I agree with most of what Beth Moore believes and promotes, though not every little bit. However, the following quote from her is fantastic:
We all have been fearful and we all will have moments of fear in the future, or at least we can say that we will all be tempted to live in fear in our days to come (Lord-willing we have days to come).
What if we accepted the truth that we do not have to submit to our fears?
I do not mean that one should not have healthy fears-the ones that originate from a wise place. The fears I am discussing here are the ones that you wish didn't control you or the fears that you know are hindering you or another person from growing in some way.
We all have fears that we shouldn't. We all fear that which is not worth fearing. Much less a fear is downright bad or harmful for you, what you fear may even be good for you.
We often fear the heart of God, either because it potentially could push us out of our comfort zones, it potentially could mean being vulnerable, or for some other reason.
Our flesh thrives on fear, while our spirit thrives on love.
In my Old Testament class this weekend my assigned reading was Joshua chapter one through eight, and as I was viewing the material the words seemed to jump off the page and into my heart. The Lord reminded me of a lesson that I daily forget. It is the same truth that God emphasized to Joshua: He is with us. We need not be discouraged nor afraid.
Fear is my least favorite emotion, for lack of a better word. It is a vice-a sin-in it's most basic form.
Various other sins spur from fear, and perhaps the most significant is an ungodly lifestyle. This iniquity that steals so much from a person can cause one to miss out on endless opportunities, and it is this lesson that is on my heart to share today.
Fear played out:
One does not speak truth for fear of being judged.
One does not accept grace for fear of being humble.
One does not act courageously for fear of being vulnerable.
One chooses to ignore opportunities of love presented because choosing one's own pride is easier than submitting to the perfect will of God.
Ironically, by choosing fear we often think we are choosing security, but fear itself is rooted in insecurity. By choosing to live silently rather than to allow the love of God to pour from our hands, feet, and mouths we think we are satisfying our souls. We think silence is more beautiful than the Lord's song, but by denying our souls His living water, we are denying ourselves life.
Confidence is a bold yet calming demeanor that sings.
Fear is an anxious insecurity that screams.
When we choose to live fearfully, we may be choosing to live safely, but when was the love of God ever safe? Following Jesus has always been about dying to the self-about taking steps of faith for that which is greater and stronger and more beautiful than anyone could ever imagine.
Many may say that hate is the opposite of love, but I disagree. It would seem that actually fear is it's antithesis, and this is truly a disheartening concept when fully grasped, because fear has no place in the kingdom of God. The only way to soak up the presence of God is to live in faith rather than fear, and if God is truly with us (don't we believe He is truly with us?), then we should walk by faith. We cannot change by remaining what we are. We cannot grow by refusing to learn. We will never experience the adventures of life-the opportunities of love-by standing still. We need to move forward, and on our own we never will, but with God we can go into deeper waters and further than we ever would've thought.
We are called to walk by faith and not by sight, and it is not meant to be easy. If it were easy, then everyone would do it. The challenge is what makes the beauty worth pursuing-what makes the mountain worth climbing.
If God is with us, then what powers of hell can be against us?
Oftentimes I believe we give into fear because we are trying to please man rather than God. We care far too much about the opinions and perspectives of other flesh-filled humans around us.
However, we have one truth to hold tight to: perfect love casts out all fear. It has been said that pride is the root of all sin, and perhaps this is true, but I can't help but think that fear is close to the heart of iniquity as well; perhaps the two elements are intertwined or attached at the hip. Wherever pride resides, fear is not far off.
Together, pride and fear work side by side to build up walls in the heart of man. Thankfully, we have been given knowledge of an almighty God, and He not only holds authority but is also rich in faithfulness and abounding in love. He is the provider of love, and He holds it out as a gift ready to be accepted.
Our flesh fights it, but our souls are strangely drawn to it-this flawless love that embraces brokenness, helps the poor, and touches the unclean.
Then we realize that this in itself is the pure definition of God's love: it touches the unclean, because it touches us-every single man, woman, and child.
Suddenly, our souls are overwhelmed, because what greater love could there be, that a man would lay down His life for broken people-for malicious sinners-that He calls 'friends'?
A life who understands the Gospel-a concept that is so scandalous that perhaps it cannot ever be fully grasped-is a life transformed.
A person who truly knows he or she is loved can only then love others.
One who has been given grace can only then extend it.
The soul that experiences God by his or her side can live boldly and love courageously.
Perfect love casts out fear.
