FEAR IS A THIEF WHICH STEALS OUR PEACE AND JOY

BIBLE PASSAGE:
So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed
I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you;
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
(Isaiah 41:10)

MEDITATION:
All throughout the Scriptures, the Lord encourages us not to be
afraid or anxious. As His children, we need to listen when our
Heavenly Father says, “Fear not”. Of course, there are reasons
for us to be extremely cautious about what we do and where we
go, but God does not want His people living in a state of anxiety
and fear.

When we think about it, we can identify
at least six anxieties that are basic to all mankind.
They are:
    – fear of criticism
    – fear of illness
    – fear of old age
    – fear of poverty (loss of job, financial problems, etc.)
    – fear of losing a loved one
    – fear of death
Although these are universal worries, in reality, they are symptoms
that indicate something deep inside is feeding our fears.

A few of the root causes of fear are…

A basic sense of inadequacy:
    Because of distorted thinking, we frequently feel incompetent to
    tackle certain challenges or tasks that should be possible for us
    to accomplish. Think about how many people you know who make
    excuses for not trying new things. Some of these folks miss out on
    God’s blessings because they say, “I can’t”.

The tendency to set unrealistic standards for ourselves:
    We can go through life trying to measure up to lofty expectations
    that are self-imposed, rather than striving to meet the goals set for
    us by God. The world tries to ‘brainwash’ us to achieve, achieve,
    achieve. The world judges our achievements by our social status,
    by what we own, by who we are, etc. God’s goals for us are quite
    different; He judges our success by how we respond to His goals
    for us.

An inner feeling of unworthiness:
    Many people will not succeed in life because they feel they just
    don’t deserve it. This is an effective tool used by Satan to discourage
    believers. The scriptures clearly indicate that we are all unworthy,
    but Jesus changed all of that when He went to the cross for our
    sins; He made us worthy.

ACTION:
In the midst of our fears and anxieties, we need to remember God’s
promises in Isaiah 41:10. He reassures us that He is there to help
strengthen us so that we can overcome our fears. It is important for
us to look up to Him, and not at an eye level of our circumstances.

Pray,
“Heavenly Father, thank You for Your promises that You are
my God, that You are with me, that You will strengthen and
help me, and that You will sustain me in all circumstances.
Forgive me for allowing the evil one to convince me that I
do not have time for serving You, and that I cannot afford
to return to You a portion of all You have given me. Remind
me that, ‘through You who gives me strength’, I can do all
things!”

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