The antedote for fear!

First of all, Happy Independence Day to my country, the USA!!  I thought about posting something patriotic, but I felt led to post about fear since it seems to be prevalent today due to numerous threats of terror on our country.

Can I admit to you that I struggle with fear?  Fear and anxiety have always been huge obstacles for me to overcome. I suppose you could have called me nervous and shy when I was a kid. It seemed I was afraid of everything and everyone.  Part of that is genetic. My Mom is that way, my kids are that way, and now I see it strongly in one of my grandkids. Yet even as I say that I wonder why God would give people a genetic trait that goes against His will?.  Perhaps it's just part of our fallen hearts, or maybe it could be what some call family spirits, which are certain demons which stay with a family through multiple generations. Regardless, it is something I struggle with.

However, it seems I'm not alone, especially in today's world where everything is so uncertain. Earthquakes, market crashes, crime, moral decline, unemployment, child nappings, wars, cancer, and terror attacks to name a few put all of us on edge. Even those people who normally are calm.

Yet, we know that God tells us not to worry, not to fear over and over in the Bible.  Just a quick search in the King James Version reveals 63 "Fear Not"s and 25 "Be Not Afraid"s. Jesus, Himself, told us not to be anxious multiple times, including this one in Luke which is my favorite

Do not be afraid and anxious, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Luke 12:32

And of course the Apostle Paul's admonition his letter to the Philippians to
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

So how does one stop from being afraid?  Sometimes it just wells up within me and starts to squeeze my heart. Sometimes I can almost sense a demon of fear come upon me.   Let's face it fear is a type of bondage. It can wrap its chains around us and squeeze tight until all we do is worry about this and worry about that. If people could see us in the spirit realm, I have no doubt they would see us with thick, heavy chains coiled around our bodies. We are prisoners to fear.

But Jesus came to loose our bonds and set the captive free!  God doesn't want us living bound in fear . He wants us to trust Him. If we are worried and fearful, that sends a message to God that we don't believe He will take care of us.

Imagine you are a loving parent. (Some of you can do this easily since you have children)  As a parent, you love your children more than anything. You would do anything to ensure their health, safety, and happiness. You'd even die for them if it came to that. Now imagine that your children kept coming to you begging for you to take care of this and that for them, crying out to you to keep them safe and provide for them. You reassure them how much you love them and that of course you will take care of their needs. But then they keep coming again and again begging you to look out after them. Wouldn't you get a little mad? frustrated? annoyed? I know I would. You'd probably feel insulted that your children don't trust you at all. God is a Father. Do you think He would feel any different?

Yup. Trust seems to be a huge issue with God. In fact, the Bible says that without Faith in God, it is impossible to please Him.

So, how do we stop fearing?
Last week I was reading through Romans and came across these passages:

For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:  Romans 8:15-16

God gives us the answer right here plain as day to break the bondage of fear. We must realize, we must truly believe that we have been adopted into His family. In other words, we are one of His children. And because we are His children, He loves us without condition and would do anything for us.  Some of you who have had a good earthly father can probably understand this better. For me, I struggle because my earthly father wanted nothing to do with me. This is how I'm overcoming that. I think of someone in my life who I love more than anything, someone who I would gladly die for if necessary. (That would be my kids and grandkids)  Got that person in mind?  Now multiply that by million and that's how much God loves YOU!  If that's hard to believe, keep reading in Romans 8 until you get to verse 32

He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

God loves you so much, He not only was willing to die to save you, but He sent the one being who meant more to Him than anyone in the universe, His only Son, to die for You!.  You know that person you thought of in the above paragraph, that person you love so much you would die for? Would you send that person to a torturous death for someone else?  You'd have to love that someone else an enormous amount to do that. 

If we really get that truth deep into our souls, how can we ever fear again? Yes, bad things happen and struggles come upon us, but we don't falter, we don't worry, we don't fear. Why? Because our Daddy knows what's happening and He LOVES us and will work it all out for good.  


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