Don’t yield an inch to fear

You’ll always have to deal with fear in one form or another. And your fears will be different at different seasons of life. Once you accept that, you can make progress. For example, Julius Caesar conquered the world but he was terrified of thunder. Peter the Great of Russia cried like a child when he had to cross bridges. The celebrated British writer Dr Samuel Johnson wouldn’t enter a room left foot first. If he accidentally did, he backed up and re-entered with his right one. (Talk about putting your best foot forward!) If you let it control you, fear will keep you from living to the fullest. Fear breeds inaction, inaction breeds lack of experience, lack of experience breeds ignorance, and ignorance breeds fear. It’s a cycle, and if you’re caught in it here are some Scriptures that can help you: 1) ‘Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee’ (Isaiah 26:3 KJV). 2) ‘Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid’ (John 14:27 KJV). 3) ‘When a man’s ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him’ (Proverbs 16:7 KJV). 4) ‘In God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me’ (Psalm 56:4 KJV). 5) ‘For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind’ (2 Timothy 1:7 KJV). Personalise these Scriptures in prayer, stand on them, and don’t yield an inch to fear.

Prayer Point

Father, Your Word tells me time and again to put my trust in You and not allow worry to rule my life. Whenever fear takes root in my mind, help me turn my thoughts to Your promises. I want to live the life You’ve blessed me with to the full, not hindered by fear. Help me stand strong against it whenever it tries to take control. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Awosika, Ibukun, Business His Way (Maitland, FL: Xulon, 2009), 50, 55.