I heard a great definition of fear recently; FALSE EVIDENCE APPEARING REAL.
It doesn't matter who you are. We have all experienced fear in some form. Fear of being alone, of being sick, of losing your job. There are a lot of different kinds.
I used to be very fearful. From the time I was a young child I was afraid of the dark. In fact I was afraid to be alone in the house even when it wasn't dark. As kids you hear noises and are sure that someone will get you. I had those same fears. Mine seemed to run a little deeper though. Remember in an earlier blog I told you about the hand on my chest? Well, I did always believe that it was real, not a nightmare, and that when I heard a noise it might be someone other than just your normal monsters kids are afraid of. As I grew up those fears never left me. Even as an adult I was always afraid. Afraid to be home alone, afraid to be in the dark, even afraid to go outside at night by myself. The older I got the worse my fears became. Then the nightmares started, but they were different. Sometimes my bed would move, sometimes someone would shake my leg. When I would open my eyes I would see someone standing at the end of the bed. Well, I probably don't need to tell you, there was no one there. No one in the physical realm that is. I would quickly turn on the light and of course they would be gone. Then about two and a half to three years ago it got so bad that I started sleeping with my light on most every night. Sometimes I started with it off but eventually I would turn it on. Most of you are probably thinking that I'm just one of those crazy delusional people that needs meds. I knew that was not the problem. The problem was that I was living for the devil and not for the LORD. Being raised in church I knew that if only God would help me I would be okay. But I didn't believe He wanted anything to do with me. That was just satan filling me with lies, "Fear". False Evidence that Appeared VERY Real.
When you let satan take control of your life you open up a whole lot of opportunities for him.
He pretty much can do anything he likes with you. Because....he holds that fear factor over you.
It got to the point where I hardly slept and I was sick all the time. Even eating made me sick and one thing I love is food.
All this time I never stopped going to church. I was always hopeful that someday God would decide that He did love me and want me. After all. Isn't that what they always preach? God is a God of love. He loves you more than anything. I wanted to believe that, and I did for everyone else. Just not for myself.
Well, one day I finally did listen to God. For about a week God used different methods to speak to me. I kept thinking that it couldn't be God. He didn't love me or want anything to do with me.
Then one day I just couldn't take the way I felt any more. I talked with someone that I knew was a Christian and they prayed the sinners prayer with me. All of the bad, negative things in my life did not stop immediately. There was still bouts of fear sometimes. But I have found out that if you will just pray and ask God to help you and ask Him to take the fears away, He will. I don't have to sleep with the light on anymore. PRAISE GOD!!
Fear is the opposite of FAITH. You need to cast satan and fear as far away from you as you can. If you just have faith as small as a mustard seed you can do anything. You don't have to live in fear. Fear activates demonic influences but FAITH activates GOD. I have heard that the phrase "Fear Not" is in the Bible 366 times. I've never counted, but it sounds good to me. I have a bracelet that I wear most of the time that says "Fear Not" on it. I wear it as a reminder to me that with God I have nothing to fear. He is my source. He is my help.
Whatever your going through just turn it over to God and have Faith that He will help you through it. Don't fear that the worst will happen. Let God be God. Your God!
VERSES:Isaiah 43:5
Fear not, for I am with you; I will bring your descendants from the east, And gather you from the west;
Isaiah 41:10
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.’
Isaiah 31:6
Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.
3 comments:
Chelle said:
"All this time I never stopped going to church. I was always hopeful that someday God would decide that He did love me and want me. After all. Isn't that what they always preach? God is a God of love. He loves you more than anything. I wanted to believe that, and I did for everyone else. Just not for myself."
So many people say the same thing, "If God loves me He'll fix it." Not sure where that concept came from but from what I have studied it is unbiblical, in fact, when Paul asks God to remove his "thorn" God chose not to, so that He would be glorified. Christ's grace was sufficient then and remains today.
I noticed you said you prayed the sinners prayer and I have a question for you on that topic. [Not trying to start an argument by no means just curious on your viewpoint] Many people pray the "sinners prayer" and do not change their sinful lifestyle yet believe they are going to heaven. What is your take on that?
You are right. His grace is sufficient. At that point I just didn't believe it. I didn't think He would fix it for me.
Your right about the lifestyle change. Many people don't. I believe that you have to change. If you don't change, what's the point. I wanted the change. I was tired of the life I had. Changing wasn't easy for me but with Gods help,and a lot of prayer, I am changing.If you continue on in your old ways I believe that after a time it will be as if you never prayed that prayer. In my way of thinking you won't go to heaven unless you live for God. You can't live for God if you don't change from a sinful lifestyle. That's not to say that we aren't still going to sin. I sin daily. But...I ask for forgiveness and try not to do it again. I ask for the Lord's help so that I can win the battle over whatever the sin may be. Sometimes it's just an attitude problem but that can be just as big of a sin as getting wasted. Sin is sin so we need to be careful and try not to do it.
I appreciate your comments Chase. You are very articulate and have a good knowledge of the bible. I pray that someday my knowledge is as good as yours. I also know that you are a born again believer. It shows. I don't think of your questions as an argument I think of them as God is trying to teach and stretch me. It seems to be working. LOL I hope to learn more about God and myself through all of this and if God is using you to help me do that I think it is great.
I think we all help one another :-) And I would agree 100% on the requirement of change.
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