2021-03-21
2 Timothy 1:7 NKJV
During the American Revolution, Spain gained control of the Bahamas. In April of 1783, Andrew Deveaux, a lieutenant colonel from South Carolina, recruited a handful of militiamen and Harbour Island settlers to retake Nassau using a clever strategy. Deveaux had only two hundred men with him, a far smaller force than that of the Spanish, but he managed to capture the high ground on the island after a brief skirmish. The Spaniards then watched as boats repeatedly ferried load after load of men from Deveaux’s ships to his defensive position on the shore. What the Spaniards didn’t know was that the same men kept going back and forth, standing up on their trip over to the island, and hiding themselves by lying low in the boat on the trip back to the ships. The leader of the Spanish troops, fearing a defeat from a larger force in an invulnerable position, surrendered.
When you succumb to fear, you’re already beaten. People ruled by fear stay where it’s safe. And that’s sad, because you can’t reach your potential by staying where it’s safe. Shakespeare said, “Our doubts are traitors, and they make us lose what we oft might win, by fearing to attempt.”
What would you attempt in life if you were sure you couldn’t fail? Before you answer, read these words of David: “When I cry out to You…my enemies will turn back…I know, because God is for me” (Psalm 56:9 NKJV). Believe that God is on your side today, then step out and attempt the thing you’re afraid to do! You’ll never be the same again – you’ll be liberated!
Soul food: 2 Kings 4:42-44;
Mark 6:30-44
2 Timothy 1:7 NKJV
Death. The thought of dying is something that can make many of us fearful. If we’re being honest, it isn’t something we really want to think about, so we push it to the deepest corner of our minds. But with all of our fears, it help to bring them into the open and tell God how we’re feeling. And God doesn’t want us to be fearful of death, because when we believe and trust Him, death doesn’t mean the end for us.
When Jesus’ good friend Lazarus was sick, his sisters Martha and Mary sent a message to Jesus to let Him know. By the time Jesus got to their house, several days had passed. Lazarus had died and had been lying in a tomb for four days. But Jesus told Martha ‘the one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die’ (John 11:25-26 NIV). He asked her if she believed this, and she replied ‘I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God’ (v.27 NIV). Later, Jesus went to the tomb and called to Lazarus, who came out wrapped up in his grave clothes, but fully alive.
Just like His own death and resurrection later, Jesus showed that He has power over death for those who believe in Him. So we don’t need to fear death, because just like Lazarus emerging from the tomb, it’s a new beginning, and we’ll be reunited with God. ‘God has not given us a spirit of fear’ (2 Timothy 1:7 NKJV), so whatever fears we feel, let’s take them confidently to God, and trust Him to replace them with His peace.
2 Kings 4:42-44; Mark 6:30-44
2 Timoteus 1:7 ABA
Gedurende die Amerikaanse Revolusie, het Spanje beheer van die Bahamas oorgeneem. In April van 1783, het Andrew Deveaux, ‘n luitenant-kolonel van Suid Carolina, ‘n handjievol soldate bymekaar gemaak om Nassau met ‘n slim strategie terug te neem. Deveaux het net tweehonderd manne by hom gehad, ‘n baie kleiner mag as die Spanjaarde, maar tog het hy daarin geslaag om die eiland na ‘n kort skermutseling te verower.
Die Spanjaarde het toegekyk hoe bote manskappe na manskappe van Deveaux se skepe tot sy verdedigende posisie op die oewer geneem het. Wat die Spanjaarde egter nie geweet het nie, was dat dit dieselfde mans was wat heen en weer gegaan het deur op te staan wanneer hulle na die eiland toe geroei het en plat te lê in die boot wanneer die boot na die skip toe teruggekeer het. Die leier van die Spaanse troepe het ‘n nederlaag van ‘n baie groter mag gevrees en hulself dus oorgegee.
Wanneer jy aan vrees toegee, is jy reeds oorwonne. Mense wat deur vrees regeer word, bly waar dit veilig is. Dis hartseer, want jy kan nie jou volle potensiaal bereik deur te bly waar dit veilig is nie. Shakespeare het gesê: ‘Our doubts are traitors, and they make us lose what we oft might win, by fearing to attempt.’
Wat sou jy aangepak het as jy seker was dat jy nie kon misluk nie? Voor jy antwoord, lees eers hierdie woorde van Dawid: ‘Die dag dat ek U roep om hulp, val my vyande terug. Omdat God aan my kant is, weet ek dit beslis’ (Psalm 56:10 NLV). Glo dat God vandag aan jou kant is en pak dan die ding aan wat jy bang is om te doen! Jy sal nooit weer dieselfde wees nie – jy sal bevry wees!
Sielskos: 2 Kon 4:42-44; Mark 6:30-44
2021-03-20
Job 3:25 NLV
Fantaseer jy ooit oor oplossings vir probleme wat jy vrees moontlik oor jou pad sal kom? Ironies genoeg kan ongegronde vrese op so ‘n manier in ‘n ware vrees omskep word, omdat jy energie aan verkwistende denke in plaas van produktiewe aksie bestee.
Joe Tye, die skrywer van Never Fear, Never Quit, sê: ‘Wensdenkery is die slot wat vrees op die tronkdeur sit. Vrees laat jou toe om jouself elke nou en dan aan wensdenkery oor te gee. Jy dink dat daar iets, op ‘n manier, kan gebeur om jou probleme te laat weggaan. Teen die tyd wat jy wakker word, is dit egter te laat. Wat jy gevrees het, het gebeur en vrees het jou oorwin. Die enigste manier om uit die tronk van vrees te ontsnap, is aksie. Jy kan nie jou weg daaruit wens of wag nie. Jy kan net jou weg daaruit werk. Elke keer wat jy uit die tronk van vrees ontsnap, word jy sterker.’
Vrees het geen voordele of goeie gevolge nie. Dit druk jou óf in die verkeerde rigting deur senuagtige energie te produseer wat veroorsaak dat jy die slegste in nuwe situasies optree, óf dit tap jou energie soos jy die verlammende effek daarvan probeer beveg. Die sielkundige Randall B. Hamrock het opgemerk: ‘In die 20 jaar van my praktyk het ek met ten minste 10,000 jong mans en vrouens gepraat, getoets en professionele raad gegee. Een karaktereienskap wat amper almal van hulle gehad het, was die neiging om te min van hulself te dink.’
Moenie toelaat dat vrees jou potensiaal by jou steel nie. Moenie toelaat dat dit jou kleiner maak as wat jy regtig is nie. Vertrou God vir groot dinge en probeer dit dan in sy krag aanpak. As jy dit doen, sal jy sukses behaal. Dis gewaarborg.
Sielskos: Job 24-28; Matt 24:26-35; Ps 13; Spr 8:14-16
Joshua 3:13 NLT
Achieving personal goals. The Israelites had a God-given goal: to enter the Promised Land. But to get there, they had to cross the River Jordan at flood stage. The only way to achieve what they’d set out to do was to go through something that caused them to feel fear.
When God gives us a goal, we often have to go out of our depth at some point to achieve it. It’s in those experiences where real growth happens. But when we let fear take hold, we end up in a debilitating cycle: First, our fear stops us taking action. Lack of action stops us gaining experience. Lack of experience stops us increasing our understanding. And lack of understanding increases our fear.
Taking action means we’ll have to move into the unknown and do the untried – and that can be scary. But if we give in to our fears, we can’t move forward, and we won’t gain valuable experience that can help us in future. Avoiding something because it’s scary or uncomfortable means we can’t experience God walking through it with us or witness His power at work in bringing us through it.
The Israelites witnessed God’s miraculous power as they were crossing the River Jordan: ‘As soon as the feet of the priests…touched the water at the river’s edge, the water above that point began backing up…and the water below that point flowed on to the Dead Sea until the riverbed was dry. Then all the people crossed over’ (Joshua 3:15-16 NLT).
When God gives us a goal, He’ll equip us to see it through. What miracles could we see if we were prepared to step in faith into the unknown with Him?
Job 24-28; Matt 24:26-35; Ps 13; Prov 8:14-16
