears, bi% and small! &t the bottom of the pa%e, write in bi%, bold letters, )*n all t ese t ings we are more t an !on+uerors t roug +im t at loved us!% :?omans =<.@>.
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/hen youve finished that, you mi%ht even want to burn the list, !ust to let the devil know those fears dont exist any more! 2ods word doesnt allow room for failure. Bver and over +e %ives us the pres"ription for total deliveran"e from fear and worry. &nother of my favorite s"riptures as an antidote to fear of failure is 3roverbs 1H<. in the &mplified 1ible< 4?oll your works upon the Eord A "ommit and trust them wholly to +im5 F+e will "ause your thou%hts to be"ome a%reeable to +is will, andG so shall your plans be established and su""eed.7 (id you ever %o bowlin% or wat"h someone else bowl0 $ou use a ball whi"h has three holes for your fin%ers. $ou stand at one end of a lon% wooden freeway, and try to kno"k down the 4pins7 at the other end of the lane. -veryone %ets all ex"ited when you kno"k them all down! The se"ret in bowlin% is to let the ball %o ri%ht down the "enter path :with a sli%ht "urve> and its done! $ou "ant kno"k the pins down with the ball still in your hand! The same se"ret holds true in 4rollin% your works upon the Eord7 A this means to let go of
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the load youve been "arryin% and throw it on the Eord. ,urn it loose! The next step is so important A 4"ommit and trust them wholly to +im.7 'snt that diffi"ult sometimes0 &fter weve let %o we be%in to wonder if we "an trust 2od for the answers! (id you ever feel like you wanted to run down the alley after the bowlin% ball0 Thats what a lot of us do with problems A we %ive them to 2od and then run after them as fast as we "an to take them ba"k! The 1ible is so simple and spe"ifi" in tellin% us to "ommit and trust our problems 4wholly7 to +im, not !ust half way, but all t e way! /at"h what happens when you do! 4+e will "ause your thou%hts :2od works in your mind> to be"ome a%reeable to +is will.7 (o you see what happens when you %ive your mind and your fears to 2od0 +e "auses your mind to be"ome a%reeable to +is will instead of ar%uin% with +im. Then, look at the wonderful promise5 4and so shall your plans be established and su""eed.7 Theres your se"ret for su""ess! 'f you believe the word of 2od to be true and obey what it says, there is no way you "an be a failure be"ause 2ods
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word promises that your plans shall be established and su""eed! Failure and su""ess dont %o to%ether, and fear and faith arent datin% either! 2od said in 2enesis 2H<29 :&mplified>, 4Fear not for ' am with you, and will favor you with blessin%s.7 The Eivin% 1ible adds, 4...be"ause of my promise.7 +e "an be trusted! +e will be with us! +e is true to +is wonderful word! +allelu!ah! Bne of the most beautiful antidotes for the fear of failure is found in the first "hapter of 3salms at the very end of the third verse. 't says, 4and whatever he does shall prosper.7 +ow "an we ever anti"ipate failure when 2ods word promises us that everythin% we do is %oin% to prosper0 /e need to "onfess that over and over until we have prosperity rollin% in our doors in su"h %reat measure that we dont have room to "ontain it! Thats 2ods way! Thats what 2od wants! 'f su""ess is what you need, take 2ods pres"ription listed in (euteronomy 1<21< 4Eook, the Eord your 2od as set t e land before you%o up and possess it, as the Eord 2od of your fathers has spoken to you5 do not fear or be dis!ouraged"%
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Thats an order from 2od! +es orderin% you to %o out and possess the thin%s +e has for you! +es sayin% to you, 42o %et your inheritan"e. 2o possess what 've %iven to you. 2o %et what is ri%htfully yours!7 2od %ives simple instru"tions be"ause +e tells us that we are not to fear and neither are we to be dis"oura%ed. 1ein% dis"oura%ed is the same as tellin% 2od we dont believe what +e says, and that we are %oin% to be disobedient. /e need to be%in "onfessin% 2ods word! /hen the day "omes that we learn to "onfess the word of 2od instead of the lies of #atan, it will be a %reat day of vi"tory for us and a %reat day of re!oi"in% for the Eord. +is word says, 4'f 2od be for us, who "an be a%ainst us07 :?omans =<.1>. 't doesnt make any differen"e who is a%ainst us be"ause were "hildren of the Iin%! ,emori8e ?omans 1*<J)1*, 4. . .that if you "onfess with your mouth the Eord ;esus and believe in your heart that 2od has raised +im from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes to ri%hteousness, and with the mouth "onfession is made to salvation.7
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Confession is made unto su""ess or failure, whi"hever you "hoose. Confessin% fear will brin% fear. Confessin% 2ods word will make the 1ible a reality. ' %uarantee that if you line up your life with the word of 2od, the word of 2od will line up with your life! 4#ay to them that are of a fearful heart, 41e stron%, fear not< behold, your 2od will "ome with ven%ean"e, even 2od with a re"ompense5 +e will "ome and save you7 :'saiah 35:4). Thats a personal word from the Eord !ust for you! /here does fear start0 ,any times we instill fear in our "hildren as it was instilled in us, and then it "ontinues throu%hout their lifetime. +ow many times have we said to our "hildren, 4/at"h out or the Lboo%ey man will %et you!7 Br have we said, 4'f you dont behave, 'll put you in the "loset where its dark!7 (arkness then be"omes a thin% to fear. Tellin% %host stories was the 4in7 thin% when ' was %rowin% up. -veryone tried to "ome up with the most %ory, %ruesome story possible to 4s"are7 everybody else. /e a"tually put a value and ex"itement on fear.
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' often look at our %randdau%hter, Charity, and think of the way her parents have raised her. Bn +alloween when she was two years old, many of the "hildren in the nei%hborhood "ame by dressed in "ostumes %rotes6ue enou%h to s"are even the most "alm individual. /hen Charity be"ame fri%htened and ran behind her mother, ;oan said, 4+oney, you dont have to be afraid be"ause the an%els have "har%e over you!7 3salm J1<11 says, 4For he shall %ive his an%els "har%e over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.7 Charity now has no fear be"ause she knows what the 1ible says, and she often states, 4The an%els have "har%e over me!7 /hat a "onfession for a two)year)old "hild to make! Thats the "onfession we all need to make. /hen the devil tries to put fear in us, we need to a""ept and then "onfess the prote"tion of the an%els over us. (ont "onfess the devils power A "onfess 2ods word! #omeone re"ently %ave us some 1ible markers whi"h had twenty)two different "olored ribbons. /e laid these down on our desk. /hen Charity visited us, she immediately spotted them, put one in ea"h hand and started runnin% throu%h the house
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with the ribbons flyin% in the air as she said, 4+es alive! +es alive! +es alive!7 +ow we praise 2od that as youn% as she was, her thou%hts were on ;esus! #hell never think of ;esus as dead. To her, 4+es alive!7 +ow we wish that all Christians would ex"itedly pro"laim the same messa%e with banners flyin%. /e asked her parents where she learned this. They said somewhere in her mind had been imprinted the fa"t that Hes alive! Fear exists when we dont sin"erely and honestly believe that ;esus is alive and "apable of handlin% all of our affairs better than we "ould. (oubt and the devil %o hand in hand. /hen doubt "omes in, we dont think 2od is bi% enou%h to take "are of us, so fear has us where the devil wants us. Fear is only the absen"e of trust in 2od. 'f you really love ;esus, you will not live in fear. /hen we have been raised in and have lived in an atmosphere of fear, how do we %et over it A espe"ially when were past our "hildhood days0 Theres only one way ' know and thats to start "onfessin% and possessin% the word of 2od. Fear of not knowin% our standin% with 2od "an be so easily taken "are of by a simple prayer. #ay
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ri%ht now, 4Father, ' have thin%s in my life that make me afraid of my eternal destiny. 3lease for%ive my sins and "leanse me. ' promise to 6uit doin% anythin% displeasin% to $ou as soon as ' know it is wron%. ' know $ou will let me know in my heart instantly when ' am not pleasin% $ou. Thank $ou for for%ivin% me and thank $ou for the pea"e $ou promise when ' obey $ou.7 /here do we %o from here0 The answer is simple! /e need to possess the promises of 2od, so, like 2od told the "hildren of 'srael, we "an %o in and possess the land! 4' believe $ou want me to possess my ri%hts as $our "hild, Father, so ri%ht now, by faith, ' possess pea"e from all fear, espe"ially the fear of death. ' have the power and desire to obey $our every wish, and therefore ' have full ri%hts as $our "hild to en!oy total pea"e and freedom from all fear! ' really love $ou!7 The 1ible distin%uishes between two kinds of fear. Bne is the ne%ative fear weve been talkin% about, but the other is a ne"essary 4fear7 A %odly fear. This 4fear7 is a reveren"e toward 2od, an attitude of awe and wonder at 2ods %reatness and +is marvelous ways. 't means to honor, obey,
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respe"t, reveren"e and worship 2od. 2od seeks only %ood for +is "hildren and "ertainly nothin% evil. The +oly #pirit reveals 2od as our lovin% Father, and a holy fear :or respe"t> of 2od is the result of our walkin% 4in truth.7 This type of fear is not the fri%htenin% kind of fear but is "onne"ted only with respe"t or awe. /hen we have this fear :or awe> of 2od, we possess pea"e, !oy, "ontentment and serenity. To be afraid of 2od means we dont really know and understand +im, or that we are rebellin% a%ainst +im and have reason to be afraid. This ne%ative fear destroys the pea"e we "ould possess. /hen sin in our lives "reates fear in us, the thin% to do is "onfess that sin to 2od and ask for%iveness for it ri%ht then and there! 4'f we "onfess ours sins, +e is faithful and !ust to for%ive us our sins and to "leanse us from all unri%hteousness7 :' ;ohn 1<J>. To "ontinue livin% in rebellion puts us in "onstant fear of what would happen to us if we died. 3sy"holo%ists say that fear of death is one of the most "ommon fears. 't is not a"tually the fear of death itself, but fear of what will happen to us after we die!
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The word 4possess7 means to have, to hold, to o""upy, to en!oy, to own, to "ommand, to inherit, to a"6uire, to retain, to belon% to, to pertain to, to be in ones possession. /e need to have 2ods promises in our hearts, hold onto them with our spirits and let them o""upy our thou%hts, so we "an en!oy life. /hen we possess the promises of 2od, we "an speak them boldly, in "ommandin% tones, be"ause we have inherited, throu%h salvation, all of 2ods promises. /e have a"6uired and will retain them be"ause they belon% to us and pertain to us and are in our possession as lon% as we a"t upon them. Bne of the best "onfessions a%ainst fear :whi"h ' would re"ommend you memori8e> is found in the first six verses of the twenty)seventh 3salm< 4The Eord is my li%ht and my salvation5 /hom shall ' fear0 The Eord is the stren%th of my life5 Bf whom shall ' be afraid0 /hen the wi"ked "ame a%ainst me to eat up my flesh, my enemies and foes, They stumbled and fell. Thou%h an army should en"amp a%ainst me, my heart shall not fear5 Thou%h war should rise a%ainst me, 'n this ' will be "onfident. 4Bne thin% ' have desired of the Eord, That will ' seek< That ' may dwell in the house of the Eord
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all the days of my life to behold the beauty of the Eord, and to in6uire in +is temple. For in the time of trouble +e shall hide me in +is pavilion5 in the se"ret pla"e of +is taberna"le +e shall hide me5 +e shall set me hi%h upon a ro"k. &nd now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me,Therefore ' will offer sa"rifi"es of !oy in +is taberna"le5 ' will sin%, yes, ' will sin% praises to the Eord.7 /hen you feast on the promises in these verses, fear has to disappear. 'f you have a fear in your life ri%ht now, say over and over a%ain, 4The Eord is my li%ht and my salvation5 whom shall ' fear0 The Eord is the stren%th of my life, of whom shall ' be afraid07 The enemies that "ome around you to eat up your flesh are all sent by the devil. /at"h what happens to them when you rely on and live by the word of 2od. The se"ond verse says that when they "ame upon you to eat up your flesh, they fell ri%ht down! /hy0 1e"ause 2od "ares for you and is prote"tin% you! -ven if an entire army en"amps a%ainst you, you dont have to fear! -ven if war should rise a%ainst you, you "an be "onfident that the Eord is
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your li%ht and your salvation and you have not ing( not ing( not ing to fear! Fear "an "ome when we are afraid of bein% hurt emotionally. The 1ible says, 41ehold, ' %ive you the authority to trample on serpents and s"orpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothin% shall by any means hurt you7 :Euke 1*<1J>. #ay that over and over and over until it is as mu"h a part of you as your eyes so you will know that nothin% shall by any means hurt you. The 1ible promises that nothing shall hurt you! Fear "ant rea"h you as lon% as you are believin% and livin% by the word of 2od! 'ts ama8in% how our mouths "an lead us ri%ht into the pit of hell throu%h fear. ,atthew 12<.@ says, 4For by your words you will be !ustified, and by your words you will be "ondemned.7 'f you speak fear, you will be full and overflowin% with horrible, "ondemnin% fear. Those same lips "an form the ri%ht words and you will be !ustified. +allelu!ah! /e need to be "areful of the thin%s we say be"ause we "all into bein% those thin%s whi"h are not as thou%h they were. This applies to both the %ood and bad. ' prefer to "all into bein% the thin%s of 2od, how about you0
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Freedom from fear "omes so easily if we will listen to the words of ;esus, 4'f you abide in ,y word, you are ,y dis"iples indeed. &nd you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free7 :;ohn =<.1,.2>. othin% but the truth "an set you free, and to find that freedom we need to stay in +is word at all times. ' love the words of an old favorite hymn, .tanding On t e /romises" 't says, 4#tandin% on the promises that "annot fail, when the howlin% storms of doubt and fear assail.7 Christians often have doubt and say, 4/ill 2od really do this0 /ill 2od really do that07 ?emember, you "an stand on the promises of 2od! (ont look at the "ir"umstan"es, look at ;esus be"ause 2ods word has never failed. 4&nd the word %rew and prevailed.7 /hen you hide the word of 2od in your heart, that word is %oin% to %row and %row and %row until the word prevails over the "ir"umstan"es. $ou "an look at situations that dont look %ood, but if you stand on +is promises, 'll %uarantee those promises will "ome true. &nythin% that is not of faith is sin. :#ee ?omans 19<2.>. 's fear of faith0 o, fear and faith are at
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opposite ends of the pole, so when fear remains in your life, it is sin! o one wants to sin so lets a%ree with 2od all the way that +is perfe"t love "asts out &EE fear. ?e"ently we were visitin% a Canadian "hur"h. obody knew we were %oin% to be there. The pastor had !ust extended an invitation to us on #aturday ni%ht and we told him we would love to share sin"e we were not speakin% until #unday afternoon. /hen we walked in, the pastor asked Charles to %o somepla"e with him. ' was left alone for a few minutes in the narthex of the "hur"h. ' was standin% there lookin% out the door at the deep snow when one of the ushers walked up to me, introdu"ed himself and said, 4There is an aura that surrounds you. ' saw it when you walked in.7 +e paused a moment, and then "ontinued, 4$ou really know who you are, dont you07 ' said, 4' "ertainly do know who ' am in Christ! ' have over"ome the devil by the blood of the Eamb and by the word of my testimony. ' am a !oint heir with ;esus. The Eord is my shepherd, and be"ause of this ' shall not want for anythin%! 2reater is he that is in me than he that is in the
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world! 'm a "hild of the Iin%! Thats who ' am!7 3raise 2od, it shows! Christians need not be "rin%in% slaves of fear. /e need to throw our shoulders ba"k and let the world know weve %ot somethin% spe"ial and know who we are! ot in ourselves but in Christ! /hen you know exa"tly who you are in Christ, that knowled%e will drive fear ri%ht out of your life. +ere are some words that will warm your heart. 4' will bless the Eord at all times5 +is praise shall "ontinually be in my mouth7 :3salms .9<1>. 'f the praise of 2od is "ontinually in your mouth, you "ant be shoutin% the praises of the devil, "an you0 Thats what youre doin% when you have fear! $oure !ust shoutin% the praises of the devil and tellin% the world that he is %reater than 2od! 2od is %reater! 4,y soul shall make its boast in the Eord5 the humble shall hear of it, and be %lad7 :vs. 2>. /ho are you %oin% to boast about0 The devil or 2od0 $ou "ant do both, and if youre busy tellin% the world what the Eord has done for you, you wont have time to tell them about the fear you think you have in your life.
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4B magnify the Eord with m!( and let us e0alt +i name to%ether7 :vs. .>. Thats ri%ht. 2et someone to ma%nify the Eord with you. 'f you dont, #atan will have hundreds of "ohorts ready to sympathi8e with you and a%ree with you about your fear! Then look what 2od promises, 4' sou%ht the Eord, and +e heard me, and delivered me from all my fears7 :vs. 9>. Thats ri%ht. $ou boast in the Eord, you ma%nify the Eord, and +e will hear you and by this praise you will be delivered of all your fears! Thats what you have in ;esus A deliveran"e from all fears. +eres somethin% spe"ial for you out of the &mplified 1ible< 4Bh, how %reat is $our %oodness, whi"h $ou have laid up for those who fear, revere and worship $ou, %oodness whi"h $ou have wrou%ht for those who trust and take refu%e in $ou before the sons of men! 'n the se"ret of $our presen"e $ou hide them from the plots of men5 $ou keep them se"retly in $our pavilion. . .4 :3salm .1<1J,2*>. +allelu!ah, ' am se"retly hidden in 2od5 nothin% "an %et to me! &nother %reat s"ripture for any person who is troubled with fear is, 4For 2od has not %iven us
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the spirit of fear5 but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind7 :'' Timothy 1<@>. #ay this over and over and over until you possess it! Thats what 2ods word has to say about fear. /hat has 2od %iven us to possess0 3ower, love and a sound mind! 2lory! 3B/-? ... authority, mi%ht and stren%th from 2od :Euke 9<H5 '' Corinthians 9<@>, M from on hi%h :Euke 29<9J>, M to be"ome the sons of 2od :;ohn 1<12>, that works in us to perform ex"eedin% and abundant thin%s :-phesians .<2*>, M that destroyed #atan who on"e had the power of death :+ebrews 2<19>, M that keeps us throu%h our faith :' 3eter 1:4,5) M whi"h %ives to us all thin%s that pertain to life and %odliness throu%h knowin% :theres the need to know> +im. :'' 3eter 1<.>, M over the nations A that means over everythin% in our world or life5 4&nd he who over"omes and keeps ,y works until the end, to him will ' %ive power...7 :?evelation 2<2H>. &ove1 the antidote for fear M "asts out fear :' ;ohn 9<1=>.
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2ind1 /e have the sound mind of Christ :' Corinthians 2<1H>. 2od shall keep your heart and mind throu%h Christ ;esus, our Eord :3hilippians 9<@>. There are others. /hat are they0 Eook them up. /rite them down, share them with someone. The words 4fear not7 are mentioned 355 times in the 1ible, one for almost every day of the entire year! +ere are a few of them< )Fear not( for ' am with you5 1e not dismayed, for ' am your 2od. ' will stren%then you, $es, ' will help you, ' will uphold you with ,y ri%hteous ri%ht hand7 :'saiah 91<1*>. 41ut now, thus says the Eord, who "reated you, * ;a"ob, and +e who formed you, * 'srael< 3Fear not( for ' have redeemed you5 ' have "alled you by your name5 you are mine% :'saiah 9.<1>. 4&lso ' said to you, L' am the Eord your 2od5 do not fear the %ods of the &morites :heathen, the pa%ans, the enemy>, in whose land you dwell7 :;ud%es H<1*>. 4Then the Eord said to ;oshua< 3Do not be afraid( nor be dismayed- take all the people of war with you, and arise, %o up7 :;oshua =<1>.
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4&nd the Eord appeared to him the same ni%ht and said, L' am the 2od of your father &braham5 do not fear( for * am wit you" ' will bless you7 :2enesis 2H<29>. )"""do not be afraid- ' am the First and the East. ' am +e who lives, and was dead, and behold, ' am alive forevermore. &men. &nd ' have the keys of +ades and of (eath.7 :?evelation 1<1@,1=>. )Do not fear, little flo"k, for it is your Fathers %ood pleasure to %ive you the kin%dom7 :Euke 12<.2>. )Fear not( B land5 1e %lad and re!oi"e, For the Eord has done marvelous thin%s! Do not be afraid"""% :;oel 2<21,22>. (o you reali8e that is only ei%ht of the total number that appear in the 1ible0 That should %ive you an idea of what 2od is sayin% to you A 4Fear not, fear not, fear not! (ont have fear, trust me.7 -xodus 19<1. says in the Eivin% 1ible, 4(ont be afraid. ;ust stand where you are and wat"h and you will see the wonderful way the Eord will res"ue you today"% +es tellin% you to han% loose and not to %et upti%ht with fear.
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/hen youre afraid of failure, read ' Chroni"les 2=<2* in the Eivin% 1ible< 41e stron% and "oura%eous and %et to work. (ont be fri%htened by the si8e of the task, for the Eord my 2od is with you< +e will not forsake you. +e will see to it that everythin% is finished "orre"tly!7 ' love 3salm 9H< 42od is our refu%e and stren%th, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, thou%h the earth be removed :what "an be more earth)shatterin%0> and thou%h the mountains be "arried into the midst of the sea5 thou%h the waters thereof roar and be troubled, thou%h the mountains shake with the swellin% thereof.. . 2od is in the midst.. .The Eord of hosts is with us... 1e still and know that ' am 2od. The Eord of hosts is with us5 the 2od of ;a"ob is our refu%e.7 3raise the Eord, we dont even have to worry if the world blows up with a bomb of one kind or another, and the whole earth falls into the sea. +allelu!ah! 2od says that +e will be in our midst and that we have nothin% to fear" (id you ever have everyt ing %o wron% at one time0 /ell, ' did, and maybe this story will deliver
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you from the fear that the devils %oin% to win the battle. Bne day it seemed like our world was fallin% apart! /e were havin% all kinds of personnel problems in our offi"e, we ran into "ompli"ations in our bank loan for a new buildin%, our road se"retary 6uit, and the devil was havin% a field day. /e had %one to the bank to si%n the final papers for the loan and somethin% had "ome up that held ba"k the loan. Charles and ' sat outside the bank and my heart was "ryin% out to 2od. ' said, 42od, have $ou for%otten all about us0 /hat have we done wron% that $ou dont answer our prayers any more0 's there somethin% wron% with us0 ' "an hardly pray. 2od, where are $ou0 (ont $ou really love us any more07 Then ' said to Charles, 4+oney, remember when there was !ust the two of us and 2od did mira"les0 /e didnt have all these problems0 /hat happened07 ever have ' ever had su"h a "ir"umstantial down sin"e ' be"ame a Christian, be"ause it really seemed like the devil was %oin% to win the battle. ' %ot in the "ar to drive a"ross town to %et some
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papers si%ned. /hen ' started my "ar, ' heard my own voi"e readin% the Eivin% 3salms. :The tape re"order automati"ally "ame on in our "ar when we started the en%ine.> The @@th 3salm "ame on. ?ead what it says, 4' "ry to the Eord5 ' "all and "all to him. Bh, that he would listen. ' am in deep trouble and ' need his help so badly. &ll ni%ht lon% ' pray, liftin% my hands to heaven, pleadin%. There "an be no !oy for me until he a"ts. ' think of 2od and moan, overwhelmed with lon%in% for his help. ' "annot sleep until you a"t. ' am too distressed even to pray. 4' kept thinkin% of the %ood old days of the past, lon% sin"e ended. Then my ni%hts were filled with !oyous son%s. ' sear"h my soul and meditate upon the differen"e now. +as the Eord re!e"ted me forever0 /ill he never a%ain be favorable0 's his lovin% kindness %one forever0 +as his promise failed0 +as he for%otten to be kind to one so undeservin%0 +as he slammed the door in an%er on his love0 4&nd ' said< This is my fate, that the blessin%s of 2od have "han%ed to hate. ' re"all the many mira"les he did for me so lon% a%o. Those
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wonderful deeds are "onstantly in my thou%hts, ' "annot stop thinkin% about them.7 (id you hear the very words ' had "ried out to 2od0 They were the same ones (avid "ried out, and ;esus "ried out as +e went to the "ross! 2od knew what ' needed! The "assette "ame to the end and ' flipped it over. Eisten to what "ame on next from the CHth 3salm :vs. J>, 4The very day ' "all for help, the tide of battle turns. ,y enemies flee! This one thin% ' know5 God is for me! ' am trusting 2od A oh, praise his promises! ' am not afraid of anythin% mere man "an do to me! $es, praise his promises.7 ,y heart leaped! 2od was reassurin% me that the tide of the battle had turned. 2od was reassurin% me that there was no reason for me to have fear, be"ause +e was for meA+e was for us A +e was for Hunter 2inistries! +allelu!ah! The tide of the battle turned! 2od smoothed out the problems and everythin% started %oin% ahead full speed. othin%, nothin%, not ing "an take the pla"e of the word of 2od when youre havin% problems! The fear of everythin% %oin% wron% immediately
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left me when ' heard my own voi"e "omin% ba"k at me sayin%, 4This one thin% ' know A God is for me!% &nd +e is for you!! #ay it out loud! )GOD *. FO4 25%

)GOD *. FO4 25!%

)GOD *. FO4 25%

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