I have a memory to share:

As a little girl, I remember telling my dad of a bad dream.

Scared me silly.

He said next time I have one of those dreams,  I need to force myself to speak to the scary and say to it you’re not real. This is only a dream, and now I’m going to open my eyes. Then force my eyes open.

That very night, I tried it.

It worked.

I couldn’t tell you what that dream was about; I don’t remember it.

I only remember what my father told me to do, and how to overcome fear.

But what about when we’re awake, and the scary is real?

Fear comes in different forms.

• It comes with fancy names, a phobia for every occasion
• It comes through medical reports, relationships, finances
• It comes when we need to move on , and when the lights go out
• It comes in what may happen, and what may not

From the creepiest bug, to the most overwhelming of circumstances. We’ve all experienced fear.

When fear encompasses our day, engulfs our thoughts, our effectiveness in serving and fulfilling our calling is greatly diminished.

Of course the enemy wants us to live in fear because:

FEAR = INEFFECTIVENESS

Fear weakens our spiritual immune system, and can cause physical harm as well.

In James 4:7, the word tells us to surrender to God, resist the devil, and he will flee from us.

There is evil in the world, no argument there.

But we can easily blame the devil for our own disobedience; our own unwillingness to surrender to God. Surrendering isn’t easy, but we tend to make it harder don’t we? It’s not as complicated as we make.

We must learn to surrender our fear to God,

and this is key…

we need to stop taking it back.

The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.”                                                                                                                                                                                         Romans 8:15

It’s time to cry Abba, Father, help me not to fear.

In order to squash fear, we need to take on a healthy fear:

The fear of the Lord. A reverent fear. A fear and awe of God.

Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting, But a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised.                                                                                                                                                                Proverbs 31:30 NIV

Love casts out fear akin to death, because we are kin to the Bread of Life.

Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.”                                                                                                                             Deuteronomy 31:8 NKJV

What happens when we tell our kids not to do something, and they do it anyway?

Disobedience brings consequences.

God tells us numerous times not to fear. Ah, I get it.

And isn’t brave cooler anyway?

Face  Every  Anxiety  Resolved

Let’s be resolved to trust God and not fear.  Stand like Daniel; firm in faith and never wavering.

Be  Resolved  As  Virtuous  Esthers

Like Esther, we can have courage, we can be brave enough to face fear resolved.

Girls, we can do this. We can do this together. We can do all things through Christ.

Let’s fight back like David.

When he stepped out to face a giant piece of fearful, heads rolled.

Well, a head anyway, and it wasn’t David’s. We need not hide in fear, when we can crush it with faith.

Let’s remember our Father’s instructions for overcoming fear:

Surrender it to Him.

Speak to the scary. Yell if it helps.

Tell it God says I shall not fear. Then say:  Now I’m going to open my eyes to His truth.

How are you fighting fear today?

Share in the comments, so I can stand with you in prayer.