Maneuvers - No. 4
God’s Answer
to Your Fear
Fear is a tricky emotion.
On the one hand, it’s good to have a healthy sense of fear. That’s often what protects us from making unwise decisions that could harm us or the ones we love. In the right doses, fear helps keep us safe.
But not all fear is healthy.
We (Jennifer and Justin) know this all too well. If gone unchecked, fear can move beyond protecting us and start inhibiting us. It makes the potential danger seem much larger than it actually is. And it can block us from the good things God has in store.
Unhealthy fear will tell us not to take risks. It can fill our minds with obsessive worries and concerns—to the point that we’re no longer moving forward in our God-given callings. We can get stuck, stagnated, motionless.
It can steal our hopes and stain our joys. It tries to block us from enjoying the good gifts God gives us because we’re scared he’ll just take them away again.
That, dear friend, is not what God desires for us.
Our heavenly Father longs to empower us to step into the fullness he’s stored up for us, not just for heaven, but also for this life. He has things for us to do that we couldn’t possibly walk in without his power. He has plans for us that will make the world step back in shock and amazement.
Good plans.
If fear has been an unwelcome companion lately, we invite you to join us in listening to our Father’s heart right now. He has an answer for our relentless fears. Let’s listen…
01.
The Message
Fear is a funny thing. It fills you, directing your thoughts, opinions, and actions. But how can it be managed? Do you know what you fear? All the fears? All the ways they control you—and in ways you can’t easily see?
Fear is a thick covering over your heart. It clouds your vision—the vision of seeing what is possible, the good that is possible, in taking what feels like risk. And what I mean by risk is this: doing something you could never do on your own without my power. Fear, you see, is the source of your stagnation emotionally, mentally, spiritually.
Truly, you are unlimited in what you can do with me. You are unlimited by the physical boundaries of earth. What I will in heaven is what becomes true on earth. And what you will on earth, as you reside in heaven with me, becomes true—with the two of us together, willing the same thing, the same good, the same possibilities of hope and love and joy.
All is possible. And fear is what squashes these hopes and dreams of what is possibility. You can’t even see what is possible when fear prevents you from believing there is more, really more, for you and your life and the dear ones you love.
I am for you. I am with you. Fear goads you to stay put, to not try something new, to not heed my voice, the voice of love in you that encourages you; invites you to press forward, see deeper; reach out your hand wider; believe, with your eyes and your ears and your decisions and your hands that healing is possible with me.
New life is possible with me.
The desires you have to create and love others and use your gifts—even the ones you have not yet discovered fully—to bless and bless and bless.
Your rejecting fear in your life, in all the ways it manifests, changes your entire life’s story. For rejecting fear frees you from the prison of lies—all the lies, all the deceit, all the ways you are believing that you are less than you should be or that the problems you face, or your loved ones face, are too much, too much for me.
What can I not fix? What can I not repair? In what ways have I not been with you? In what times have you not felt my love? Start there. Start with those questions, for they are the root of many of your fears. And I want to give you comfort as you ask me these questions. And this time with me, in asking me all the questions about all the fears you have, will allow you to get to know me more. Get to know me more. Get to know me more. Not just with your head, but with your heart. Experience me, and my love for you, by acting on what it is I show you about myself.
And I have so much to show you. I have so much to give you. You are the one I love. My love for you destroys fear with a whisper or a stomp—whatever it takes. But you get to choose whether to take my hand and believe me, or believe fear. And I don't need to speak any louder.
02.
Listen
With God, you are unlimited. Everything is possible when Jesus steps in. If he says it will happen, it will happen, no matter the obstacles. Fear must bow to him when he walks into the room. And he invites you to walk with him.
As you read those words, what stirred in your heart? What did you feel as you read this week’s message? How does your heart want to respond to our Father right now? We encourage you to write your response down in your journal.
03.
Think
“So we can confidently say, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?” (Hebrews 13:6).
1. What fears are holding you back from walking in what God has for you to do? What situations in your life are plagued by fear? Let’s write these down.
2. Now that we’ve identified the fears, let’s dig a little deeper. How are those unhealthy fears deceiving you? How are they exaggerating the risk or downplaying God’s power in the specific situations you listed?
3. Let’s take a moment and be still with Jesus. With the list of fears in your hand, bring each one to God and ask him to speak to those situations. What is he saying? What Scriptures is he bringing to your mind? Record them in your journal.
04.
Trust
We love that Scripture from Hebrews from the last section: “So we confidently say, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?’” (Hebrews 13:6).
It’s such a powerful reminder that, no matter what happens in our lives, no matter who threatens us or opposes us, God is standing over us, guarding our way and paving our path. We have no reason to fear. Not when Jesus is our Helper.
And yet we fall into that trap of fear far too often, don’t we? We’ve all thought things like: What will they think of me? Will I lose that friendship? What will happen to my finances? Will my child ever return to God? Will I ever be reconciled with my parents? Am I going to get sick—or worse? Am I going to fail again?
These are frightening situations, certainly. But they don’t have to control us. After all, the Bible tells us there’s only one we should fear.
Jesus told his disciples:
“Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows” (Matthew 10:28-29).
There is no situation, no person, no addiction, no demon that is more powerful than God. He alone deserves our fear, and the most amazing thing is… he loves us more than we could ever imagine.
Read that passage from Matthew again. Imagine the tone of Jesus’ voice as he spoke those words to his disciples. Is it strong? Tender? Firm? Full of compassion and conviction?
Now imagine he’s speaking those words directly to you, friend. How does it change your response to that passage? What does it do to the fears in your life?
Let’s keep our Bibles open to Matthew 10:28-29 while we pray…
05.
Pray
Jesus, I’m amazed. I can’t even imagine how many hairs are on my head, and yet you’ve already counted them all. You know each time a sparrow dies, each time a flower wilts, each time my heart breaks. You see it all. And you care deeply.
Lord, this list of fears and scary situations… I bring it to you and surrender it. I surrender every single fear that’s held me back from walking fully in what you want me to do.
I’m so sorry for letting this fear deceive me, block me. I don’t want it to anymore! I renounce these fears, and I’m putting a stake in the ground right now: You’re the only one I choose to fear, God.
My life, every breath I take, my very soul, is in your hands. You take such good care of me. I confess that it doesn’t always feel like it when hard things happen. But I know you’re still in control. You have a plan. And I’m going to keep trusting you to make that plan happen.
Give me faith for the impossible, the kind of faith that silences every fear of risk and readily takes the plunge. Help me see myself through your perspective. Help me see past my natural limitations and faults and recognize how limitless I am when it comes to doing what you ask… in your power.
I open wide my arms to you, Jesus. (Can you feel his love washing over you? The sweet, powerful surge of faith rising within your heart?) I want more of you, to go deeper with you. I love you so much, Lord.
In Jesus’ name, amen.
Waving the banner with you,
