Faith for the Journey: Five Days of Encouragement and InsightSample

Day Two: The Power of Facing our Fears

Fear is how we respond to threats that are real and immediate. It sets off a chemical reaction in our brains. The adrenaline shot enables our bodies to fight or take flight from danger.

When we think of living without fear, we think of being free, uninhibited, decisive, and confident. Brave people know how to overcome their fears. They don’t hesitate; they act. By contrast, if we allow it, fear can paralyze, constrict, and silence us. Living in fear attacks our confidence. This is not how we want to live.

The things we fear cannot be avoided. Your appointment with fear is set. It could be your cancer diagnosis, the violence or abuse you are suffering, the poverty you are experiencing, the dread of losing a spouse or seeing a relationship fail, or the daily challenges of parenting. It can be the embarrassment of being different or the rejection we feel when we find it hard to make friends. It can be the intimidation of bullies, the relentless attack of enemies seeking to ruin you, or the humiliation of failure. These things are all real.

In each moment of fear we choose whether to stand or run. God knows the power of fear to disable, neutralize, and control us. So does Satan. God wants us to stand in the face of these hostile fears, but He knows we cannot do it alone. God equips us to deal with fear. He gave us His Holy Spirit to help us conquer fear, to remain confident of who we are in Him. Isaiah 43:1 says, “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name.” This enabled the apostle Paul to say, “If God is for us, who is against us?” (Romans 8:31), and even if they are, so what?

Through God we can find the strength and courage to call out the lies of fear and to break its power over our lives. Whether we choose to stand in the face of fear is up to us. Thankfully, how we are able to stand in the face of fear is up to God.

Response:

After reading about the Power of Facing our Fears, think about a fear or anxiety you're currently facing. How can you apply the principles shared today to confront and overcome that fear with God's help?

Prayer:

Lord God, you alone provide what I need to stand firm in the face of threats and dangers that would seek to derail my life. Thank you for conquering the power of fear in my life. Amen.