Dealing with Fear

     Dealing with fear seems to have always been an issue in my life.  Most people deal with some sort of fear on and off throughout life, but for some reason in my life, I had allowed fear to take ahold of the steering wheel of my life long ago.  I was not even aware of this and considered it to be the norm in my life, considering where I had walked. It wasn't until about 5 years ago when after attending some marriage counseling with my husband this was brought to my attention. When shown the evidence, I could not deny how fear had ruled my life, most of my life... something I was unaware of, but had still given fear authority over my life.  Having had this brought to my attention, I was shown biblically how this is opposite of what the word of God says. II Timothy 1:7 "For God does not give us the spirit of fear, but of power, of love, and of a sound mind."  Fear is not of God.  Once I came into this wisdom, I was then taken through the process of being delivered from the spirit of fear, which changed my life.
You may be wondering how or why would someone allow for fear to take over their life?  I can tell you however that it wasn't planned out - obviously.  Mine stemmed from childhood in dealing with issues with mostly my biological father among other things. Although I do know that my father loved me, I took a back seat to many of his lifestyle addictions to which I realize now were his own demons he was trying to deal with.    I have dealt with issues of abandonment, rejection on several levels, which in turn, out of fear, have pushed me into perfectionism and into an over achiever mode.    When I was widowed at age 30, and left to raise my new born daughter alone, abandonment and issues of fear were only magnified at an even greater level.
     Fear can be something so debilitating that when faced with the simplest of tasks, can be overwhelming and bring you quickly into shut down mode from normal life activities, and in some cases go hand in hand with depression.  It can create a picture in your mind that the whole world is against you or that everything you love dear may be stripped away.  You may be faced with a "doomed" type of attitude.
 In order to maintain a somewhat normal life, one may take a path of control, or place themselves into major "protection mode" which can easily slide into overdrive, even though you may not be aware.  This path is a lie of the devil who lets you believe that if you can control the things, or people in your life, to a certain extent, you are protecting yourself in some way.  This is not a conscious thought, but rather the brains way of of trying to cope and protect itself from pain.  What it ends up doing, however, is instead of protecting yourself, it ends up alienating yourself on many different levels.  Striving to have things perfect and have control over people and things is a major growth stunter as well as a relationship dissolver, for yourself and those you love.     The wall created by fear, put up one brick at a time, can get so high that you are the only one who can that can take down the bricks and remove the wall.  Its a move that can make you feel incredibly vulnerable, and because it is the lie we fight against, sometimes it appears to be easier to just leave the wall up.  People with fear find it easier to be critical of others or are more susceptible to believe lies of the enemy about people they haven't even lowered their walls enough to get to know on a personal level.  Fear is something that strips you of love, power, confidence, and a sound mind...although the "front" of people with fear is to try to show just how confident, powerful they really are. 
Even though I have been personally delivered by the spirit of fear, and it no longer controls my life, I still have to hold every thought captive.  When faced with a thought or a fear, I have to evaluate where exactly it is stemmed from and use biblical truths and Gods promises to cast it out, if fear is the root. 

     God does not paint a picture of people without fear.  There are many stories in the bible about people dealing with fear:  Jesus calming the sea, David and Goliath to name a couple. 
 In Deut. 1:9 Israel was freed from Egypt and was given land promised by God (vs 21).  This was the promise land they had dreamed about, but instead of just possessing it, they sent spies to check out the land. 
It ended up being a difference in perspective that caused the spies to return to Moses with a bad report, while Joshua and Caleb declared in faith "we are well able to overcome and possess the land."  The ten saw from man's perspective, which became an obstacle to them and they never entered into the Promised Land and it was certainly a dangerous trap for them to speak out of their mouth because it sealed their fate forever.
    Fear disregards Gods plan.  In  Deut 1:19 they could have just taken the land but because of their fear, they wouldn't.  Fear will keep you from God's plan. (II Timothy 1:7).  Personally I was not living with a sound mind or without fear.  Fear distorts Gods promises. (Deut 1:27 & 28) "The Lord hates us, so he brought us out of Egypt to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites to destroy us....the people are stronger and taller than we..."
   When fear distorts your life, you lose rationality.  Some things that I feared....letting my daughter spend the night anywhere, driving over bridges. In my mind I always thought the worst case scenario because I thought if I did that, at least I would be prepared....WHAT A WAY TO LIVE (NOT).
Fear robs you of Gods blessings.  I have found personally that I have missed out on a lot because of the years of fear in my life I didn't even know where there.
I like to use the three D's when describing fear to someone.  Fear will take everything in your life and "Destroy, Distort, and Discourage those around you."  The testimony of a few spies they sent in Deut. 1:27-28, affected the next 40 years.
     Fear is contagious.  Ever think of standing at the entrance of the zoo and screaming while you start running "Run for your life, they are loose" and wonder what might happen - ha ha. 
     Fear disobeys God's principals.  If you look at vs. 26 "But you were unwilling to go up; you rebelled against the Lord your God."
     Fear is disobedience.  How many times in the bible does it say "fear not"?   According to my research, 365 times would be the number...at least one time for every day of the year.  ha ha :)

 According the the Bible, the whole generation was forbidden to go into the promise land with the exception of Joshua and Caleb. 
FEAR CAN STEAL AWAY THE VERY THING GOD WANTS TO DO IN YOUR LIFE

            Fear was rooted deep in my life…from way way back, and I allowed it to grow that root deeper and deeper.  You have to get out the root.  Its like a scenario of dandelions.  If you mow over the dandelion, eventually it will come back.  Its not until you reach down and pull out the whole root that is deep within that you get rid of it.  Problem is that Satan is constantly trying to replant...and you have to be on your toes.  You also have to fill that hole in the ground where the fear root was with LOVE....GODS LOVE.
THE OPPOSITE OF FEAR IS LOVE:

 1 JOHN 4:18  There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment.  He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

II Timothy 1:7  For God does not give us the spirit of fear, but of power, of love and of a sound mind.

THE NEED TO BE ROOTED IN LOVE: “Prayer for the Ephesians”

Eph. 3:17- 19  So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge – that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

PERSONALLY –

   I have recently in my life watched..as I have had some  extreme clarity over the last year, how God has used people in my life strategically to heal wounds in my life that have occurred because of fear being there for so long.   He did this because he loves me so much. 

Because much of what I struggle with is stemmed way back with lack of my biological  fathers influence, and poor choices of my own,  I have watched how God has strategically placed Godly mentors/fatherly men in my life in different seasons.  He did this to move me toward HIS direction, to help me grow, to encourage me, to feel a sense of  belief in myself,   so that I could step passed fear that may have been holding me back and keeping me from my next season.  Teachers, coaches, mentors who were Godly men still play a significant role in my life to this very day.  I am a firm believer of what the enemy takes away, the Lord rewards back two fold...or more even. :)  I have to say that my cup runneth over with amazing Godly men in my life...especially that of my husband who seems to see it all so clearly and has understood the need in my life to have fatherly influences, which has actually, in turn, incredibly strengthened my own marriage.  God has used people to fill my father figure tank and show me the love that fear stole and to keep me on the path and help me to remember what it looked like THROUGH ENCOURAGEMENT.  Because of this healing and outpouring of Godly love….perfect love…which casts out all fear…a boldness has started to take place in my life..something that is moving me toward my next season.  Hebrews 13:6  So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

      I still  have to hold every thought captive, because that spirit of fear continues to knock on my door.  However I do not allow him to come in a sit down in the Masters Chair of my heart, .....because that is where the LOVE of God sits.   I have to repeat verses aloud when if I begin to get overwhelmed with fear….I have to command that spirit of fear to leave in Jesus Name.
WE CANNOT FURTHER GODS KINGDOM IF WE ARE SO CAUGHT UP IN OUR OWN.
     Because fear caused me to think of myself constantly because of being in protection mode, I could not even begin to think of what God wanted to do in my life.  I also could not love myself or especially others the way God has called me to because fear is the opposite of love.  God's voice sounded a bit like Charlie Browns teacher, because fear was sooooo LOUD in my life.
Until we use our authority and command that spirit of fear to leave and tell him just where it should go in the Name of Jesus, we cannot even begin to further God's kingdom as we become so caught up in our own.
I am thankful for my deliverance from fear running my life.  I am thankful that my life is so full of joy, something I never imagined years ago would be possible at this level.  This does not mean I don't have bad days, but it does mean that my strength and joy come from God and I know where my hope lies each and every day. I find that on a daily basis I am NOW so full of love toward people that if I can't show it I may feel as if I am going to burst.  This was a life changer for me and may God get all of the Glory!!   PRAISE GOD!!