Free from Fear

It’s truly amazing how many things people can be afraid of. There’s the fear of sickness, job loss, failure, commitment, and public speaking. Some people are afraid of things like taking tests, insects, heights and the list goes on!

While some fears may seem more “trivial” than others, it’s important to know that fear does not come from God. In fact, fear is one of the primary weapons Satan uses to keep people from fulfilling God’s destiny for their lives.

So, I ask you: What are you afraid of today? Is there a situation or circumstance that threatens to overwhelm you? Is something stealing your peace and causing you to worry?

If so, I want to encourage you that God sees you, He loves you, and He wants you to trust Him to help you!

The Antidote for Fear

Look at 1 John 4:18. It says, There is no fear in love [dread does not exist], but full-grown (complete, perfect) love turns fear out of doors and expels every trace of terror... (AMPC).

Understanding God’s love is the antidote for fear. God wants us to know just how much He loves us and desires to help us.

When I think of my own children—especially when they were younger—there’s almost nothing I wouldn’t do to help them if they were in trouble. Or if someone tried to harm them, they better watch out...because no one gets between a mom and her kids!

If we feel this way about our children, then how do you think God feels about us? And unlike us, He has no limitations. Nothing is impossible with Him—He can help us in every situation, on every occasion as He so clearly says in Hebrews 13:5-6.

God wants you to know that He’s always going to take care of you as you place Your trust in Him—always. You don’t have to know His exact timing or how He will do it, but you can be assured that He will always meet your needs.

Do It Afraid

Many years ago, someone told me a true story about a Christian woman who was paralyzed with fear. As a result, she spent most of her time in the house and hardly socialized with anyone.

One day, she told a friend, “I have lived my entire life in fear, and I don’t know what to do. I have no life.”

Her friend looked at her and said, “Whatever it is that you want to do, why don’t you just do it afraid?”

This story taught me an important lesson. When the Lord tells us to “fear not,” He’s not saying we will never feel fear. We will all feel afraid at various times in our lives. However, He is telling us to not allow fear to control us and prevent us from moving forward. When we feel fear, we have a choice—we can do it afraid!

Live BIG

I will never forget an experience I had in the early days of my ministry when I was invited to speak at a conference. One of the speakers had canceled, and I was their replacement. Actually, I wasn’t even one of the primary speakers—they had asked me to conduct one of the smaller workshops on the side.

So, when the day came, they asked all of the workshop speakers to get up on stage and share what they would talk about the next day. I remember the other speakers having impressive titles like “Pastor,” “Reverend,” and so forth. But I was just Joyce, from Fenton, Missouri—a nobody from nowhere.

When it was my turn to talk, I was absolutely petrified. The 900 people in the audience looked like nine million to me. I was so scared that when I opened my mouth to talk, I couldn’t get my voice to work. Nothing came out but a squeak.

Right then, I wanted to run off the stage. I could hear the enemy’s thoughts running through my mind: What do you think you’re doing here? You need to go back to Fenton and never come back again!

Finally, however, I somehow managed to begin talking and went on to share what my workshop was about. Then the next day, to my surprise, a lot of people actually came to hear me speak. Now I look back and thank God I didn’t run from fear—I would have forfeited the blessings He had in store for me!

You see, Satan wants us to shrink back in fear and live tiny, useless lives. However, God desires for us to live free from the effects of fear and live big, fulfilling lives! He wants us to enjoy freedom and creativity, unhampered by fear and anxiety.

John 14:27 says, Peace I leave with you; My [own] peace I now give and bequeath to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid...do not permit yourselves to be fearful and intimidated and cowardly and unsettled] (AMPC).

This is both a promise and a command. Through Jesus Christ, we can enjoy supernatural peace that goes beyond anything the world can offer. But we also have a part to play. God is saying, “Don’t allow yourself to be paralyzed with fear. Refuse to let the enemy stop you!”

Remember, whatever you’re facing today, God is bigger than your worries, your problems and your fears. He knows every one of your needs before you ever have them, and He delights in taking care of you.

It’s because of Him that we can confidently say, “The Lord is my Helper—I will not fear” (see Hebrews 13:6).