Fears Dominance

I think we underestimate the impact and reach of fear.  It is easy to justify fears magnitude because it is so simple to make the emotional effect of fear go away.  We just avoid conflict and courage all together and our lack of action becomes a sanctuary to hide in. 

Fear is so common because it is so effective.  Being stranded where we are may be boring but it is also strangely comforting, because at least there is no surprises there.  The children of Israel are a great example of our fondness of the perverted benefits of fear.  They longed for the food of Egypt while lost in the desert of God's will.  Even though that life was a slave life, it was a known commodity and that is the comfort the sinful nature longs for.

Max Lucado wrote: "Fear deaden's our recall, it creates spiritual amnesia, it dulls our miracle memory."

Fear is a dominating enemy because it is an enemy we invite.  We love God's miracles but our memories have a way of highlighting the conflict over the rescue.  The truth is that we struggle with trust and we want control, we want to be our own providers, our own rescuers. 

The only real way to break the control of fear is to truly trust God.  Trust comes from knowing that we are deeply loved by God.  Our key verse here:  1 John 4:18 (CEV) - "Where God's love is, there is no fear, because perfect love drives out fear."  The first thing God's love does is remove fear.  It takes over every inch of your spiritual and emotional environment and leaves fear with no place to stay.  Fear hides the real you - God's love reveals the real you.  Brennon Manning once said: "We risk for Him to the degree that we know that we are loved by Him."  That is the transfer of power we all long for, the freedom that Christ died to give you.

Comments

[Tony]

Nice to have you back on the blogging grid!! Miss you guys. Have a great holiday season.

[Tony]

whoops.... that post was in April..... Thought it was from today.....

[dennis]

http://dennisssblegh.com|dennis

gday
Lovely site