Post #7 - How to Overcome

I recently shared that I struggled with fear and insecurity for a long time. I kept me stagnant and stuck. My desire to do something meaningful was overshadowed by fear. I was unable to move, too scared to be seen.

I feared that I was being judged and ridiculed if I stepped out and did what I was supposed to do. I was scared of the exposure and criticism and didn't want to put myself into the very vulnerable position of purpose. Instead, I opted to stay hidden in disobedience.

But, after some eye opening conversations with God and some very honest friends, I realized why I couldn't seem to overcome the fear...

I didn't trust God.

YUP!!

The answer was simple, but very hard to accept!

I went to church, I worshiped, I prayed, I even believed that God was able do everything He promised in His Word... but I didn't trust Him enough to protect ME from the things I feared.

Basically, I had no faith. 

I may have believed that God would do what He said He would, I just didn't trust that He would do it for ME. I had to take responsibility for that fact.

And I knew what else I had to do...

I had to take God at His word. And I would have to continuously do so.

If there is no one else that I can trust, I CAN truly trust God, and I can be sure of that.

So, I let go of my fear and grabbed hold of the safety of God's promises.

He said that He would never leave me nor forsake me (Hebrews 13:5). He said that I don't have to fear, for He is with me (Isaiah 41:10). He tells me to fear not because I am His; He has called me by name and redeemed me (Isaiah 43:1).

I believe these things. I know now, WITHOUT A DOUBT, that I am an overcomer. And I have no reason to fear.

Trusting God is the answer to overcoming EVERYTHING that keeps us bound. Everything that keeps us from being less than our best. We can trust God with our lives and He will take us safely to our promise. 

Post #2 - Experience: Fear

I recently released a video on overcoming fear and insecurity (to watch that video, click here). In that video, I shared that I had been struggling with fear for a long time. For years, I had been too afraid to go after my dreams or to start new projects for fear that I would fail.

I also shared in the video that fear is a liar. It is not real. Fear is just a story of "what ifs" that fearful people tell themselves. It is the excuse we make to ensure we do not get hurt. It is the wall we build to keep ourselves safe.

But there is nothing safe about fear.

Fear starts with a thought. It takes a stifling hold of the mind and convinces us that we cannot or are not worthy to do something. It makes us believe these lies, then it manifests itself through our actions.

Because fear takes over the mind, it takes a renewal of the mind to defeat it.

We have to stop those fearful thoughts as soon as they enter our minds and not allow them to take hold and be exhibited in our actions.

Instead of believing the lies fear tells us about ourselves or others, we must remember who God has told us we are. We are fearfully and wonderfully made. We are more than conquerors. We are the head and not the tail. We are children of God and heirs with Christ!

We need to rebuke the damning thoughts brought by fear, pray about them, and think on things that are from above. Philippians 4:8 tells us that "whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."

We need to think on those things that bring us closer to God and closer to who we really are in Him, rather than believe the lies that fear tells us about ourselves.

When we bring our minds under subjection and think on the things that are of God every time fear tells us that we can't accomplish something or that we are not good enough, we defeat fear and stop believing its lies.

We must remember that God hasn't given us the spirit of fear. It does not belong with us. With this knowledge, we can give our fears over to God and be assured that He will deliver us from them.

And the more we spend time with God - in prayer and reading His word - we fill ourselves with God's truth and fear becomes easier to overcome. It is easier to look fear in its face and still do those things that make us feel afraid.

We cannot allow fear to keep us from our purpose, our blessings, or our breakthroughs. Right on the other side of that thing that we have been too fearful to do is FREEDOM. Fear is keeping us bound and we've got to DO IT AFRAID so that we can conquer the spirit of fear and reclaim our freedom... our minds.

Fear is that line drawn in the sand and our blessings are being held hostage on the other side. LET'S GO GET THEM!