Past The Point Of Fear

In our physical lives there things we won't do because we know our limits. Most of the time those limits come from a very natural reaction to fear. Fear in our natural life can be a God given thing to keep us safe. It is the thing that says "you're going to fast", or "you're too high up", or "this doesn't seem safe to try". We tell ourselves these things all the time to keep ourselves out of danger, and most of the time we are kept safe because a very natural sense of fear kicks in as our "early warning system". But then if you watch any extreme sports you will see men and woman do things that just seem like they don't have a fear at all. They break speed records, do things at unheard of heights, walk across things like a tight rope, and push their body past crazy limits that most people wouldn't even attempt. And time after time I have watched interviews with the people who are the best at the sports and heard this question asked again and again, "How do you do what you do? Do you have no fear?". And most of the time the answer is not "yep, I have no fear", but instead it's "I have learned how to overcome, or go past the limits of my fear". It's actually pretty amazing to see too, when someone just goes all out and leaves their fear behind them. 

Now we take that same topic and we look at the spiritual, psychological and emotional sides of humans. Again, we all have fear in one area or another. And those fears, which can keep us safe in the natural world, can almost become debilitating in these areas of our life. God didn't create the fear that lives within us that shuts us down emotionally, spiritually or psychologically. Almost 100% of the time they were created by some circumstance that didn't involve God at all. A situation, or even another person, can create fears in us that cause us to build up walls and shut people or even God Himself out. And this fear is a fear that was created by the enemy. From as far back as Adam and Eve this fear has existed. Adam and Eve did not fear God until sin came into the picture. It was a situation that didn't involve God, and went directly against God, that caused them to experience fear for the first time. And that fear (and shame) caused them to attempt to hide from God (or put up a wall between them and Him). And that same fear today will cause us to hide from all kinds of things. There is so much that God wants us to experience that we can miss out on simply due to fear. For some it may be a healthy loving relationship with their spouse. For others it may be trusting someone like a friend or a loved one. For someone else it may be reaching out and having the courage to do God's work. The list truly goes on and on of the things that we can miss out on simply due to fear. The things that we fear in these situations are never of God. They are things like rejection, abandonment, being mistreated, having our trust abused and so on...all the works of the enemy. But God supplies us with ways to combat this fear all throughout His Word. And He promises that IF we rely on Him, He will will supply what we need to get past fear. And just like the people in extreme sports, you will be able to overcome and get past the fears that stop you.

When I look back over bible history and I think of how much history would have been majorly altered if certain people didn't step out past the point of fear and obey God, it is pretty overwhelming. Abraham would not have taken his son up on the mountain and found out how much he really could trust God, Moses would not have come up against Pharaoh and set an entire population of people free, David would not have slain Goliath and became the man that he did, Jesus would not have gone to the cross and faced death head on, and the disciples would not have continued to preach the word after Jesus left the earth and helped build the Christian faith we have today. All of these things took place because of men and woman trusted God past their point of fear and accomplished great things. And no matter what you are facing in your life, you can do the same thing! Figuring our what fears the enemy has put in you, and trusting God to help you overcome them, will be by far one of the best decisions you will ever make in your life. If there is any verse I could leave you with that should bring you peace in ANY situation, it is Isaiah 41:10... "Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand".

For more on fear please see the following scriptures: 2 Timothy 1:7, 1 John 4:18, Psalms 23:1-6, Psalms 34:4, Proverbs 29:25, Philippines 4:6, Psalms 56:3-4, Romans 8:15, Joshua 1:9, Romans 8:38-39 

God, thank You that Your Word addresses our fears. Today help those who have allowed fear to rule over them and stop them to put fear in it's place! Show them that Jesus Christ has defeated the enemy and through Him we have the authority and ability to defeat the enemy and the fear he is using to stop us from being all that You created us to be. Please help those who are missing out on the fullness of love, life and doing Your work due to fear...help them be overcomers today, and step out past their fears. In Jesus name, Amen.