As a kid I had a phobia of spiders and most creepy crawly bugs - I still don’t like ‘em much, but my phobia as a child left me paralyzed. I was willing to use any means necessary to exterminate them.
When I moved to Illinois during my senior year of high school, every Sunday after church we would go out to my sister-in law’s parent’s farm for Sunday dinner. They had juniper bushes framing the front door and in them… these.
I would search the house for chemicals to exterminate the source of my fear. Anything toxic would suffice.
Two years later I sat alone in my dorm room studying late at night and became aware I was being watched. A nickel-sized assailant slowly crept across my ceiling toward me - waiting for its opportunity to consume me, I supposed. For a half hour it made its approach. I watched it all the way - I studied my opponent - I sized him up - and 31 minutes into our encounter, I stood up and crushed it with my thumb!
I had finally faced my fear.
At that moment, I received truth - I am bigger than my fear and bigger than that spider - I won’t let it own me - and I am moving on with my life with more confidence.
My new belief began to set me free - I didn’t have to namecall; I had to keep speaking the truth.
With each new affirmation I could act on what previously terrorized me.
That’s true for us in all situations. Today, we may have eyes into what we are fearing - but if we looked it in the eye and applied God’s truth to our lives our ekg, respiration, nervous stomach and FB depression would subside and disappear.
“We have not been given a spirit of fear, but one of power, and of love and of a strong mind.” 2 Timothy 1:7
That’s true for spiders and it’s true for politics; it’s true for health issues and it’s true for exams; it’s true for divorces and it’s true for job loss; it’s true for troubles and even tragedies.
God tells us who we are (gives us an identity of strength through His Son) and tells us that He will never leave us or forsake us. In the old covenant we should read Joshua Chapter 1:
5 No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. 6 Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them. 7 “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. 8 Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”
Jesus promises to deliver His life to us as a new covenant that no one can touch.
John 6
34 “Sir,” they said, “always give us this bread.” 35 Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. 36 But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe.37 All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. 38 For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. 39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day.
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