Facing Fear!

One problem dominates, FEAR. Fear of facing our giants in life whether they are private or public, fear that we will be defeated and cannot overcome them. People are afraid. People, young and old, are afraid of losing their health, wealth, and job. They are afraid of the future, being left alone, rejected and embarrassed. They are afraid of death, and even of public speaking, afraid of grief and sickness, broken hearts and pain. While some fears are constructive, most fears paralyze and render us ineffective. Throughout scripture, we are told not to be afraid. Jesus often said “Fear not!” and we are reassured in 2 Timothy 1:7 that “God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”  So why do we still have fears? We are afraid because at the root of our fears is the fact that we find ourselves unable to fully trust God. Fear and the lack of trust go hand in hand. However, every instance of fear is also an opportunity to trust in God and move from fear to courage. One of the most powerful weapons that the devil uses against us is intimidation.

5 KEYS TO FACING GIANTS/OVERCOMING FEAR:

1. Guard your eyes – watch what you are looking at

The first principle in overcoming fear is to watch what you are focusing on. Are you focusing on God or your circumstances? Fear comes from focusing on our circumstances rather than on God.

“But you, Lord, are a shield around me, my glory, the One who lifts my head high.” (Psalm 3:3)

“I will not fear though tens of thousands assail me on every side.” (Psalm 3:6)

2. Guard your ears – be careful who you listen to

The moment Eliab, David’s oldest brother, heard him, he said to David, “Why have you come down here? And with whom did you leave those few sheep in the desert?” (1 Samuel 17:28)

But David demonstrated that he was a giant inside. He turned away from Eliab’s discouragement and continued to pursue God’s glory. David did not allow any discouragement to dilute his courage and passion for the Lord. I.e. David defeated the giant and killed Goliath who had been taunting and gripping the Israelites in fear, for 40 days.

If you listen to the wrong people, you will exchange your faith for their fear.

3. Guard your mind – remember the right thing

“But David said to Saul: “… When a lion or bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth…this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them because he defiled the armies of the living God. The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of the Philistine.” (1 Samuel 17:34-37)

To overcome fear, you must fill your mind with the powerful things that God has done in your life. David remembered how God was with him in the past, and it filled him with confidence.

4. Guard your heart – be confident with God’s provision

When fear threatens to strike, remember to
1. Do what you know
2. Use what God has put in your hand
3. Stick to faithful old sling and stone

David wrote, “When I am afraid, I will trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me?” (Psalms 56:3-4)

5. Guard your back – cut off the root of your fear

It is not enough to immobilise our giants or knock them out temporarily. We must literally cut them off from our lives. And there is only one way to put an end to crippling fear – by applying the truth of the God’s resurrection to our lives.

The truth is, all of us have “Goliaths” in our lives and experience challenges that intimidate us. There are fears that haunt, accuse, and make us feel miserable. These fears rob us of courage and cause us to live in a constant state of fear. However in Christ, we do not need to be afraid. We are no longer bound in fear, but in the security of our King of Kings and our Lord of Lords. He is our victory, courage and confidence.

*As, I continue on teaching the youth the Facing the Giants study on Wednesday nights through August... and then we will move on to new studies this fall and winter, it blesses my heart to see them soak it in like a sponge and that they're able to answer questions from the week before. Lord, for the season and time that you give me to teach these youth, let me make a difference for Your Glory. I love that I can incorporate a game they can have fun with, at the end of the lesson, but it helps them to learn too; it gives them the illustration that they need. For example, like this past week's game being called headbandz and knowing that we face giants that are both public and private. Sometimes we can't see what the other person is going through, just like I couldn't see what was on my card during this game and I had to ask questions and narrow it down to whether it was a thing, a food, an animal, etc. and vice versa. Even when we can't see what we're fixing to go through or understand what we're going through, God will always give us the courage and the strength we need to figure it out together and face it head-on; answers will come in God's time. Through our fears and anxieties it may be impossible but with God it is possible and we need to expect that possibility! ♡ #ministryLife #youthleader #facingthegiants #summerstudy #purpose #thankful

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