Under Attack

Fear. 
If ever there were a word that brings up anger inside of me, that would be it.
The reason why, is because that tiny little word has kept me from living my life to the full, time and time again.

I find it to be a word that is constant in my life.
I'm afraid of being the center of attention, I'm afraid of what people think of me, I'm afraid of not being good enough or not being capable, I'm afraid of letting people down, I'm afraid of health problems, I'm afraid of the little things like rodents and snakes, I'm afraid of getting in a car wreck, I'm afraid of getting pulled over, I'm afraid of not-so-great men (if you catch what I mean), I'm afraid of weapons like guns and knives, I'm no longer ashamed to say that I'm even still afraid of the dark.
Rather, what I fear lurks within it.

Everything I do in life brings a whisper of fear along with it. Even if I think it's silent for once, one of those "what if..." worries will creep in, and it starts up all over again.
I used to let it control my life.
If I was afraid, I just would simply avoid the situation or person or thing.
But y'know what?
Now it just makes me flat out ticked.

I'm ticked off when that word pops up now. 
I'm ticked off because I found out the truth, "the enemy comes to steal, kill, and destroy."
He wants to steal your joy, kill your spirit, and destroy your faith.
He wants to steal your peace, kill your light, and destroy your hope.
He wants to steal, kill, and destroy.

There's another verse I found that revealed the truth to me:

"For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind."
-2 Timothy 1:7

This fear, that tries so hard to take over my life, is not of God. It has never been of God. It is merely a sneaky attack of the enemy to try to steal, kill, and destroy.
And the same is true for you.
Every worry, every fear, every anxiety; none of it is from God. 
It's all the devil.
He wants to kill your spirit, the very essence of who you are.

And that thought enrages me.

Because I've let him. 
And I think it's safe to say that you have too. 

However, because our God is so good, He never leaves us without hope.
If you keep reading the verse that I first mentioned...

"the thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy... I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." -John 10:10

This fear is robbing us of the fully lived life that God intends for us to have. 
That God sent His only Son to die so that we may have.

A life to the full is free of chains. 
Free of worry. 
Free of fear. 
Free of anxiety. 
Free of guilt.
Free of shame. 
It's free to live.
And to love to live at that.

The battle in your mind, all that fear that creeps in... You have the power to agree with it or not. 
Don't misunderstand me, being aware of the attacks on your life will not make you immune to fear.
But you have the power to agree with it or not when it pops up.

You can let it stay in your mind, or you can claim what God intends for you.

Peace.

This is your territory.
It's time to kick out the thief.



"Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you. I do not give to you as this world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." -John 14:27