LIFE WITHOUT FEAR. Are
you living under the weight of the “what if’s”?
Suppose you receive a beautiful envelope with your name written on it. Inside, the invitation starts with these words: you are invited to enjoy a life filled with misery, worry and fear. Which one of us would say yes to such an outrageous invitation? Don’t we all seek a life free from such pain and anguish? Yet many of us choose such a life, not blatantly but by surrendering, even temporarily, to the enemy of our soul’s invitation.
Worry, anxiety, fear … can overwhelm us with a thick shadow of darkness, controlling our every move and decision. So many crazy things are going on around us today—wars, conflicts, violence, crime, natural disasters, terrorism, economic uncertainty, accidents, disease, death. We fear for our children’s future, we fear for our families, for our financial future, for our safety. The list can go on … for a long time. There actually is a lot we could potentially worry about.
Living under the weight of the “what if’s” is a hard place to be. What is my child gets hurt, what if my loved ones have an accident, what if I cannot pay the bills. The endless list of tragedies keeps unfortunate people bound up and miserable every day of their lives.
Wouldn’t everything in life be better if we did not have to deal with fear? There are many serious things going on in the world and we need to be aware of them and prepare for them, but we also need to resist fear when it rises against us. When we fear or become afraid, we can be certain that it’s not God at work, but one of the sly tricks of our spiritual enemy, one of his most popular weapons against us.
We are engaged in a warfare that will last all our life, but by standing on the Word of God, we can halt the evil one’s advances. Instead of expecting something bad to happen, aggressively expect something good. Miserable thoughts will poison your life and rob you of the ability to enjoy it, keeping you in mental torture.
I struggled with fear and worry for years, living in fear of bad news. Satan had built a stronghold in my mind. But as I decided to spend more time with God and discipline myself to study His Word and meditate on His love toward me, little by little, my thought pattern changed and so did my life. Anxious thoughts began to diminish. Worry let go of its constant grip. Through time, I began to find that the things that once would have sent me down an anxious spiral no longer had the same effect.
It didn’t happen quickly, but over days, months, years. And though fear is sometimes still there, it no longer wields control, holding me back, paralyzing me in its grasp. I no longer live in evil forebodings, expecting to hear at any moment of a tragedy or new problems. I realized that I could choose my thoughts, I don’t have to accept Satan’s lies, and I can tear down the negative by applying God’s Word to my life and circumstances.
If you are going to win the battle of the mind and defeat your enemy, where you focus your attention is crucial. The more you meditate on God’s Word, (taking the time to think seriously about what you read, to study it), the stronger you will become and the more easily you will win victories, because they are words of Life and Truth, soothing to our soul, calming to our spirits and bringing peace and trust.
It is sad that most people don’t put much effort into their study of God’s Word, that they are not dedicated to make God’s Word a major part of their lives, because it is really the key. Because the more you think about God’s love for you and about His goodness, the stronger you will grow and be able to win battles for your mind.
Lots of our anxieties are not based on true circumstances or situations. Reality tells us that so much of what we spend our time worrying about never even happens. It is only in the battlefield of our mind.
Fear must be confronted head on. Don’t let Satan rob you of the ability to enjoy your life.
Thank you, dear God, that I am truly loved by You, that my loved ones are truly loved by You, and that therefore I have no reason to fear.
Choose not to allow fear and anxiety to control your life. Choose to guard your heart. Choose to focus your mind on what is Truth in the midst of uncertain times.
Scriptures that remind us we do not have to fear
“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”—Isaiah 41:10
“When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.”—Psalm 56:3
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”—Philippians 4:6–7
“When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul.”—Psalm 94:19
“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”—Psalm 23:4
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”—Joshua 1:9
“The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?”—Psalm 27:1
“Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall.”—Psalm 55:22
“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.”—Psalm 46:1
“The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? The Lord is with me; he is my helper.”—Psalm 118:6–7
“Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.”—Proverbs 29:25
. “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.’ … He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you … For He will command his angels concerning you, to guard you in all your ways… ‘Because he loves Me,’—says the Lord, ‘I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him…”—Psalm 91:1–15