for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.
2 Timothy 1:7 esv
When I am afraid, I will put my trust in You. Don’t rely on your resources. Don’t rely on your intellect. Don’t rely on your net worth. Those things are temporal. Choose to trust in a Savior who holds eternity in His Hands. Surrender to Christ as you read today’s message.
2 Timothy 1:7 says, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” Does living a life where you filter everything in survival mode sound like a spirit of power and love and a sound mind? Of course not.
A spirit of fear is something the enemy uses to twist what God created for our good because that’s what the enemy does. I know it’s not always fun or cool to talk about the enemy, but all we have to do is look at scripture to know he’s there.
“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 6:12).
The enemy has a plan to keep us from experiencing the full life God has created for us. His plan counts on us being unaware and unarmed. To fight back, we must be aware of our thoughts and arm ourselves with the truth that Jesus spoke when he said, “In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).
God-given, healthy fear protects us from harm. God-distracting, unhealthy fear steals our joy. Healthy thoughts will give us a life that has hope and happiness. Unhealthy thoughts will give us a life bound by worry and sadness.
Our thoughts create our realities.
We need to ask for a clear mind, peaceful heart, and extra strength and courage on our most trying days. Our most powerful tools will always be prayer and worship. We should take every fear to Jesus knowing that the battle is his and that we fight not for a victory but from the place of an already-won victory.
Fear not let God be your refuge.
In times of trouble let God be your refuge and fortress. Let God be your Rock. Surrender to God. Bow to Him and cast your cares, fears, doubts, worries, and anxieties to Him. Breathe easy. Receive Christ and let Him lead your pathway
Action Plan: Ask God to open your eyes to unhealthy patterns of thought in your life. Make a plan of what you will do when these thoughts arise. You could pause to pray, put on a worship song, or speak scripture over yourself.
When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.
Psalm 56:3
Today’s Prayer: If you have not accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, or if you have fallen away from Him, simply say this prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father, in the Name of Jesus, I repent of my sin. I turn to You. Father, I receive Your Son, Jesus Christ, as my Lord and Savior. I believe that Jesus Christ died and rose just for me.
I believe that His Blood washes me and cleanses me from all unrighteousness. Father, in You, I am set free. Father, through the Blood of your Son, Jesus Christ my past is history and my future is bright.
Father, In You, I am made new. Father, in You, I am complete. Father, in You, I am made whole. Father, in You, I am restored. Father, I surrender every area of my life to You now and forever. In Jesus Name. Amen.
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