Face your fear and conquer it (Part 1)

There's no way you can go on like this.  

It's like being in a prison cell that has no parole - the walls keep closing in on you. 

You're sick and tired of it! But you doubt freedom will ever come. 

 

That's why you're reading this article, right? Everything has failed... you've prayed, you've asked others to pray, you've visited a psychiatrist, you've taken medication, but ... no luck!  

Fear is your constant companion!

In fact, you even consider stopping reading!

Don't despair! If you stick around long enough, this might be your day!

FIRST, LET'S DO A LITTLE SELF-EXAMINATION

Answer these questions carefully before continuing. The answers may require some time and deep digging. Are you willing to do that?

Great!👍

1) What is your biggest fear? Give it a name. Be very specific.

2) Why do you fear it?

3) What do you believe about it?  

4) When and where did it start? How did you become aware of it?

5) How does it make you feel?

6) How has it affected your life? 

7) When fear shows its ugly face, what is your response? 

8) Does that response change anything for the better?

 

You've discovered a few things that you didn't expect, right? 

Please keep your answers near you and make notes as we discuss this. Here’s what to expect:

• You'll get a general and Biblical definition of fear

• Explore Psalm 27 for David's fear-beating method

• You'll learn how to conquer fear with practical steps.

Ready?

---o0o---

DAVID'S 1st SECRET - HE DIDN'T ALLOW HIS HEART TO FEAR

Fear is activated and demonstrated by your words. 

A dark room activated fear in my life when I spoke about it (read about it below). 

How can I tell you're afraid? By listening to you I'll probably hear words like I'm so worried ... I'm scared to death ... What if... and so on. 

Fear had no place in David's heart or mouth. 

PSALMS 27.1-3 (NKJV)

1 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?

2 When the wicked advance against me to devour me, 

it is my enemies and my foes who will stumble and fall.

3 Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear;

though a war breaks out against me, even then I will be confident.

Check out his confident confession:

• Whom shall I fear? (:1)

• Of whom shall I be afraid? (:1)

• It is my enemies and my foes that stumble and fall (:2)

• My heart will not fear (:3)

• I will be confident

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KEY #1 - PUT FEAR IN THE RIGHT PERSPECTIVE

Many years ago, my husband and I slept in an extremely dark room. I mean, it was D.A.R.K. 

We had a conversation earlier about the devil. That was a time when our faith wasn't very strong, and we were rather vulnerable.

Suddenly we became aware of the thick darkness around us. You guessed it - we anxiously started talking about how bad it felt. Our fear grew stronger and stronger until it became a full-blown demonic attack! 

Due to my lack of knowledge, I opened a door in my life, and fear became my constant companion. I didn't want it, but it stayed. I had no idea how to get rid of it! For many years I suffered.

Because I know what it is to battle with fear, I really want to see you free of it.

Let's start by looking at what fear is.

FEAR-RELATED WORDS AND THEIR DEFINITIONS:

1.    WORRY – to feel anxious or troubled about actual or potential problems

2.    ANXIETY – a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease about something with an uncertain outcome

3.    FEAR – an unpleasant emotion caused by the threat, anticipation, or awareness of danger, pain, or harm

4.    PHOBIA – an exaggerated usually inexplicable and illogical fear of a particular object, or situation

5.    PANIC – sudden uncontrollable fear or anxiety, often causing wildly unthinking behaviour

THE BIBLICAL DEFINITION OF FEAR

Two Hebrew words describe fear, one a noun and one a verb. Each has a positive and negative connotation.

1) FEAR (noun) [Hebrew - yare]

The fear of God is positive. It means standing in awe of Him, being awed by, fear, reverence, honour, and expressing respect to Him.

As a negative, it refers to the fear of earthly troubles.

2) AFRAID (verb) [Hebrew - pachad]

It can also have a positive or negative aspect. Someone trembles at something abrupt and startling. In addition to shock, it can also be used to describe awe, reverence, or amazement.

Hosea 3.5 presents us with a beautiful positive reference - Israel will tremble for God's startling, sudden, amazing goodness.

Additionally, fear can be described as 

• Faithlessness

• Misplaced trust

• Doubt and unbelief in God and His Word

WHY YOU SHOULD OVERCOME FEAR

• Fear is an intruder, an enemy who tries to kill, steal, and destroy everything God has in mind for you (John 10.10)

• Fear never comes from God and therefore isn’t God’s will for your life (2 Timothy 1.7)

• Fear is a slave master who drains your energy and steals your time

 

WHAT FEAR WILL DO TO YOU AS LONG AS YOU ALLOW IT TO:

• Fear restrains your potential, hindering you from achieving what you are capable of.  Believe you can't, and you won't!

• Those annoying "what if?" questions make decisions and choices hard.

• It prevents you from living life in the way God intended.

• It blinds you to the beauty of life and relationships.

• It hinders your mental, emotional, and spiritual growth.

• It harms your health.

THE POWER OF FEAR

The only power fear has over you is what you allow it to have!

Fear is a demonic spirit who lies to you. Jesus Christ defeated Satan and his demons on the cross. They cannot control you unless you allow them! 

Fear will keep you prisoner as long as you believe its lies. On the inside of that prison, you'll find the key within easy reach to unlock the door. 

Make the choice to get up, grab that key, open the door, and leave!

---o0o---

DAVID'S 2nd SECRET - HE KNEW TO WHOM HE BELONGED

PSALMS 27.1-3 (NKJV)

1 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?

2 When the wicked advance against me to devour me, 

it is my enemies and my foes who will stumble and fall.

3 Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear;

though a war breaks out against me, even then I will be confident.

In David's life, God was his Light, Salvation, and Strength. For him, those words carried power and truth. A name always implies content. One expects canned fruit to contain the fruit described on the label. So, David's description of God as his Light, Salvation, and Strength revealed how he expected God to affect his life!

(1) GOD IS MY LIGHT

Fear is attracted to darkness. Darkness in one's soul (your mind, emotions, and will) can be caused by trauma, emotional pain, ungodly beliefs, etc.

It means two things when David said God is his light:

• GOD is The Light.  

• God's WORD is light.

• The word for light in Hebrew can also refer to HAPPINESS.  Fear and happiness are enemies! Perhaps this is why someone with a smile on their face is said to have a light in their eyes. Similarly, someone who is free from fear has a light in their eyes.

(2) GOD IS MY SALVATION

The term salvation can also mean deliverance, rescue, safety, welfare, prosperity, and victory.

In Psalm 18.35 David declares, You have given me the shield of your salvation.

(3) GOD IS MY STRENGTH

Strength means safety, protection, refuge, a stronghold or a fortified place. 

Imagine what the author envisioned in Proverbs 18.10: "The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous run into it and are safe."

David cried out in Psalms 18.39, For you have armed me with strength for the battle.

HOW DID DAVID COME TO THIS REVELATION?

(1) David's heart's desire was to spend his life in God's presence 

PSALM 27.4

That will I seek:

That I may dwell in the house of the Lord

All the days of my life,

To behold the beauty of the Lord,

And to inquire in His temple.

5 

For in the time of trouble

He shall hide me in His pavilion;

In the secret place of His Tabernacle

He shall hide me;

He shall set me high upon a rock.

(2) In response to God's invitation to seek His face (be in His presence), David did so.  

PSALM 27.8

When You said, “Seek My face,”

My heart said to You, “Your face, Lord, I will seek.”

David didn't seek God because He was missing. 

David set his heart to see God, not because he HAD to, but because he WANTED to. 

You too can seek His face by spending time with Him. 

In Jeremiah 29.13 & 14 God promises: When you search for Me with all your heart, you will find Me.

KEY #2 - KNOW THE TRUTH THAT WILL SET YOU FREE

JOHN 8.31-32

Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.  And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

It is not only what you KNOW that sets you free, it is what you APPLY of what you know that will make the difference.

Know WHO you are!

• The born-again believer is seated with Jesus in heavenly places (Ephesians 2.6). David had this revelation: He shall set me high upon a rock. And now my head shall be lifted above my enemies all around me (Psalm 27.5-6).

• Almighty God made the enemy His footstool, and you are His! (Ephesians 1.20-22). That means the devil and all his demons of fear are under your feet!

• God is your Light, Salvation, and Strength. The One who fights for you is He! The One who will never leave you nor forsake you! He died for you to be free from fear.

Know WHOSE you are! You belong to the God who is ...

(1) YOUR LIGHT

Jesus is the Light of the World who brought light to darkness (see John 1.5 & 9). Jesus brought light to the world and to our hearts. You have His light in you! Therefore, God is PRESENT in your life. Darkness cannot prevail when the light is on. Fear can't overcome that Light. Allow the light of God's word to set you free from the power of darkness and fear.

(2) YOUR SALVATION

A shield protects. Because God saved you, you are safe and protected. God has provided both SAFETY from all your spiritual enemies, and the AUTHORITY to live, rule, and reign as a child of God. You can conquer fear because God is your salvation!

(3) YOUR STRENGTH

Irrespective of how fierce the battle is, God's strength is even greater! Moreover, victory is guaranteed. When you have God on your side, you'll never have to fear. Those who put their trust in him have hope and courage. He will never forsake you.

Seek His face and be in His presence as often as possible!

TO BE CONTINUED ...

This was quite a lot to do for today, don't you agree? 

So, please! If you haven't done it yet, answer those questions at the beginning and then work through the first two keys that I've given you in this article.

And be on the lookout for the next article which will be released shortly.

Until next time, stand strong, subject that spirit of fear, and live the victorious life that God intended for you to have.

Love

STEF ESPAG

P.S. Please SHARE this article with your friends. There are so many who need to be set free of fear!

Also, leave your comments below the article. Thank you so much!

Face your fear and conquer it (Part 2)

PLEASE CHECK OUT MY UDEMY COURSE:

FACE YOUR FEAR AND CONQUER IT

👉👉👉RIGHT HERE!👈👈👈