Don't Be Afraid
What would you do if you weren't afraid? Would you go back to college to pursue a master's degree, start a women's Bible study in your home or muster up the nerve to quit your job and go into full-time ministry?
I know people who have done all of the above and today they are living fulfilled lives. Their success isn't characterized by spiritual bliss; but they have an inward peace and contentment that comes from being in the perfect will of God. They overcame the fears that tried to prevent them from fulfilling their destinies.
Fear is debilitating. Its grip is often rooted in lies and deception. Sadly, it is the downfall of many women who have unbridled potential inside them. Instead of doing what God has placed in their hearts, they allow fear to snuff out the Holy Spirit's voice.
I have five sisters, and the youngest one is full of adventure. When April graduated from high school, she went bungee jumping to celebrate. She's always exploring new opportunities. Though she sometimes fails miserably in her pursuit of them, my little sister inspires me because she isn't afraid to try new things.
Someone once said the word "fear" is an acronym for: False Evidence Appearing Real. Second Timothy 1:7 says, "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind" (NKJV).
The opposite of fear is faith, and God wants you to trust Him with every area of your life. He has given you many gifts, talents and abilities, and He wants you to use them for His glory.
So don't allow the enemy to bind you with fear. He's a liar! Believe the Word and get busy. There is no need to be afraid.
I know people who have done all of the above and today they are living fulfilled lives. Their success isn't characterized by spiritual bliss; but they have an inward peace and contentment that comes from being in the perfect will of God. They overcame the fears that tried to prevent them from fulfilling their destinies.
Fear is debilitating. Its grip is often rooted in lies and deception. Sadly, it is the downfall of many women who have unbridled potential inside them. Instead of doing what God has placed in their hearts, they allow fear to snuff out the Holy Spirit's voice.
I have five sisters, and the youngest one is full of adventure. When April graduated from high school, she went bungee jumping to celebrate. She's always exploring new opportunities. Though she sometimes fails miserably in her pursuit of them, my little sister inspires me because she isn't afraid to try new things.
Someone once said the word "fear" is an acronym for: False Evidence Appearing Real. Second Timothy 1:7 says, "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind" (NKJV).
The opposite of fear is faith, and God wants you to trust Him with every area of your life. He has given you many gifts, talents and abilities, and He wants you to use them for His glory.
So don't allow the enemy to bind you with fear. He's a liar! Believe the Word and get busy. There is no need to be afraid.
posted by Valerie G. Lowe at
5:29 AM
6 Comments:
I moved from the mid-west to the south, to be closer to my aging grandmother. My husband and I have gone through some challenges that have helped us to develop a phenomenal Christian walk and for that I am thankful. Part of the struggle was employment and that lead to my husband commuting, about 2 hours to work. I began a new job in April in another city. I prayed about the position and was at peace about accepting it. I am commuting about 90 miles a day. The initial plan was to relocate to the city of the new job and that has proven to be more difficult than we could have ever imagined. It is a larger city with more to offer, so I thought. We have been unable to locate a house to lease that will accept our dog. The city of my new job is only about 45 min. away from my husband’s job. I have accepted this position but now my heart is just not in it. I would love to be doing more in my church for example running the daycare we are trying to establish or some other community program. I am working with the pastor and other members on the daycare project. Here is the irony, my new job is to license daycares in another region of the state, other than the region where my church is located. It has allowed me to learn about daycares and the administration of a daycare. My educational training is in social services and not early childhood development. I seem to have a lack of fulfillment in regards to my job at this time; in addition to or due to my fears of being unemployed. I have a sense of fear about not having secure employment (if there is such a thing). My current job is within state government with benefits (insurance, retirement, union). I tell myself GOD has placed me here for a reason and I have to be patient.
"What would you do if you were not afraid?" This is an excellent question! Thank you for asking this! I just realised how different my life would be...!!! My home, my personal appearence, the things I do on my free time, and mostly the way I serve our God!! I think I'm in a serious situation here, and I need to look at it! Thank you for asking this question!! Vicky from Greece
Over the past few years I've had several pastors share with me how they felt that they needed to become full time pastors and leave their jobs. In almost every case they said that they were waiting for the offerings to stabilize and grow along with church membership. Some wanted to make sure that the church could match their salaries and continue their 401(k) contributions. At the time all of this made sense. Recently my opinion has changed I now feel that if God wants you to pastor full time then the best way to teach Faith is by example. However I believe that in some cases these pastors actually have a fear of the church not being able to sustain them. When in fact they should be the first ones to realize that if God has called them into full time ministry as pastors he will sustain them. I am often told that God gives us common sense. To which I reply that God Defies Common Sense. Whatever God puts in our hearts to do he will provide for us to accomplish his missions and mandates. Faith is an action word.
Thank you for writing this article. After years of operating in fear and finally being fed up with being controlled and limited by it, I have taken a leap of faith and enrolled in graduate school in public policy. I finaly realized that I would never be happy unless I am doing what I love to do and what God has created me to do. This leap of faith has created an excitement in me and an expectation that is unexplainable. I know that the best is still yet to come. I would like to encourage all the women out there who have desires to do something great to advance the purposes of God, but feel disqualified or unequipped to "just do it." It is not you anyway, but the Holy Spirit who gives you the unction and the gifts to do it.. For the scripture in Zechariah says, "not by might nor power but by His Spirit."
Thank you Vickie for writing this article. The first time I came in contact with your writing I had just left a job I had done very well in for nearly 10 years. After reading "10 Spiritual Principles of A succesful Woman" I was nervous but believed I could finally see God held the open door for destiny. 4 years lately, a failed marriage, and many changes proved very discouraging but I STILL believe. Though my husband has chosen another path, I have committed my way to the Lord and He IS directing my steps! From the time I took my newest position God has given me a vision of moving forward and utilizing the gifts He put in me and has helped me develop since I was a child. I've taken a leap-and it is a stretch- and applied for a position that would be a promotion of mega proportion - Faith in action. Knowing according to God's Word promotion comes from Him. We, after being diligent to take advantage of the prepartion process God provides, can rest in His judgement of whether or not the time is right...and not be afraid as we wait patiently on Him. I'll keep you posted on how that working for me ;-)
I am 35 years old and I have fear of driving. I always fear that something bad will happen if I get behind a wheel. Since I live in a rural area, this fear has really handicapped me. My husband has confronted me on this week about overcoming my fear. I took the confrontation as an insult. I now know he was trying to push me into my destiny. I know in my heart that I will be free to do God's will if I can overcome this. When it's time to take the test, fear just over takes me. I want to go back to college but, It would put a strain on my family because I can not drive. Reading this message has gave me hope. Anyone reading this blog, please keep me in your prayers.
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