The Power of Fear

The Power of Fear
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Today at 12:32pm
So I wonder about this sometimes...the power of fear. I see it in my own life at times and in the lives of others. How much time to we give to being afraid? How much energy is wasted paralyzed by fear...or worrying about the what ifs of fear? Yes it is good to be prepared for what ifs in our lives...but how much time is spent on fear? I have lived 45 years. I have seen good and bad times. I have lived and celebrated good times. I have cried and mourned the bad. My life is a combination of both. There are things in my life that make my heart hurt...and things that make it sing...all at the same time. To which do I give more energy and time to? I really believe it is a choice. I really believe that we have a choice as to what we will allow to be our main area of focus....the good or the sad...bad...hard times. I can have many friends and family encouraging me and lifting me up...but in the end...who am I going to believe...the pain of the hard times or the promises of the blessings God has already given and has promised more of?It is there for the choosing...but only I can chose. Sometimes it is a daily choice...a minute by minute choice in our lives.Sometimes that is how we get through the day..minute by minute...but it is by our own choice that we let hard times still our joy from us.
There is no fair in life...no such thing as a fair life. So we need to stop expecting that. We need to stop expecting the instant fulfillment of our desires...because maybe we have some work to do yet before we are ready for the blessing. Where is our focus? Who is it on? If we are caving in to fear and chosing to focus on the hard times....we are not giving focus to the One who can bring the love we want...the joy we crave...the blessings we pray for....now...I am not saying we shouldn't mourn or feel our hurts ...or ignore our hard times....we have been given emotions and feelings for a reason...God made us human.
What I am saying is just maybe God is waiting for us to make the change in our focus...maybe He is waiting with that blessing and that answered prayer ....maybe He is waiting because He has something He wants us to do for Him ....for others...instead of whining "God...what have you done for me lately"...maybe we could make sure He can't say the same thing? (just a thought....cause I have found the more I focus on what I want from God...the more He directs my focus on what He wants from me...two way street...two way relationship....) It seems that when I am facing a hardship...or filled with fears....it can almost take over every waking moment....or at least that is how it can feel sometimes....but there is a way to break free from that....change the focus...change who we are giving the power in our lives to. It doesn't mean instantly everything we have ever wanted will happen...but it means a deepening relationship with God...and it can help us to keep our hearts filled with joy and thanksgiving...even when we think life sucks.
Recently my oldest daughter split from her boyfriend of 9 years (they share a daughter age three) and she moved into her own place. She is bombarded with so many fears....being alone..being a single mom...no one to fix her car when it acts up...trying to pay the bills on one income....living in a home without much furniture....having no money to buy anything nice to wear for herself...losing many of her friends in the breakup...having to make new friends....hoping for a new love life..........many fears....and she called me one morning just shattered and crying....and I listened...I listened for a long time....she needed to be heard...and then she asked what she should do....and I made some suggestions...reminded her of the "real" truths in her life....and then suggested she start everyday reading a psalm...start that day with Psalm 1...and then the next day read the next one....pretty soon you are many days from where you started...and your outlook has changed....because you change where your focus is....and she is now starting to find some strength in the areas she felt so weak and scared.Below is a message from Proverbs 31...the subject is fear....enjoy....and I hope and pray that if you are struggling with fear today...that it will help you change your focus...give the One who has ALL the best and right power the power in your life today!
Love ya
Lorrie




The Truth About Fear
1 Apr 2009
Micca Monda Campbell
"For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and self-discipline." 2 Timothy 1:8 (NIV)

Have you ever noticed how some TV commercials mix just enough truth with their product to make it believable? While that's called false advertisement, the product still comes off convincing. It's not until we purchase the product, and it fails, that the trickery becomes exposed.In the same way, Satan specializes in false advertisement. He's good at making our fears look real when they are not. Does that mean all fears are wrong? No. The fear of standing near a high cliff protects us from getting to close to the edge and toppling over. One the other hand, Satan's spooks are full of trickery. They are usually disabling and keep us from progress. This kind of false advertisement can choke our faith and fuel our fears.
Have you ever wondered where our struggle between faith and fear began? I have. According to author and teacher Malcolm Smith, fear was introduced to the human race by a satanic lie.The Garden is the first place where the serpent deceived Eve by twisting God's word. The Lord told Adam not to eat of any tree in the garden except the tree of knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 2:16-17). If he or Eve ate from that tree, they would surely die spiritually. Not only did Eve eat the forbidden fruit, but she offered it to Adam and he ate too.As soon as Adam disobeyed God, their relationship changed. Adam was not only afraid, but he doubted God's authority, friendship, and provision. Satan's lie told Adam that he didn't need God. In fact, Adam was persuaded that he could be his own god, self-sufficient in every way.The same can be true for you and me. At times, you an d I live independent of God's presence. We act as if everything depends on us. We wouldn't dare admit that we are in over our heads. We want to appear in control. But God never meant for you and me to be strong in and of ourselves. We were meant to show His strength in our weakness as He provides for our needs. We were created to live like little children, dependent on the care our heavenly Father.The times we insist on living life our way, in our own strength, we experience the same result as Adam and Eve. We will live in fear. This is right where Satan wants us.If we're afraid to try, we never will. If the enemy can keep us contained by fear, we won't be able to fulfill our potential or make a difference in the life of another. Satan knows what we are capable of with Christ. To prevent us from that realization, he poisons us with fear.The truth is what we fear rarely comes to pass. This kind of fear that is fueled by Satan's lies can be described by this acrostic:FalseEvidenceAppearingRealIt's not that we shouldn't be concerned about certain issues of life such as safety and health. But when worrying takes over by keeping us up at night and shutting us down during the day, we've moved into a place we were never meant to live. We must return to living in God's presence and relying on His promises and provision. Only then will we be able to distinguish between truth and lies. Only then will our lives be marked by faith, not fear.

Dear Lord, help me to discern between false fears and real concerns. As I commit Your Word to memory, make Your truth alive in my heart so that I can battle fear and live by faith. In Jesus' Name, Amen.


Related Resources:<>An Untroubled Heart by Micca Campbell
i am not, but i know I AM by Louie Giglio
Finding a Faith Stronger Than All My Fears (3 CD set) by Micca Campbell
Visit Micca's blog

Application Steps:Determine if your fears are real or if they are only False Evidence Appearing Real. If your fears are real, heed their warning. If they are smoke and mirrors performed by the enemy, take those thoughts captive and give them to God in prayer.Reflections:Do you doubt God's provision and protection - why or why not?Are you living independent of God's presence, or carefree in His care?How can depending on God's resources and strength eliminate your fears?
Power Verses:Romans 8:31, "If God is for us, who can be against us?" (NIV)John 14:27, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Let not your heart be troubled and do not be afraid." (NIV)1 Peter 5:7 "Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you." (NIV)© 2009 by Micca Campbell. All rights reserved.