“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”
II Timothy 1:7 NKJV
I heard what God wanted me to do. I knew what God wanted me to say. The bottom line was this: I was scared I would mess it all up. I was afraid of failing. I didn’t feel like I was good enough to fulfill what God wanted me to do. What do you do when fear causes you to be at a standstill?
First, I had to come to the realization that I just didn’t trust God enough. In Numbers 13:17, God told Moses to send men to spy out the land of Canaan, which was the land God promised to give the Israelites. When the spies went to scope out the land, they noticed there were giants in the land and they became afraid. They came back to tell Moses and the other Israelites what they saw. The passage states;
“Then they told him, and said: “We went to the land where you sent us. It truly flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. Nevertheless the people who dwell in the land are strong; the cities are fortified and very large; moreover we saw the descendants of Anak there. The Amalekites dwell in the land of the South; the Hittites, the Jebusites, and the Amorites dwell in the mountains; and the Canaanites dwell by the sea and along the banks of the Jordan.” Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, “Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it.” But the men who had gone up with him said, “We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we.” And they gave the children of Israel a bad report of the land which they had spied out, saying, “The land through which we have gone as spies is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people whom we saw in it are men of great stature. There we saw the giants ( the descendants of Anak came from the giants); and we were like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight.””
-Numbers 13:27-33 NKJV
They did not trust the same God that split open the Red Sea. They did not trust the same God that rained manna from Heaven. They did not trust the same God that kept them in the wilderness. How many times do we think our current circumstances or challenges are bigger than God? In reality, there is no one greater than Jesus and nothing is impossible with Him.
We also allow the cares of life to cause us to forget the great things God has already done for us. That’s what the spirit of fear does! It literally chokes out all the faith that you have if it’s not dealt with.
So..How do we deal with the spirit of fear?
1. Build up your faith in God’s word. Romans 10:17 says, “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” There’s one important key here that’s often overlooked. How do you physically hear the word of God? You speak it. See, reading the word is good but it’s not enough when your faced with fear. All of us, deal with some level of fear from time to time. But it’s how you respond that counts. Read the word, get it in you, and speak it when those giants in your life come to intimidate and scare you.
2. Remember what God has already brought you through. Deuteronomy 8 sums it up very well. God has done some really great things in our lives. Meditate on all the miracles, testimonies and victories that you have seen in your life and in the lives of others. This is such a great way to stir up your faith in God that combats fear at the root. God is able!
3. Reflect on the fact that you are not alone. When God put something in our lap to accomplish, He doesn’t intend on you doing everything on your own. He expects you to lean on the Holy Spirit to give us what we need to accomplish every task. Joshua 1:9 states, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” Our strength isn’t strong enough. So let’s rely on God’s abilities and not our own. When this becomes your reality, that the Almighty God is with us every where we go, we are infused with supernatural strength! With this mindset, let’s tackle the spirit of fear with unshakable faith. The God of all power and might, is with us. Be strong and courageous!
Written by Latoya “Christia” Hawkins
Christia Music Website 
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