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WEEK 15 - FAITH OVER FEAR

Writer's picture: acoachsdiaryacoachsdiary

Fear, doubt, and anxiety are normal human feelings and emotions. Author Leo Babuta wrote, “I recently asked my Twitter friends: “What fear is holding you back?” Their responses included:

  • failure

  • abandonment/rejection

  • intimacy

  • success

  • being broke

  • not being good enough

He then wrote, “I think the last one — not being good enough — is actually at the root of all the others. We fear we’ll fail because we’re not good enough.


So how do we overcome fear?


1st - Acknowledge the fear. Fear is a real, human emotion. It is okay to feel fear. What we have to learn is how to feel fear and keep acting with courage.


2nd - Identify what you are afraid of. When you can name what you fear, you can create a plan of action for how to beat it.


3rd - Act with courage. What is the next step you need to take to do your job? Taking action can create positive momentum and help you act with courage despite your fear. Do it afraid if you have to.


The Bible is filled with stories of people who allowed fear to hold them back. Since the beginning of time, God has made covenants and promises with His people, and fear is one of the common things that have held them back. Fear kept the people that Moses led out of Egyptian slavery from walking into the promised land. Fear is what led the Israelites to ask for a living king to lead them instead of listening to, trusting, and obeying God.


Fear is what led to the story of David and Goliath.


Goliath was a giant in the Philistine army. The Philistines were a group of people who lived near God’s people, the Israelites and were often warring with them.


When the Philistines were attacking the Israelites, every morning, Goliath would come out and challenge any Israelite to fight him. Because he was bigger and stronger than everyone else, the Israelites were afraid and refused to fight him.


But David, a young, small shepherd boy was not afraid. One day, he brought his brothers in the Israelite army some food and heard Goliath’s challenge.


Instead of showing up to fight Goliath with armor from the army, David took just 5 stones, put them in a sling, took his shepherd staff, and went to face Goliath.


When Goliath saw David, Goliath made fun of him. But David said back, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head (1 Samuel 17:45-46).”


David then ran quickly toward the battle line to meet Goliath, reached into his bag, took out a stone, slung it, and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into Goliath’s forehead, and he fell facedown on the ground.


David took down the giant Goliath.


David responded to Goliath with faith, not fear. David saw things through the eyes of faith and how God sees them. God has promised to defeat the enemies of His people, and our job is to respond with faith, not fear, so we can face our enemies and allow God to do His part.


It's all in how you look at things. You can either look through the eyes of fear and see a defiant giant, or through the eyes of faith and see a giant disgrace God is about to destroy and remove.


Fear is real. But fear is a tool from the devil. Jesus said in John 10:10, “The thief comes to kill steal and destroy.” That is what fear does - it kills, steals, and destroys our hopes and dreams.


But he then says, “I have come that you might have life, and that have it more abundantly, to the full, until it overflows.”


Don’t let fear keep you from living the life you want and deserve. Have faith that if you show up and do the best you can, God will take care of the rest!


THIS WEEK


1 - What is one fear that you are facing right now?

2 - What about this fear is holding you back?

3 - What is the next 1-3 things you need to do to be successful?

4 - Is there someone you can lean on or ask for help?

5 - Act. Even if you have to do it afraid, do it!


For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

  • Jeremiah 29:11


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