CURB YOUR FEAR
Fear is a learned behavior. Fear is the anticipated consequences of failure and loss.
I have good balance. I can walk and balance myself on a curb where a sidewalk does not exist. A curb is around 8 inches wide. I seem to be able to balance myself and walk on the curve very effectively. However, if that same curb was located a couple hundred feet off the ground, the task — the exact same task — would be extremely difficult.
Why — there is now an impending opportunity for loss that was not there before. Because of that, new emotions now begin to surface. Fear enters causing distractions that can undermine my confidence.
Suddenly, my effectiveness is being attacked. But what has changed? I still have the same ability and the curb is still the same width.
What changed is that I now entertain thoughts that have created fear because there is an impending potential for loss. Nothing has changed on the outside, I am still able, and the curb is the same width. However, the potential for loss opens the door for fear to be brought on the scene. This baggage that was not present before the curb was elevated far off the ground. The baggage weighs me down, makes me unbalanced, and causes distractions. My confidence is now attacked a once simple feat has now escalated into a debilitating fear. Anyone with panic and anxiety know exactly what I mean.
Fear is like cumbersome baggage that weighs you down, holds you back, makes you struggle and causes distractions. Even simple living becomes burdensome.
An example: Did you ever notice that it is easier to pray for someone who you do not know well or are not related to?
When a best friend or a close relative is in a life or death situation, prayer becomes more intense but also often becomes a little more difficult. Why — there is a fear — a fear of a potential loss.
Fear is a tool used by the enemy to reduce or even bring us to a place of ineffectiveness.
The enemy positions himself to create fear in your life because fear distracts you from your relationship with Father. The enemy uses fear to stir our emotions and attempt to control our will — the decisions that we make.
The enemy won’t be satisfied with the curb only 300 foot off the ground, the enemy will challenge you if he thinks you are making progress towards throwing off the fear so he will raise the curb from 300 feet to 1000 feet off the ground. The enemy is threatened by potential so the enemy must attack. Enter in – speculation of harmful thoughts.
It’s interesting, a person who suffers with fear and anxiety is usually a person that is very perceptive. Unfortunately, this person tends to over think everything, and speculation is like holding a grenade with the pin pulled. Talk about fear!
Fear is when you actually agree with the enemy. When you believe a lie, you empower the liar.
Faith embraces the promises of God so I can walk effectively on the curb at any height. When we refuse to entertain fear by walking in faith, we actually weaken the demonic realm.
Isaiah 54:14 You shall establish yourself in righteousness (rightness, in conformity with God’s will and order): you shall be far from even the thought of oppression or destruction, for you shall not fear, and from terror, for it shall not come near you.
2 Timothy 1:7 7 For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (of cowardice, of craven and cringing and fawning fear), but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self-control.
Freedom from fear and anxiety are found by entering the rest and peace of Heavenly Father. Peace is experienced when your mind is trained by your spirit and you take wrong thoughts captive. Peace is when there is a continual connection of Godly thoughts without interference from any contamination from thoughts that were received from conforming to the world, thoughts that were infected by fear by the demonic realm.