Fear can paralyze you and stop any forward momentum that you have in life. Panic can overwhelm you and smother your very existence. Over and over in the Bible we are told to 'fear not' I believe this is repeated so many times because human nature is prone to fear and fear is an enemy. Since God tells us so many times to 'fear not' it is expected that we over come our fear. Since God tells us to 'fear not' we know that we can overcome fear. So why are so many people in bondage to panic and fear. It is not necessary that we be in bondage to fear. So how can we overcome it.
When I was young I was very much full of fear. I was so full of fear it was hard for me to introduce myself to someone and tell them my name. No matter what God asked me to do, I had a problem with it because of insecurity and fears. There were things I was good at, but speaking to people and socializing was not part of those skills. No matter where you insecurities or your fears I want to help you go through the steps that God took me through to rise above my insecurities and my fears.
1. Realize that it is OK to say YES even if you are afraid or insecure. It was a surprise to me to find out that fear did not have to rule my life. I had always lived in such a way that if I felt afraid or insecure I just backed away. I explained to God one day that I could not obey what He was asking me to do because I was not capable of doing what He asked. I was so sure someone else would do this task so much better than I could. My pastor was praying for me at the altar. He said to me, "Just say YES!" Say YES!?!? How could I just say, YES. I had never thought of just saying YES to God. What about my fears? What about my insecurities? What about my inadequacies? Wow. Even though I felt incapable God still expected me to say YES. What has God put on your heart? To start a business? To start a class? To minister to your neighbor? To heal the sick? To care for others? You may feel afraid, you may feel insecure, let none of these things move you. Go ahead and do those things afraid and insecure. In time those feelings will leave you just like they left me. What a joy that fear and insecurity does not have to rule my life. Someone needs to hear this, you DON'T have to be obedient to your fears and you insecurities! Glory to God.
Now let me break this down one step further and you can get to the root of the issue and even learn to overcome your panic. What does the Bible say about WORRY? It says to not do it! It was impossible for me to say YES to this. I thought that this went wrong and that wasn't working, and that issue was a mess, and that other person is killing me...How could I NOT Worry? My fears and insecurities told me that I had to worry, or something worse would happen. My view point at the time was that it was bad for bad things to happen, and it was even worse if you didn't care enough to worry about it. LOL. What a view point. It's human reasoning for sure, but it goes against the Word of God. I would hear God say, "Do not worry" But, how could I say, YES! to that command. I had this thing and that thing and the other thing going on. But, the day I realized that I could say YES to God's command in spite of everything that was going on was the day that I was set free. You see fear and insecurity tells you that you have a REASON not to say YES to God. Fear and insecurity will tell you that it is impossible for you to say YES to God. But, when I realized that my fear and insecurities do not have to control me, that I can say YES to God in spite of what is going on, I WAS SET FREE! Glory to God. You can be set free to. Remember the key is to realize that you can say YES to God!
Isaiah 41:10 Fear not; for I am with you: be not dismayed; for I am your God: I will strengthen you; yea, I will help you; yea, I will uphold you with the right hand of my righteousness.
2. Once you say, YES in SPITE of your fears it is time to realize who you are in the ARMY of God. Yes. I did say army. The bible says we are soldiers, but our fight is not of this world but it is a Spiritual warfare. I began to step forward as God called me to move forward and I found that I went from one battle to another, to another, to another, to another. I was very young in age, and in the LORD at this time in my life and here came all these battles. Well, I began to learn how to put on all the armor of God an fight. Our adversary the devil is looking for those he can devour. There is nothing more scary that battles! You fight for your health. You fight for your kids. You fight for your friends and family. Wow. I know I am talking to someone right now and you are right where I was then. You are fighting for your life and this world is taking all that it can from you. One day I was fighting for my health and I prayed to God with this complaint. "Lord, I am so tired of all of these battles, when will they end?" You see, I just wanted an end to the battles, I wanted easy sailing. I wanted a life that just fell into place without having to fight for it. The Lord spoke to me and said, "One day you will take the fight to the enemy, instead of him always bringing it to you." What?!? One day I would choose to be a soldier? One day I would chose to bring the fight? Well, since that time someone has written a song about this, "I went to the enemies camp and I took back what he stole from me." It was then that I realized my life was going to be a fight one way or another. It was time for me to quit laying back and allowing the enemy to take my health, take my children, take my joy, take my peace, take my sound mind, take my over my will. And it was time for me to rise up and take from the enemy not only all he had stolen from me, but to help others get back what was stolen from them too! Instead of always being AFRAID of what battles were going to come to me, I began to move forward in God and BRING THE battle to the enemy! You can pick that battles this way and the power of God manifest in you as you move forward. You become cloaked with his POWER and the enemy has to flee. And my life changed from that point on. I took back my health, I took back my peace, I took back my life! And I didn't stop there! Everyday I am fighting along side someone else to help them take back their life too! I figured if I am going to be in a battle anyway, I was going to bring it to the enemy instead of him bringing it to me all the time!
Ephesians 6:11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
There is so much more to learn about overcoming fear, panic and insecurities, but this is what I have shared with you for now. Feel free to leave a comment below... I would love to hear from you!
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