I received an email this week. There were three email addresses representing my “cord of three;” women I regularly share with and pray with and live life with. We’ve been embattled in the past days. Rarely are we all three in the midst of an all out spiritual battle at the same time. But in battle simultaneously we are. At the end of the prayer my friend shared over another’s situation, she wrote this extra note to God: P.S. I’m really afraid now, so please give us brave hearts.
Yes.
Please, Lord.
Brave hearts.
That’s what these ten weeks have all been working toward.
Breaking fear, even in the midst of the scariest circumstances, to enable each of us to move forward in confidence (even if still shaking) with brave hearts.
How do we do it?
We can’t. He can.
1. Acknowledge He can do whatever seems impossible.
Jeremiah 32:27 – “I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?”
Mark 10:27 – Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.”
2. Recognize you are in a battle. Remember He has already won.
Deuteronomy 20:4 – Today you are going into battle against your enemies. Do not be fainthearted or afraid; do not panic or be terrified by them. For the Lord your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory.”
II Chronicles 20:17 – You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you…Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you.’
Ephesians 6 – Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 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. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
3. Let Him fight for you.
Exxodus 14:13-14 – Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today… The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.
Deuteronomy 3:22 – Do not be afraid of them; the Lord your God himself will fight for you.
4. Release the fear every single morning. Do not allow the darkness to extinguish the light.
John 1:5 – The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
I Peter 2:9 – But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
Isaiah 48: 9 – In the time of my favor I will answer you, and in the day of salvation I will help you; I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people, to restore the land
and to reassign its desolate inheritances, to say to the captives, ‘Come out,’ and to those in darkness, ‘Be free!’
You hold on. Hang in there.
Let go of the fear that is holding you back and release it to God to fight, and WIN, this battle you are in.
There will always be scary storms. The Bible tells the story about a house built on the sand and the other on the rock – they are both battered by the storms, but the one built on the rock is still standing at the end. (Matthew 7) So will you be standing. Do not let fear rob you of the joy that comes when the storm passes. When the victory is won.
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28
This is so powerful! I’m keeping this not only for myself but for all those friends and family who I know will devour this!
May you be blessed as you bless others!
Thanks so much Susan – it certainly was powerful in combatting my own fears!