Fear

Scripture

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind. -2 Timothy 1:7

The spirit of fear can manifest in our lives disguised as a lack of courage. We won't move into the things that God has told us to because we don't believe we can. It will manifest in our guarded hearts. We guard ourselves against being hurt; therefore, we don't easily trust people. It will manifest as procrastination, as we make promises to ourselves to do something later that we should be doing now. It shows up as the lack of surrender. Running towards God with abandon can be unsettling, so we won't follow hard after Him like we should. Beloved, do you see the trend? Fear often shows up in covert ways in our lives, and if we're not discerning, it will stop us from being who God called us to be. 

Fear can be debilitating, stopping believers from fulfilling their purpose. It is important to first identify the areas of our lives where fear is present. Then apply the truth of the scripture above. Understand, Beloved, that fear does not come from God. He knows the damage of fear in the lives of His children. The scripture tells us what God gives us in contrast to the spirit of fear. The Spirit of the Lord empowers us to overcome challenges, to complete tasks, and even to draw closer to Him. He empowers us to live out our faith and fulfill God's will in our lives. The Spirit of God inspires us to love each other and God, and He enables us to have a disciplined mind, capable of making wise decisions. 

Through this scripture, we are encouraged to denounce the fear in our lives. Fear can cause a daily battle in our minds, so that we are standing still while there should be forward movement in our lives. How many of us are living unfulfilled due to fear? How many are even unaware that their inability to do what God has called them to do is rooted in fear? Beloved, ask the Holy Spirit to identify areas in your life where fear may be lurking overtly or covertly to render you ineffective in fully answering your call. 

Prayer

Father, we come before you in the name of Jesus, recognizing your sovereignty and power. We renounce and reject the spirit of fear that has been trying to influence our thoughts and actions. We declare that we are not given a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind. We break the power of fear over our lives and our families, in Jesus' name. Amen