Faith Over Fear- Week 1

It is so much easier to live with fear then it is to walk, talk, and live by Faith!!! The truth is that we can sit idle and allow Satan to discourage us and think of every big and small thing that could possibly go wrong in life. I’ve heard the quote to often that “an idle mind is the devil's workshop” and I find that to be so true. We can dwell on what has us down or we can stand up and lift our eyes to the hills where our help comes from. (Psalms 121:1-2) If we’re not keeping our focus on Jesus, and were allowing Satan to shoot fiery darts at us as we just set there chill…. it’s a sure sign that we are lacking the Shield of Faith that we absolutely need to overcome Fear. (Ephesians 6:16)

Wake up!!!

Satan wants to keep us in a spiritual slumber so that we will not recognize his lies!!! As women of God, we must armor up!!!! The shield of Faith protects us from the fear that Satan tries to creep into our heart. Without Faith, it is impossible to please God! (Hebrews 11:6) We had to have faith to even come to the Lord for Salvation. That’s just it, Faith takes action!!! God’s word tells us that faith without works is dead. (James 2:14-26) We must speak faith, walk by faith, and our actions should be the proof to those around us that no matter what and despite life circumstances we stand on our Faith in Jesus Christ!!!

After we give our lives over to Jesus in total surrender, there is always that MAJOR possibility that life will get much more difficult. Satan doesn’t like Jesus which means that he doesn’t like His children either. The hope is, that whatever the enemy intends for harm, God is faithful to turn it around for the good of those who are called according to His purposes! (Romans 8:28) We don’t have to fear Satan, his demonic angels, or their tactics. We just need to continuously remain ALERT, prayed up, and in the Word!!!! (1 Peter 5:8)

How Do We Build Our Faith?

Matthew 17:20 tells us that even if we just have mustard seed sized faith, we can speak to the mountain in our lives and it will be moved. It also tells us that nothing will be impossible for us!!! We need to recognize that the mountain is what is hindering and causing us to fear. Scenarios like, “Will my bill be paid??”, “Will God heal me/ my family member?”, “Will I make the right decision??” always make our minds race in a million different directions and freak out, but Faith is asking God and then waiting on the answer believing that He will respond with His best plan in mind. Faith is declaring God’s truth and promises over our circumstances and standing in prayer over them until they come to pass no matter how long it takes as His promises are Yes and Amen!! (2 Corinthians 1:20) So often we get in a hurry because we are afraid that we will make the wrong decisions in life and THEN we DO make the wrong decisions. When we allow God to lead us in our decision making and pray fervently about every circumstance that comes our way, we can know with full confidence that God has our back and this, in essence, Builds our Faith IN JESUS!!!

Heavy Weights

Hebrews 12:1 says,” Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside EVERY weight and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us” These weights can be deeply rooted issues that we have carried for a long time. Some of these we may not even recognize until we begin to ask God to search our hearts and reveal to us the things that are holding us back from Him. Are we weighed down with fear, doubt, rejection, heartbreak, and the list goes on?? Whatever it is we can take courage knowing that Our God is GREATER than all of these things so lets lay them all down at the feet of Jesus and trade them in for the Heavenly inheritance that He has for us!!! We are loved, forgiven, accepted, transformed, and healed all because of Jesus!!!

For example, Fear gripped my heart so hard when I found out that I was pregnant with Destiny!! I prayed so hard in faith believing prior to that for this child to come, even had a dream about her a year before, but when I found out it was all that I could do to keep the faith as I had already lost 2. I was running frantic trying to get to the Dr as there were a few things my Dr from Louisville directed me to do as soon as I found out that I was pregnant with my next to assure a healthy pregnancy. I can remember crying my eyes out on the way to the Dr office, praying for God to help me believe, and worrying that what happened before was going to take place in this pregnancy. My blood had previously been clotting around the uterus cutting off oxygen to the baby so she was certain that I would have to take a shot of meds daily during my pregnancy to prevent this from happening again. I got to my OBGYN and they prescribed these shots and had me scheduled to go see the high-risk Dr that coming up Monday. Something in me was saying to just wait on taking these shots…..and I did….now that I think of it….I know that the sweet Holy Spirit was telling me to wait. That Monday, the Dr did the ultrasound only to find out that my blood was not clotting around the uterus in this pregnancy. God had completely healed me and was taking care of this child so I did not have to have daily shots throughout my pregnancy!!! Delivered a healthy 7 lb 7 oz girl in July of 2013 who is now 5 years old and so full of laughter and life. The weight of fear was heavy in this case but God overcame it and delivered to us a miracle. He moved my mountain, and I know that He can do the same in Your life too!!

Summary, Connection, and Discussion

This month we will be talking about How to overcome our fears with Faith in our Home, Marriage, and Family!!! Just as the song says, “Fear is a Liar”. Fear only holds us back from what God calls us to do and be. It tells us that we can’t do something when God alone knows the truth of our fullest potential if only we would have faith enough to believe and trust Him with our lives.

I hope that You will invite your friends to join this devotional series. Please feel free to comment below to discuss this Bible study. I am sure that many of you have “Faith Over Fear” stories from your own life so please feel free to share them below if you would like to. We are overcomers by the blood of the Lamb and word of our testimony (Revelations 12:11). If you have not already, sign up for my weekly Bible devotionals so that you don’t miss them.

This Weeks Challenge: Philippians 4:8 says Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.
Let’s pray this verse every morning that God would help us and teach us to think about these things. We will begin to notice that as we begin to focus on Jesus and His truths from His word and good reports it will become like second nature to us to believe in faith that we have nothing to fear. Our God is here with us and He is greater than anything that tries to come against us.

Let’s Pray!!!

Dear Heavenly Father,
Your word tells us that Your perfect love cast out all Fear. (1 John 4:18) Thank You for Your Love that tells fear that it has no place in our hearts!!! Teach us to walk by faith and not by sight. (2 Corinthians 5:7) Help us to arm ourselves with the Shield of Faith so that Satan’s fiery darts cannot reach us. May we focus on You and Your truths and build our faith up with full confidence that You are greater than anything that may try to come against us. In Jesus name, Amen!!