Stepping Stones: FEAR: Retreat Or Attack?

Transformational Thought

Fear … of speaking in class or giving a lecture … of blowing a test or an important performance or game … of parasailing … of taking a new job … of confrontation … of setting a healthy boundary … of having someone angry or upset with me. Wow! For so long, FEAR (False Evidence Appearing Real) really interrupted and crippled my life. Then came the fear about having fear. I was almost paralyzed.

Through honest reflection, self-assessment, therapy, and real examination of how and why I do things, I realized I was hiding my fear … pretending it wasn’t there. When I thought the fear couldn’t get any worse, I discovered that the fear you hide in the recesses of your heart will give birth to the fear of fear … a real monster. The danger of the second fear is that it diverts your focus off the original fear. You see, the first fear was usually planted at a very young age, when we knew little, were very gullible, and weren’t well equipped to handle much stress.

Now as adults, we have the ability to clearly see the original false evidence that restricts our lives. More importantly, we can do something different and better in these same situations. At the very least, if real anxiety exists, we can handle it much better and soothe ourselves in more healthy ways.

But we are usually too lazy, too hurried, or just don’t know how to go back and deeply re-address those old painful FEARS. But when we do re-address them, we now can access and apply the freedom Christ won for us over those FEARS. Let God’s truth into those FEARS, don’t let Satan put out that light. Freedom from FEAR is available for each one of us.

Today, acknowledge that your FEARS are flaming arrows of attack from the evil one and bring your fears out into the Light of Your Lord’s presence where you can deal with them openly. The darkness just gives them more power over you. Identify one thing that upsets, alarms, scares, or threatens you. Examine how it influences your decisions. Tell someone about it and ask them to help you identify the False Evidence that Appears Real in that issue. It can be very freeing just knowing the cycle can be broken. Click here for our powerful workshop that helps you live the life that is WITHIN REACH as you learn to apply God’s teachings to overcome your FEARS.

Prayer
Dear Beloved Father, I confess that fear has a stronghold on me. I know that most fear comes from the enemy’s arrows of attack. I thank You, Father, for Your Word that teaches me to use my shield of faith to extinguish those flaming arrows. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit, Father, so that I might build my faith. Help me understand how to dig deep and uncover those FEARS and bathe them in truth. Help me, Father, to bring all fear to You so that we may deal with them together. I pray, Father, that by concentrating on You and being a good steward of my mind, my fearfulness will lose its foothold on me. I pray in the holy name of my Deliverer, Jesus Christ; and all God’s children say – AMEN!

The Truth
In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
Ephesians 6:16

The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is safe.
Proverbs 29:25

Stepping Stones: FEAR: Retreat Or Attack?

Transformational Thought

Fear of speaking in class or giving a lecture…of blowing a test or an important performance or game…of parasailing…of taking a new job…of confrontation…of setting a healthy boundary…of having someone angry or upset with me. Wow! For so long, FEAR (False Evidence Appearing Real) really interrupted and crippled my life. Then came the fear about having fear. I was almost paralyzed.

Through Christian counseling, I realized I was hiding my fear…pretending it wasn’t there. When I thought the fear couldn’t get any worse, I discovered that the fear you hide in the recesses of your heart will give birth to the fear of fear … a real monster. The danger of the second fear is that it diverts our focus off the original fear. You see, the first fear was usually planted at a very young age, when we knew little, were very gullible, and weren’t well equipped to handle much stress.

Now as adults, we have the ability to see more clearly the original false evidence that was restricting our lives, and to do something different and better with the same situation. At the very least, if real anxiety exists, we can handle it much better and soothe ourselves in more healthy ways. But we are usually too lazy, in too much of a hurry, or we just don’t know how to go back and deeply re-address those old painful FEARS. When we re-address them, we can access and apply the freedom Christ won for us over those FEARS. Freedom from FEAR is available for each one of us.

Today, acknowledge that your FEARS are flaming arrows of attack from the evil one and bring your fears out into the Light of Your Lord’s presence where you can deal with them openly. The darkness just gives them more power over you. Identify one thing that upsets, alarms, scares, or threatens you. Examine how it influences your decisions. Tell someone about it and ask them to help you identify the False Evidence that Appears Real. It can be very freeing just knowing the cycle can be broken. Click here for our powerful workshop that helps you live the life that is WITHIN REACH as you learn to apply God’s teachings to overcome your FEARS.

Prayer
Dear Beloved Father, I confess that fear has a stronghold on me. I know that most all fear comes from arrows of attack from the enemy. I thank You, Father, for Your Word that teaches me to use my shield of faith to extinguish those flaming arrows. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit, Father, so that I might build my faith. Help me understand how to dig deep and uncover those FEARS and bathe them in truth. Help me, Father, to bring all fear to You so that we may deal with them together. I pray, Father, that by concentrating on You and being a good steward of my mind, my fearfulness will lose its foothold on me. I pray in the holy name of my Deliverer, Jesus Christ; and all God’s children said – AMEN!

The Truth
In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
Ephesians 6:16

The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is safe.
Proverbs 29:25

Stepping Stones: Take His Yoke

Transformational Tip
I always thought the idea of being “yoked” was one of those concepts that just didn’t fit in with my way of thinking…that it always seemed inconsistent with God’s message and the teachings of Jesus Christ. But when I read that passage today I had an entirely different perspective. The yoke can symbolize many concepts, especially Him taking some of my burden, but one application really struck me today.

I felt that He must have a purpose in this instruction and I am sure that He does not plan to use me in some mechanistic way. I see the yoke now as a vibrant kinship between me and my God as He lives in and through me. I see now that His yoke is not restrictive, harsh or pressing…rather it is comfortable, gracious and pleasant. He tells us that the yoke is necessary to learn from Him. I am believing more and more, that only He knows what is best for me.

Today, remember that only God knows what is best for you. Listen to and follow His simple instructions offered in the Holy Scripture. Be willing to take His Yoke and experience his inexpressible, glorious Joy. As you submit to this bond of love He will fill your with life and abundance. So identify one area where you are leaning on your instruction book and not His. Today, try His instead.
Click here to share with the Stepping Stones community your thoughts on being “yoked”.

Prayer
Dear Father God, I like to feel free. I delight in coming to You…but I’m not eager to be yoked. Help me, Father, to remember and believe that only You know what is best for me; even when it involves limitations and restrictions. I long to be filled with Your Life and Joy…so please show me how to take Your yoke on me. I pray in the name of my ultimate Yoke-bearer, Jesus Christ; and all God’s children said - AMEN!

The Truth
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.
Matthew 11:29-30
These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.
John 15:11
Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.
Proverbs 3:5