11/03/2024
CHALLENGES TO OVERCOME IN BATTLE
Afraid
There are two types of fear mentioned in the Bible. The first kind of fear is the fear of the Lord, which is healthy and should be encouraged.
The second type of fear that the Bible speaks of is a “spirit of fear” (2 Timothy 1: 7), which is an obstacle to our life and to walking with God.
What does it mean to fear the Lord?
Proverbs 8:13 says: “The fear of Jehovah is to hate evil; the
pride and arrogance, the evil way, and the perverse mouth, I hate ”. In other words, to fear God does not mean to be afraid of something, but to be for what God is for and against what He is against. It is having an attitude of respect and fear for all that God is, which includes his love, mercy, power and glory from him, and also characteristics such as his righteous anger.
Fear is bad because:
Paralyzes: In spiritual battle you cannot stop because of fear. Although we don't know what can happen, you don't need to worry about all the bad things that can happen.
It leads to bad decisions: Fear can distort the
reality. Who is afraid could make a wrong decision because he only thinks about the fear he feels, not what is best (1 Samuel 15:24).
Causes Despair: When we forget God in battle, fear can rob us of hope. We can overcome fear by trusting in God. It is normal to be afraid but we need to decide not to let it paralyze our lives. God promises to take care of us in all situations, He is in control.
In Jesus we have hope even in the most difficult and frightening moments.
Surrender your problems to God and reject fear. “Do not be anxious about anything, but let your requests be known before God in all prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus ”(Philippians 4: 6-7).