My foot edged out of the airplane door in preparation to jump, the cold wind slapping my face and screaming in my ears. As I leapt, I glanced down and realized that I wasn’t wearing a parachute. I was gripped with terror!
Ok, so that was obviously just a dream. But we face fear or anxiety almost daily, right?
In the Bible, God repeatedly commands us not to fear. In fact, fear is such a big deal that Scripture mentions it at least 365 times (one for each day of the year). It’s easy to understand why fear is bad. For one, it reveals a lack of trust that God’s in control.
But, feeling frightened is human instinct, right? God, how can we possibly just “not fear”?!
I don’t think God is threatening, “Don’t ever feel afraid again … or else!” Rather, through Scripture, He proves that Christ’s victory over death is the reason we no longer need to let fear control us and equips us to strip away its power.
In my dream, I was free-falling without the proper protection needed to land safely. Honestly, I would still be nervous even with a parachute strapped securely to my back. But, I could quiet my worry with the knowledge that I’d dressed myself appropriately for the situation.
God calls us to dress daily…in His armor. You’re probably saying … wait, armor is for battle. Why do I need that? Fighting fear is a battle, my friend. And failing to put on the armament He’s provided is like jumping out of a plane without a parachute.
Ephesians 6:10-18 lists each part of God’s armor: the belt of truth, breastplate of righteousness, boots of peace, shield of faith, helmet of salvation, and sword of the Spirit, and how we can use it to stand victorious in Him each day.
Praying this protection over ourselves won’t stop bad things from happening or prevent us from feeling fear. But, fully dressed, we’ll have every weapon God provides us at the ready, so we can quickly recognize and put fear in its place….in His hands.
Are you controlled by fear? Don’t fight it alone. Instead, dress yourself in God’s armor and step into the battle alongside the One who will always win.
Do you struggle with fear? Want to learn how to learn how to live in greater freedom? Then join us for our next Bold and Brave conference, hosted by Good Shepherd Presbyterian in Lincoln, Nebraska. Find out more and register HERE.
If you enjoyed today’s post, would like more inspirational content sent directly to your inbox, and want to stay up-to-date regarding what’s new with us, make sure to sign up for our free quarterly e-mailing. You can do that HERE.
THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR GODLY INSIGHTS!
Fear! It is due to ‘listening’ to satan whispering his unGodly words, in his playground, our mind. Be on guard always; I tell myself; GOD does not deliver these self-defeating messages. May I always remember God’s promises. Armor of God will protect and always win against satan’s lies. IF I have chosen to wear it. ‘Sword of the Spirit’…God’s Word…spoken to situation…when under attack…will absolutely STOP satan’s attacks! Thanking God for giving me ‘weapons’ to protect myself.
Kathleen,
Yes, being on guard/aware is so important in the fight against fear! And I love that you emphasize “if” in regard to wearing the armor God has provided us. We have to be intentional about “dressing ourselves” each and every day to protect ourselves from Satan’s attacks.