Overcoming Fearनमुना

Fear, Be Gone!

Remember that list of fears from yesterday? Now we are going to go through each one of those fears and repent of them. Repentance simply means to turn back to the right path. It’s a recognition that you have gotten off the right path, and now you are simply acknowledging that and intentionally turning back to the right path. There is no need to self-flagellate or make yourself feel bad. Just make the decision to change your beliefs, thoughts, and behaviors going forward! As you pray, specifically name each fear, repent of it, and renounce it in your life. Ask God for forgiveness and for help to turn away from that fear. Pray for him to change your thoughts to align with the truth laid out in Scripture about who he is (good, loving, sees you, knows you intimately, all-powerful, etc.), who you are (his precious child, dearly loved, provided for, capable, powerful, like your heavenly father), and who he is for you (always with you, providing you with everything you need, strong to save you, the solution-giver, waymaker, lover of your soul).

Next, tell these evil spirits of fear to go. Remember yesterday’s teaching about fear being an evil spirit? Do you know what Jesus did with evil spirits and he commissioned us with the power and authority to do the same (Mark 16:17-18)? He cast them out! You can do the same. I did. After repenting, I spoke directly to those spirits, listing them out, and told them to go, in the name of Jesus. And they went! With my eyes closed, I saw them leave. There were so many. Afterwards, I experienced the deep, heavy presence of God’s peace resting on me. I knew that they were gone, I knew I had changed, and I knew I was never letting them back in and never going back to that place of submission to those evil spirits. My eyes had now been opened to the spiritual reality of who I was, what fear was, and what it had done to my life, and I determined to never go back! You see, now I knew what the spirit of fear really was and I was never letting it back in my life. And I never have. You can experience the same freedom and peace in your life when you repent and tell these spirits to go. Remain on the lookout, because they will try to come back. But with the truth in the rest of this study, you can stand strong against any of their attempts to control your life ever again.

Take a deep breath and feel the freedom and peace that have now entered your life as these spirits have exited. Know that your inheritance in this world is to walk in freedom and to be like Jesus. 1 John 4:17 states that, “In this world, we are like him.” Jesus felt fear, but never submitted to it. In fact, the very next verse, 1 John 4:18 says, “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear.” God is perfect love. Jesus is perfect love. And that is your inheritance too. In this world, you are like him, and there is no fear in him. Therefore, there is no place for fear in you. Believe it! This is how good God is! He made this way of life possible for you!

Lastly, remember that this is a continual work. In my own life, I can tell you that I am constantly being faced with different fears. Fear comes against me, and I combat it. And it takes work! But it gets easier and easier and you will begin to recognize it and be able to make the necessary changes more and more quickly when you see it for what it truly is. In fact, you can get to the point where you can laugh at it when it comes against you and even realize that often, it comes in an area where you need/are about to experience powerful breakthrough and victory. And when you recognize this, rejoice! Your victory is taking you to new levels! That is God’s plan: For us to be victorious in ALL things (1 Corinthians 15:57; Philippians 4:13; John 16:33; Luke 1:37) and for us to become ever-more glorious (2 Corinthians 3:18).

So on an ongoing basis, how do we handle the fear that keeps coming at us? As always, ask for God’s help first, “casting all your cares on him, for he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7). Next, “take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5b). Grab those fear-based thoughts, toss them out, and replace them with God’s truth. This may feel inauthentic, but I promise you it works. CHOOSE your thoughts. Choose to align your thoughts with God’s truth, no matter how unreal that feels and how real your fear or present circumstances feel. I promise you that God’s words are more true than anything in your life. As you continually choose his truth, it will feel more and more real to you as you gradually believe the thoughts that you are now choosing. This is how you renew your mind! Exercise that faith!

Finally, memorize verses that deal with fear, freedom, and your identity in Christ to help you on your way and to remind yourself to trust in moments of weakness. Tomorrow’s devotion includes a list of some powerful verses that you can use to combat fear. God’s Word is so powerful. It is alive and active, like a double-edged sword (Hebrews 4:12). Use that sword!

And finally, most importantly, remember who you are and whose you are. Our victory is assured! In fact, it’s already been won!

Prayer for today: Father, thank you that, by faith, I am victorious in you. Thank you for your Word that shows me how I can conquer fear. Right now, I take the opportunity to repent of any fear that I have allowed into my heart, mind, and life. Please forgive me for letting fear in and help me to live my life in the freedom and abundance that Jesus died to provide for me. I thank you that you have given me all that I need for life and godliness. You truly are a good Father! In Jesus’ mighty name, Amen!