CHANGE YOUR OUTLOOK

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:7

Have you ever lived in a state of fear? The devil wants to put fear into our hearts, to paralyze us so that we cannot think straight. Perhaps we don’t allow our children to play outside because something might happen. Or we don’t travel to new places in case we are mugged or get into an accident. We often stand panicked in the face of change or challenges.

This is why the Lord has given us the armor of God to put on when we get up in the morning (Eph. 6:13-17). Fears large and small can be fought by dressing your family every morning in the Spirit: the helmet of salvation, the breastplate of righteousness, the belt of truth, the shoes of the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, and the sword of the Spirit – the Word of God. God longs to answer our prayers for protection and courage.

When city dwellers see black clouds approaching, they tend to get worried, or afraid about the bad weather that is on its way. Farmers, on the other hand, rejoice because rain is coming, and rain brings life. 

It’s true that bad things might (and will) happen, but God is with us, and we can be assured that He is guiding our lives when we ask Him to. Let’s stand up to fear and trust in Him.

God, in the face of fear, I accept the gift of Your armor, which protects me. Thank You for Your ceaseless care for me. Amen.