2021-03-15
Genesis 3:10 NKJV
When we see people who appear confident, have everything together, and don’t seem to be shaken by whatever life throws at them, we might assume that they never feel fear. But the truth is that despite outward appearances, nobody is immune to fear. The first person God created was Adam, and the first recorded words Adam spoke were these: ‘I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself’ (Genesis 3:10 NKJV).
Fear is part of human nature. When we’re faced with a genuine danger, it can be a useful warning signal that we need to be ready to react. But it can also be a destructive force in our lives. One of the old English words for fear means ‘sudden attack’, and it’s related to an old German word that means ‘ambush or snare’. And that’s what fear does; it attacks us and takes us captive.
But God doesn’t want us to be held prisoner by fear; He wants us to be set free by faith in Him. Fear weakens, but faith strengthens. Fear paralyses, but faith empowers. Fear disheartens, but faith encourages. God says to us, ‘Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are Mine’ (Isaiah 43:1 NKJV).
Studies have discovered that some of our biggest areas of fear include finances, health, career, relationships, achieving goals, and death. Over the next few days, let’s take a look at each of these areas, and hold on to the fact that God is with us and He promises to strengthen and guide us in every situation we face.
Job 8-10; Matt 23:1-12; Ps 115; Prov 8:1-3
2021-03-01
Isaiah 41:10 NCV
Fear can steal our creativity and self-worth. The longer it lives inside us, the stronger it grows. And it’s often fed by words; not just the words others say, but the words we say to ourselves. When we think, ‘There’s no way I’m going to make it,’ we dent our armour and undermine our effectiveness.
Fear can show itself as overprotectiveness, anger, pettiness, jealousy, or boasting. It can weigh us down with the feeling that we have to protect and defend ourselves and make sure we’re not forgotten or overlooked.
So when we’re feeling fearful, what should we do? The best thing we can do is acknowledge that we’re fearful, and then bring that fear to God and ask Him to take it from us. This is what He promises us: ‘Don’t worry, because I am with you. Don’t be afraid, because I am your God. I will make you strong and will help you; I will support you with my right hand that saves you.’ In Scripture, the term ‘God’s right hand’ refers to His willingness and power to work on our behalf.
Two chapters later in Isaiah, God told the same people, ‘Don’t be afraid, because I have saved you. I have called you by name and you are mine’ (Isaiah 43:1 NCV). God takes care of what belongs to Him, and as His beloved children, He’ll look after each one of us.
So when we’re feeling anxious and afraid, let’s choose to say, ‘There’s no way I’m going to make it in my own strength, but I will make it with God’s strength.’
Gen 30:25-31:55; Matt 19:15-30; Ps 66:13-20; Prov 6:23-25
Isaiah 41:10 NKJV
Fear will rob you of your creativity and self-worth. It is the enemy of greatness; the antithesis of faith. The longer it lives inside you, the stronger it grows. And it’s fertilized by words; not just the words others say, but the words you say to yourself. When you tell yourself, “There’s no way I’m going to make it,” you’ve dented your armor and undermined your effectiveness. And if you let it fester, it will affect you like a plague.
To overcome fear, you must first identify and expose it. It will hide in your motives. It’ll drape itself in overprotectiveness, anger, pettiness, jealousy, and boasting so you don’t get overlooked. It’ll weigh you down with the responsibility of feeling like you have to look out for yourself, protect yourself, and defend yourself.
So when you’re fearful, what should you do? There’s only one guaranteed course of action: Stand up to your fears – within and without. Here’s a promise from God’s Word that’s as true today as it was when He first spoke it: “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” In Scripture the term “God’s right hand” speaks of His willingness and power to work on your behalf. Two chapters later in Isaiah, God told the same people, “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are Mine” (Isaiah 43:1 NKJV). And what God owns – He takes care of.
Soul food: Gen 30:25-31:55; Matt 19:15-30; Ps 66:13-20; Prov 6:23-25
2021-02-10
Proverbs 14:30 NLT
In the last half century, doctors have come to understand and emphasize the correlation between mental and physical health. Yet the Bible talked about it over three thousand years ago when King Solomon gave us these four proverbs: (1) “A peaceful heart leads to a healthy body; jealousy is like cancer in the bones.” (2) “A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health” (Proverbs 15:30 NLT). (3) “Kind words are like honey – sweet to the soul and healthy for the body” (Proverbs 16:24 NLT). (4) “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength” (Proverbs 17:22 NLT).
These Scriptures could be summed up like this: a faith-filled attitude (focusing on what’s good instead of what’s bad), laughter (the ability to rejoice), and spoken words of encouragement have a profound effect on your health (and the health of those around you). What’s the antidote for stress? Serenity! What’s the remedy for fear? Faith! And where do serenity and faith come from? God!
David was in bad shape when he wrote, “I begged the Lord for mercy, saying, ‘What will you gain if I die, if I sink into the grave?'” (Psalm 30:8-9 NLT). We don’t know whether he was stressed-out mentally, or if he was physically ill. But God intervened, and later in the same psalm David wrote, “You have turned my mourning into…dancing. You have…clothed me with joy, that I might sing praises to you and not be silent” (vv. 11-12 NLT).
There’s no doubt about it – your thinking has a profound effect on your health!
Soul food: Rom 9:17-11:36; Matt 13:36-46; Ps 138; Prov 4:14-17
2020-10-18
Philippians 4:8 NLT
Our minds can work for us or against us. When they work for us, it helps us to stay positive, reach our goals, and enjoy each day. But when they work against us, it can make us negative and discouraged, hold us back, and cause us to think unhelpful thoughts. So we need to train our minds to work for us instead of against us.
An important way to do this is to make an intentional decision to begin to think positively – in terms of faith and not fear. Our brains won’t be able to carry out this new instruction overnight. It might be a radical transformation from the way we usually tend to think, and changing a habit takes time, especially if it’s one we’ve had for a long time. But if we’re determined to do it thoroughly and accept God’s help, instead of working against us, our minds will go to work for us and become a positive force in our lives.
An interesting thing to remember is that when you’re born, every organ is fully developed and then gets bigger as you grow. Except for the brain. This develops for a number of years (approximately twenty-five, and possibly more) until it’s fully developed. And even after that, it continues to mature, creating new connections and networks for the rest of your life. That means we can constantly learn new things, and change and improve the way we think.
So let’s try to stay positive, and focus on good, godly things: ‘Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honourable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise’ (Philippians 4:8 NLT).
Matt 21:18-22; Matt 8:5-13; Mark 6:1-6
