Power Thoughts: 12 Strategies to Win the Battle of the Mind (14 page)

2 Timothy 1:7

T
he well-known advice columnist Ann Landers reportedly received some ten thousand letters per month. When asked to name the most prevalent problem in her audience’s lives, she responded, “The one problem above all others seems to be fear. People are afraid of losing their health, their wealth, and their loved ones. People are afraid of life itself.”
¹

Landers’s assessment is not hard to believe. I see so many people who are ruled by fear. It can absolutely take over a person’s life, which is why I believe this power thought—“I will not live in fear”—is so important. Until the power of fear is broken in our lives, we are held captive to it, which means we are not free to follow our hearts or to follow God. To fulfill His good plan for our lives and to enjoy all the blessings He wants to give us, we simply must refuse to live in fear.

If fear rules in our lives we cannot enjoy anything we do. Let’s say Sarah is invited to a party. She is excited that she got invited but when she arrives she’s afraid she doesn’t look right. She becomes uncomfortable and starts comparing herself with the other guests. She begins watching to see who is talking to whom. Then she overanalyzes who is talking to her and how friendly they seem to be. She is so afraid of being rejected that she can’t relax and simply enjoy the party.

Sarah is so focused on herself that she really can’t reach out to anybody else, and that makes her appear aloof and unfriendly. As you might expect, she doesn’t get invited to the next party. The result of all this is that in her mind all of her fears that she is unwanted and unacceptable are confirmed. The sad thing is that the entire scenario was created by her fear. The war on the battlefield of Sarah’s mind was raging so fiercely during the party, that she felt confused and could not enjoy anyone or anything. She was too busy trying to sort out her negative emotions and engaging the enemy of fear. Fear brings torment and we must refuse to entertain it or our lives will be miserable.

Think about It

Take a moment to think about how your life would be if you were free from all fear. How would a fear-free life differ from the life you have today?

How Fear Operates

There are more types of fear than we could name or count, but they all have the same source and the same purpose. They are all from the enemy and they are intended to steal the life Jesus died to give us. We often think fear is simply an emotion or feeling, but it also affects us physically. In
Who Switched Off My Brain
? Dr. Caroline Leaf notes that fear “triggers more than 1,400 known physical and chemical responses, and activates more than 30 different hormones and neurotransmitters” and that fear is at the root of all stress.
²
When fear causes a stress reaction through our bodies, it actually “marinates” the body in toxic chemicals. This, of course, is terribly unhealthy and threatening to our physical well-being.

There are many ways Satan uses fear to steal from us. For example, the fear that we will not be accepted as we are causes us to develop phony personalities that stifle our true selves and hide who God has made us to be. The fear of failure prevents us from ever trying new things or stretching ourselves to do more than we feel comfortable doing. The fear of the future can cause us not to enjoy today. Even something like the fear of flying can prohibit our being able to discover and enjoy the beauty and excitement of places we would like to visit. It can absolutely paralyze us and in its more advanced stages can drive us to do things that are completely irrational. It can even cause mental and emotional problems.

In an August 1989 issue,
Time
magazine printed a story that shows how utterly destructive and controlling fear can be. The brief article reported that Charles Bodeck, a retiree who had received several tick bites during fur-trapping expeditions, grew fearful that he had contracted Lyme disease when the disease garnered considerable media attention in the late 1980s. Bodeck was not only afraid of having the disease himself, he was also concerned he had transmitted it to his wife. Despite many medical tests and repeated assurances from doctors that he was not infected and that passing the disease to his wife was impossible (because he didn’t have it), Bodeck remained terrified. His totally unfounded fear so completely controlled him that he eventually killed his wife and himself with a shotgun. When police searched his mailbox after the incident, they found it crammed with information on Lyme disease—and a note confirming yet another doctor’s appointment for a Lyme-disease test.
³
Bodeck’s story and countless other less dramatic instances prove that fear can be powerful in our lives. I fully believe it is the devil’s tool to keep us miserable and out of the will of God. It drains our courage, presents everything from a negative viewpoint, and prevents us from making progress. Destinies are destroyed because of fear—fear of pain, fear of discomfort, fear of lack, fear of sacrifice, fear that life is going to be too hard, fear of losing friends, fear of being alone, fear of losing your reputation, fear that no one will understand you, fear that you’re missing God, and on and on. Fear is the enemy’s perversion of faith. He says, “Believe what I’m telling you. This is not going to work. Your prayers aren’t any good. You don’t have right standing with God. You are a failure.”

Fear always tells you what you’re not, what you don’t have, what you can’t do, and what you never will be. But Romans 8:15 says, “For [the Spirit which] you have now received [is] not a spirit of slavery to put you once more in bondage to fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption [the Spirit producing sonship] in [the bliss of] which we cry, Abba (Father)! Father!” You do not have to live in bondage to fear or allow fear to control your life. You can be bold, courageous, and adventurous.

The word “Abba” was a term used by little children in addressing their father. It would be similar to the word “Daddy.” This term is less formal than “Father” and denotes a comfortable closeness between a child and their father. Jesus said that we could call God “Abba” because He had delivered us from all fear. He will always take care of His beloved children and we can approach Him without fear of rejection. When we run to Him with any problem or pain, He is waiting with open arms to comfort and encourage us.

Boredom

God created you for adventure, for the exhilaration of a life that requires you to take bold steps of faith and see Him come through for you. So many people are unsatisfied with their lives simply because they won’t step out into the new things they desire to do. They want to stay in “the safe zone,” which may feel secure, but is not always where the joy and adventure of life can be found. Don’t let fear keep you from the vibrant life God has for you or destroy your destiny. Even when you
feel
afraid, don’t let it stop you! As I like to say, “Feel the fear and do it anyway!” Boredom is often the result of sameness. I encourage you to include more variety in your life. Try new things; when you start feeling that life is getting stale and tasteless add a little spice by doing something different. Start thinking and saying, “I will not live in fear.”

Think about It

Is fear causing you to live a safe but boring life?

Catch It Early

In the United States, there is an over-the-counter medication advertised as the medicine to take at the first indication of a cold, to keep it from getting worse and becoming full-blown. I take a lot of vitamin C if I have a scratchy throat or a runny nose because it often keeps me from getting worse. Catching something before it goes too far is wisdom. The Bible says we are to resist the devil at his onset (see 1 Peter 5:8, 9). For years, I have used this principle against fear, and I guarantee you, it makes a difference.

I recommend that anytime you even begin to feel fearful about anything that you immediately begin to pray and confess, “I will not live in fear.” You will see amazing results. When we pray, God hears and answers. When we confess His Word, we renew our own minds and come into agreement with His plans for us. No matter what God wants to do for us, we must agree with Him in order to receive and enjoy it (see Amos 3:3). He has good plans for us, but in order for them to become a reality in our lives we must have our minds completely renewed (see Romans 12:2). Simply put, we must learn to think like God thinks and talk like He talks—and none of His thoughts or words are fearful.

This power thought—“I will not live in fear”—will help you become courageous rather than fearful. Call it to mind the instant you begin to feel fear and meditate on it even during the times when you are not afraid. By doing this you will be even more prepared to stand against it when it does come. Remember that it will take time and be committed to stick with it until you see change. I still say, “I will not live in fear.” I woke up this morning and said, “This is the day that God has made. I will enjoy this day and I will not live in fear.” God taught me to use what I call the “power twins” to help me defeat the spirit of fear. They are “I pray” and “I say.” When I feel fear, I begin to pray and ask for God’s help and I say, “I will not fear!” Use these power twins as soon as you feel fearful about anything and you will be able to keep fear from controlling you. You may still feel fear, but you can move beyond it by realizing that it is merely the devil’s attempt to prevent you from enjoying life or making any kind of progress. Do what you believe you are supposed to do even if you have to “do it afraid.”

Think about It

What can you do to not let fear control you?

It Won’t Go Away

The reason we must learn how to deal with fear before it goes too far is that it will never completely go away. Feeling fear is part of being alive. We may feel fearful when we are doing something we have never done before, or when the obstacles seem insurmountable, or when we don’t have the natural help we feel we need. None of this means we are cowards; it means we are human. We can only be cowardly when we allow our fears to dictate our actions or decisions, instead of following our hearts and doing what we know is right for us. Feeling fear is simply the temptation to run away from what we should face and confront; feeling fear is not equal to being afraid because being afraid means letting fearful feelings get the best of us. I might feel angry but I can still choose not to act on my anger but to respond with forgiveness and love. In the same way, we can feel fear but not let it make our decisions.

We must accept the fact that fear will never go away completely, but also know we can live boldly and courageously because God has told us that He is always with us, and because of that we can choose to ignore the fear we feel. It’s okay to feel fear; it’s not okay to act on those feelings. You see, the word
fear
means “to take flight” or “to run away from,” and it causes us to want to flee what God wants us to confront. It does not mean to shake or quake or have a dry mouth or weak knees. Fear is not a feeling; fear is an evil spirit that produces a feeling. So when we say, “I will not bow down to fear,” what we mean is “I will not shrink back in fear.” Fear causes us to cower, shrink back, and withdraw. Instead of having big faith, it causes us to have little faith, and if we entertain it long enough, we’ll end up with no faith at all.

The only acceptable attitude for a Christian to have toward fear is “I will not fear.” Do not shrink back from anything in fear. You may be going forward with something you feel God has spoken to you to do. Then something happens to make it appear that it’s not working out or that people are not in favor of it. You realize that if you do what God wants you to do, you may risk losing some friends, some resources, or your reputation. When you feel that fear, the first impulse is to begin to shrink back, isn’t it? God knows that, and that is why He says, “Do not fear.” When He tells us not to fear, what He means is, no matter how you feel, keep putting one foot in front of the other and doing what you believe He has told you to do because that’s the only way to defeat fear and make progress.

I have decided that I
am
confident, whether I happen to feel confident or not. Sometimes I feel more confident than I do at other times, but I go out every day confident that God is with me and because of that I can do whatever I need to do and enjoy the process. I choose to be confident instead of fearful, even when potentially fearful situations arise. Confidence is the way I present myself, not merely a feeling I have. The devil hates it when we are confident that God is with us, and enabling us to do whatever we need to do in life.

I urge you to meditate on this power thought: “I will not live in fear.” Roll it over and over in your mind because setting your mind ahead of time that you will not bow down to fear will help you not do so when fears arise. You will have already made the decision that you will not be afraid. Renewing your mind with these power thoughts prepares you to face whatever comes in life with confidence.

Think about It

What is the only acceptable attitude for a Christian to have toward fear?

Do It Afraid

When the Bible says, “God has not given us a spirit of fear,” it does not mean we will never feel fear. As a matter of fact, when God said to so many people in the Bible, “Fear not,” He was basically telling them, “Fear is going to come after you. You are going to have to deal with it.” When God gave Joshua the job of leading the Israelites into the Promised Land, He said, “Be strong, vigorous, and very courageous. Be not afraid” (Joshua 1:9). He was basically saying, “you will be attacked by many fears and you will be tempted to turn back, but you have to keep going forward.” No matter what you feel like, just keep going forward and you will arrive at your desired destination. I am not suggesting that we do foolish things and refuse to take any counsel from anyone, but if we are fully assured that we have direction from God then we must press forward no matter what we feel like or what people say. I often say, “Courage is not the absence of fear, it is progress in its presence.”