Fear
\nNo Longer Afraid
\nby June Hunt
\nImagine being terrorized \u2026 your life continually threatened \u2026 your heart gripped with fear. Imagine every day \u2026 waking to the thought: This day could be my last day\u2014the last for my family\u2014the last for my friends! Imagine living in the constant fear of being burglarized and brutalized \u2026 vandalized and victimized \u2026 mauled and murdered.
\nNow, all of a sudden, someone appears out of the blue instructing you to do the unthinkable\u2014take action and fight those you fear! But such an idea is impossible\u2014even preposterous\u2014especially for Gideon \u2026 who is inclined to flee in the face of fear.
\nI. DEFINITIONS
\nNow, imagine trying to thresh wheat in a winepress \u2026 of all places! To thresh\u2014to separate the chaff from the wheat\u2014a gentle breeze in the outdoor air is needed to winnow the chaff. As all is thrown up into the air, both chaff and wheat, the wind blows away the lightweight chaff, and the heavier wheat falls to the ground. But \u2026 in a winepress the surrounding walls prevent the wind from blowing in the center and threshing is not likely to be effective.
\nSo here you are in hiding \u2026 fearing for your life \u2026 fighting an uphill battle \u2026 for a few grains of wheat. At this point, the angel of the Lord appears, saying, \u201cThe Lord is with you, mighty warrior.\u201d \u2026 He addresses you as \u2026 what? What\u2019s this \u2026 mighty warrior?
\nWho \u2026 you?
\nA. What Is Fear?
\nImagine \u2026 being asked to do something you know you can\u2019t do. Like Gideon, rather than attempting to meet the challenge, you find yourself responding, \u201cThanks\u2014but no thanks. You\u2019ve got the w\u2026r\u2026o\u2026n\u2026g person.\u201d
\nHowever, the angel announces that you are to lead the battle against your greatest enemy\u2014an enemy that vastly outnumbers your army\u2014one greatly feared by everyone \u2026 and feared for good reason! The mammoth Midianites have been ravaging and ransacking your people at will, leaving death and destruction in their wake.
\nHow? \u201cWhenever the Israelites planted their crops, the Midianites [and other enemies] invaded the country. They \u2026 ruined the crops all the way to Gaza and did not spare a living thing for Israel, neither sheep nor cattle nor donkeys\u201d (Judges 6:3\u20134). Understandably, your heart is terrorized with fear.
\n\u2022 Fear is a strong emotional reaction to a perceived imminent danger characterized by a fight, flight, or freeze response.
\n\u2022 Fear can be real or imagined, rational or irrational, normal or abnormal.
\n\u2022 Fear acts as a protective reaction, placed in us by our Creator to activate all of our physical defense systems when we face real danger. Fear triggers the release of adrenaline in the body that both prepares and propels us to action often called \u201cfight or flight.\u201d
\n\u2022 Fear is a natural emotion designed by God. However, fearfulness is not designed by God, for fearfulness suggests living in a state of fear.
\n\u2022 Fear is a translation of the Hebrew word yare, which means \u201cto be afraid, stand in awe or fear.\u201d When Gideon was trying to thresh wheat in the winepress and the angel of the Lord appeared to him,
\n\u201cHe was afraid.\u201d
\n(Judges 6:27)
\nB. What Is Anxiety?
\nAfter the heavenly messenger delivers his initial instructions, Gideon quickly questions: \u201cIf the Lord is really with us, why has all this evil happened?\u201d And Gideon makes it most clear\u2014if God wants a deliverer, I am definitely not the man for the job! After all, he is the least in the family \u2026 belonging to the weakest clan \u2026 in the small tribe of Manasseh. Gideon exclaims, \u201cHow can I save Israel?\u201d cowering with the angst of anxiety.
\nGideon knows that the monstrous Midianites have a new weapon enabling them to make swift, long-range attacks against the Hebrews\u2014rendering them virtually powerless. This terrible weapon is nothing other than \u2026 the camel!
\nWithout food or water and with heavy loads, they cover 300 miles in 3 or 4 days. At harvest time, the Midianites simply ascend from the desert and quickly cover the land \u201clike swarms of locusts.\u201d The Midianite troops and camels, both \u201cimpossible to count,\u201d strip Israel bare of everything edible. Then, loaded with their plunder, they return to the desert until the next harvest is ripe.
\nExisting like this for 7 years reduces Gideon and all the people to threshing meager amounts of grain in winepresses\u2014hiding food and themselves in mountain dens and caves. No wonder Gideon is fearfully anxious and fully persuaded that \u201cThe Lord has abandoned us and put us into the hand of Midian\u201d (Judges 6:13).
\nGideon\u2019s continual fear has a \u201cclose cousin\u201d called anxiety.
\n\u2022 Anxiety in the psychological\/psychiatric world is the \u201cumbrella\u201d word covering varying degrees of worry and fear, ranging from mild to extreme.
\n\u2022 Anxiety is an uneasiness or distress over a threat or something unknown and is characterized by extreme worry or brooding fear.
\n\u2022 Anxiety stems from uncertainty\u2014hoping something will happen, but having no guarantee that it will \u2026 or fearing something will happen, but having no control over whether it will or not.
\n\u2022 Anxiety can lead to \u201ccatastrophic thinking\u201d overestimating the likelihood of danger or a negative outcome.
\n\u2022 Anxiety becomes a \u201cdisorder\u201d when it becomes so intense that it dominates a person\u2019s thoughts, feelings, and actions, preventing the person from living a normal life.
\nAnxiety Disorders
\n\u2014 Phobias
\n\u2014 Panic disorders
\n\u2014 Obsessive-compulsive disorders
\n\u2014 Anxiety due to a medical condition
\n\u2014 Post-traumatic stress disorder
\n\u2014 Acute stress disorder
\n\u2014 Generalized anxiety disorder
\n\u2014 Substance-induced anxiety
\nC. What Is a Panic Attack?
\nWhen the Lord gives Gideon the directive, \u201cGo in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian\u2019s hand\u201d (Judges 6:14), He is not giving Gideon a pep talk or a lesson in positive thinking. Rather, He is referring to His own strength operating inside Gideon. This becomes clear with His promise, \u201cI will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites together\u201d (Judges 6:16).
\nNevertheless, Gideon wants proof that both the message and the messenger are truly from God\u2014and he indeed receives it.
\nGideon presents an offering of meat and unleavened bread, and the moment the angel touches the offering with his staff, fire flames from the rock, the offering is incinerated, and the angel disappears\u2014vanishes\u2014without a trace! \u201cWhen Gideon realized that it was the angel of the Lord, he exclaimed, \u2018Ah, Sovereign Lord! I have seen the angel of the Lord face to face!\u2019 \u201d (Judges 6:22).
\nNow Gideon realizes his encounter is with the angel of the Lord\u2014meaning he saw a manifestation of the Lord God Himself\u2014not merely an angel. Gideon knew this could mean sudden death! God had told Moses, \u201cNo one may see me and live,\u201d (meaning seeing God in His essential glory). \u201cBut the Lord said to him, \u2018Peace! Do not be afraid. You are not going to die\u2019 \u201d (Judges 6:23).
\nFortunately, the words of the Lord prevent Gideon from experiencing profound panic. However, many do, in far less dramatic a situation, feel overwhelmed with fright\u2014attacked with fear\u2014and some even tremble with terror. They feel the sense of panic expressed in this Scripture \u2026
\n\u201cFear and trembling have beset me; horror has overwhelmed me.\u201d
\n(Psalm 55:5)
\n\u2022 Panic attacks are sudden, brief episodes of intense fear with multiple physical symptoms (such as heart palpitations and dizziness) but without any external threat.
\n\u2022 Panic attacks are typically unexpected \u201cout of the blue\u201d experiences. The first time they occur, people are usually involved in normal activities such as walking outside. Suddenly a barrage of frightening sensations strikes them, lasting just a few seconds to a few minutes.
\n\u2022 Panic attacks can occur again at any time. Sufferers know that just the fear of having another attack can trigger one\u2014and so these episodes take on a life of their own.
\n\u2022 Panic attacks can be considered fear out of control.
\nQuestion: \u201cCan I do anything to stop a panic attack?\u201d
\nAnswer: Yes. When you first begin to experience shallow, rapid breathing, recognize these symptoms as the initiation of hyperventilation, which reduces the carbon dioxide in the blood. Such a condition produces classic symptoms of a panic attack: light-headedness, dizziness, tingling of the extremities, palpitations of the heart, feelings of faintness, and respiratory distress. However, let the onset of the rapid breathing serve as a warning signal. These symptoms can be stopped by using the following techniques:
\n\u2014 Take slow deep, deep breaths and hold the air in your lungs for a number of seconds. Then slowly release the air.
\n\u2014 Place the open end of a paper bag around your nose and mouth. Breathe normally into the bag, being sure to breathe in the same air being expelled.
\n\u2014 Place a blanket or sheet totally over your head. Doing so will increase the amount of carbon dioxide being taken into your lungs and ward off the frightening symptoms produced by too little carbon dioxide in your blood.
\nWhen experiencing a panic attack, you can feel as if you will die! But that feeling is not based on fact. The truth is: You will not die. Whatever your perceived \u201cenemy,\u201d claim this truth as you go to war against your panic attacks. The Lord says,
\n\u201cDo not be fainthearted or afraid; do not be terrified or give way to panic before them. For the Lord your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory.\u201d (Deuteronomy 20:3\u20134)
\nD. What Is a Phobia?
\nGideon had a very real and legitimate fear that he would die, his fear didn\u2019t go away despite God\u2019s assurances and call on his life. Following the spectacular experience involving the offering (that the angel of the Lord incinerated), God instructs Gideon to tear down his father\u2019s altar to Baal and cut down his Asherah pole\u2014items of pagan worship\u2014and build an altar to Him.
\nGideon obeys \u2026 but only in the cover of night because \u201che was afraid of his family and the men of the town\u201d (Judges 6:27). Oddly enough, God called this man to defeat an entire army\u2014of well over 100,000\u2014a fearful man \u2026 afraid of his own family.
\nAnd while some people like Gideon experience a profound fear triggered by a particular circumstance\u2014others experience a paralyzing fear without the slightest provocation. This unwarranted fear is called a phobia.
\n\u2022 Phobias are persistent, irrational fears of an object or a situation\u2014but fears that present no real threat.
\n\u2022 Phobia, the English word, comes from the Greek word phobos, which means \u201cfear, flight or dread.\u201d In the New Testament the word for fear is usually phobos, which in the Greek language first had the meaning of \u201cflight,\u201d and then later it referred to \u201cthat which may cause flight.\u201d
\n\u2022 Phobias grow out of fear when \u2026
\n\u2014 The fear is clearly excessive and irrational (being out of proportion to the actual degree of threat).
\n\u2014 The fear is associated with avoidance behaviors (deliberately doing things differently to avoid becoming afraid).
\n\u2014 The fear is associated with decreased quality of life (curtailing enjoyment in life).
\n\u2022 Phobic disorders consist of persistent, irrational fears that impair a person\u2019s ability to function normally.
\n\u2014 If a phobia causes no major disturbance in a person\u2019s lifestyle (such as having an excessive fear of snakes, but rarely ever seeing a snake), it is not considered a disorder.
\n\u2014 However, a phobic disorder gains such power in a person\u2019s life that it drives that person\u2019s thoughts, perceptions, and actions to the point that the entire life is affected (such as a fear of darkness or of people).
\n\u2014 Those suffering with a phobic disorder experience the most extreme form of fear.
\n\u2014 Not only are they in a constant state of hyperalertness, but also their fear continuously controls their activities, limits their lives, and drastically diminishes their quality of life.
\nThe one who suffers could easily say,
\n\u201cFear and trembling seized me and made all my bones shake.\u201d
\n(Job 4:14)
\nE. What Are Types of Phobias?
\nWhile Gideon\u2019s fear does not reach phobic proportions, the \u201ctype\u201d of phobia a person experiences is determined by the focus of that person\u2019s fear. There are 3 primary types of phobias\u2014all of which are painfully fear-producing for the sufferer. Typically, those with phobias avoid any thought or sight of the stimulus that triggers a panic attack.
\n\u201cWhen I think about this, I am terrified; trembling seizes my body.\u201d
\n(Job 21:6)
\n\u2022 Specific Phobias (formerly called Simple Phobias)
\nA Fear of a Specific Object or Situation
\n\u2014 This type of phobia is marked by a persistent fear experienced in the presence of or in the anticipated encountering of the object or situation that is feared.
\n\u2014 Examples of feared objects: elevators, spiders, knives, snakes, cats, fire, insects
\n\u25e6 Zoophobia is fear of animals, characterized by a sense of danger even in the presence of nonthreatening animals.
\n\u2014 Examples of feared situations: flying, heights, darkness, driving over bridges or through tunnels
\n\u25e6 Acrophobia is fear of heights, characterized by a feeling of extreme insecurity and of falling even when there is no danger of doing so.
\n\u25e6 Claustrophobia is fear of closed spaces, characterized by a sense of being smothered in a confined environment.
\n\u2022 Social Phobias (sometimes called Social Anxiety Disorders)
\nA Fear of Embarrassment
\n\u2014 This type of phobia is characterized by a paralyzing fear of appearing stupid or being judged as shameful in a social situation.
\n\u2014 Examples: A persistent fear of social situations such as initiating and maintaining a conversation, eating in public, attending a party; also a persistent fear of performance situations such as stage fright and fear of public speaking.
\n\u2022 Agoraphobia (literally, \u201cfear of the marketplace\u201d)
\nA \u201cFear of Fear\u201d (when \u2026 out in open spaces)
\n\u2014 This phobia is a fear of having a panic attack out in a place where escape could be difficult or embarrassing. It comes as a result of repeated panic attacks and is the fear of having another panic attack. Therefore, any situation that could cause a sense of panic is avoided.
\n\u2014 Example: Being so afraid of having a panic attack in a public place or in a strange place that a person becomes homebound or even room bound. In the Bible, these words reflect this paralyzing fear \u2026
\n\u201cI so feared the crowd and so dreaded the contempt of the clans that I kept silent and would not go outside.\u201d
\n(Job 31:34)<\/p>\n
II. CHARACTERISTICS OF FEARFULNESS
\nTime and time again, fear resides in Gideon\u2019s heart\u2014ready to rear its formidable head.
\nA vast army has gathered again, ready to raid the land at harvest time. Meanwhile, the Lord has promised Gideon total victory \u2026 and still he needs divine confirmation concerning his call. \u201cGideon said to God, \u2018If you will save Israel by my hand as you have promised\u2014look, I will place a wool fleece on the threshing floor. If there is dew only on the fleece and all the ground is dry, then I will know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you said\u2019 \u201d (Judges 6:36\u201337).
\nGod exercises great patience with Gideon\u2019s fragile faith \u2026 and the next morning His reluctant servant finds a damp fleece and a dry floor. But wait a minute \u2026 Gideon must have pondered \u2026 might not that have happened naturally? Of course the floor would dry before the fleece. So he asks God again \u2026 to participate in another test \u2026 but this time to reverse the outcome\u2014with a dry fleece and a damp floor.
\nAnd, \u201cthat night God did so\u201d (Judges 6:40).
\nA. What Are Symptoms of Normal versus Abnormal Fear?
\nThe fear Gideon feels is completely understandable. His enemy is real.\u2026 His life is in real danger. He has \u201cnormal\u201d fear. However, God has proven Himself to be both powerful and trustworthy. It isn\u2019t that God doesn\u2019t see Gideon\u2019s situation or is denying his dilemma\u2014God knows neither is a problem for Him\u2014Gideon needs to know that too! No fear, normal or abnormal, is beyond God\u2019s ability to resolve.
\nDifferences between the Two \u2026
\n\u2022 Normal Fear
\nWhy would God give us the emotion of fear if it could be detrimental to us? The answer is found in asking another question, \u201cIf at this moment you were surprised by an assailant with a knife in his hand, would you want the benefits of fear?\u201d Put a check mark (\u00fc) by the symptoms you would experience. Those benefits include \u2026
\n\u2014 Apprehension (to proceed with caution)
\n\u2014 Breathing increased (to deliver more oxygen to the body)
\n\u2014 Energy increased (to provide the fuel to take immediate action)
\n\u2014 Heart rate increased (to fuel your muscles with blood)
\n\u2014 Hyperalertness (to increase awareness of danger)
\n\u2014 Mind racing (to provide options to consider)
\n\u2014 Muscles contracting (to prepare for the \u201cfight or flight\u201d reaction)
\n\u2014 Perspiration increased (to cool the body down and prevent overheating)
\n\u2014 Pupils dilated (to increase vision, especially at night)
\n\u2014 Senses heightened (for the purpose of dealing with the feared object)
\n\u2014 Sleep lessened (to provide more \u201cawake\u201d time)
\n\u2014 Talking increased (to aid in communication about the problem)
\n\u2022 Abnormal Fear
\nWhen abnormal fear exists, the level of fear is way out of proportion to the actual situation\u2014in fact, the fear may be totally unrelated to the situation. Abnormal fear can then result in a panic attack. The person with abnormal fear can identify with this anguished cry \u2026
\n\u201cMy heart is in anguish within me; the terrors of death assail me. Fear and trembling have beset me; horror has overwhelmed me. I said, \u2018Oh, that I had the wings of a dove! I would fly away and be at rest\u2014I would flee far away and stay in the desert.\u2019 \u201d
\n(Psalm 55:4\u20137)
\nA person experiences a panic attack when 4 or more of the following symptoms occur and reach a peak within 10 minutes or less. (The body cannot sustain the \u201cfight or flight\u201d for longer than that time.) Place a check mark (P) beside symptoms you have experienced.
\n\u2014 Chest pain or discomfort (feeling like you are having a heart attack)
\n\u2014 Chills or hot flashes (feeling like you must get to the hospital)
\n\u2014 Choking sensation, difficulty swallowing (feeling like your throat is closing in on you)
\n\u2014 Cold hands, tingling sensation (feeling like you are going numb)
\n\u2014 Detached sensation (feeling like you are losing touch with reality or yourself)
\n\u2014 Dizziness, lightheaded (feeling like you are going to faint)
\n\u2014 Fear of losing control (feeling like you are going crazy)
\n\u2014 Hyperventilating, shortness of breath (feeling like you are smothering)
\n\u2014 Nausea, diarrhea, or abdominal pain and cramping (feeling like you have a life-threatening disease)
\n\u2014 Rapid heart rate, pounding heartbeat (feeling like your heart is going to jump out of your chest)
\n\u2014 Sweating, excessive perspiration (feeling like you are a huge embarrassment)
\n\u2014 Terror of dying (feeling like you are sure to die)
\n\u2014 Trembling or shaking (feeling like you are doomed)
\nPeople with abnormal fear are not as afraid of the object of their fear as they are of the symptoms of their fear. And, indeed, their fear is great. They experience the same feelings that Job had.
\n\u201cTerrors overwhelm me; my dignity is driven away as by the wind, my safety vanishes like a cloud.\u201d
\n(Job 30:15)
\nB. What Are 2 Levels of Anxiety?
\nGideon will gradually come to realize that God\u2019s call to a person is never dependent on that person\u2019s strength or ability. God\u2019s call is always determined by His own plan and power, and we are asked to respond with faith in His strength. The more Gideon comes to believe that God will give the Midianites into his hands, the more he is able to go forth in complete faith and follow God\u2019s plan for the future. Though initially afraid, he moves forward in faith!
\nFear can paralyze or mobilize. Gideon could have been paralyzed by doubting God \u2026 by fearing that the problems would never change \u2026 by wallowing in his bottom-of-the-rung status of being \u201cthe least in my family.\u201d Negative doubt-filled messages could have played over and over in his mind. If that had been the case, his response to being addressed as a \u201cmighty warrior\u201d would have been, \u201cMighty warrior?\u2014not a chance!\u201d
\nLike Gideon, we all experience times of anxiety, but not all of us experience it in the same way, for the same reason, or to the same degree. Typically, we want to avoid anxiety \u201clike the plague\u201d! However, anxiety is not to be feared, but to be understood and to be used as a prompt to trust in the Lord all the more. The Bible advises,
\n\u201cDo not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.\u201d
\n(John 14:1)
\n\u2022 Moderate anxiety\u2014normal, fearful concern\u2014can be healthy and helpful.
\n\u2014 It motivates us and leads to increased efficiency.
\n\u2014 It forces us out of our \u201ccomfort zone.\u201d
\n\u2014 It helps us avoid dangerous situations.
\n\u2014 It can cause us to live dependently on the Lord.
\nNotice that the psalmist, who put these words to music, turned his focus to the Lord \u2026
\n\u201cWhen anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul.\u201d (Psalm 94:19)
\n\u2022 Intense anxiety\u2014abnormal fearful obsession\u2014is more profound and problematic.
\n\u2014 It makes our concentration difficult.
\n\u2014 It causes us to be forgetful.
\n\u2014 It hinders our performance.
\n\u2014 It blocks our communication with others.
\nNotice that Solomon\u2014called the wisest man on earth\u2014said,
\n\u201cBanish anxiety from your heart.\u201d (Ecclesiastes 11:10)
\nQuestion: \u201cI have had a number of panic attacks and thought I was going to die. How can I overcome my irrational fear of death?\u201d
\nAnswer: You can experience peace\u2014a lasting peace\u2014when you realize that you have absolutely no control over the moment of your death. Based on the Bible, God has already determined the exact number of your days on earth. Therefore, face the fact of your death head-on.
\nSay to the Lord \u2026
\n\u2014 \u201cI choose to trust You with Your perfect plan for my life \u2026 and my death.\u201d
\n\u2014 \u201cI yield my will to Your will.\u201d
\n\u2014 \u201cThank You for giving me Your perfect peace.\u201d
\n\u201cAll the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.\u201d (Psalm 139:16)
\nQuestion: \u201cHow can I overcome my overwhelming fear that my children might die?\u201d
\nAnswer: Unquestionably, your children will die. The question that no one can answer with certainty is when. That is, no one but God. Realize that God knew and ordained the length of each of your children\u2019s lives before they were formed in your womb. This means that your fear is not beneficial\u2014it can\u2019t change anything because the length of each of our lives has already been established by God. However, what is beneficial is this \u2026
\n\u2014 Praying that you will be Christlike before them
\n\u2014 Praying that you will draw them to the Lord by the life you live
\n\u2014 Praying a prayer of trust \u2026
\n\u201cLord, thank You for loving my children. And thank You that I can trust You to do what is best for my children. Since the length of their lives is already in Your sovereign hands, I choose to be controlled by fear no longer. I choose to trust You and thank You for every day they are here on earth. I commit myself to help them grow in Christlike character. In Your holy name I pray. Amen.\u201d
\n\u201cMan\u2019s days are determined; you have decreed the number of his months and have set limits he cannot exceed.\u201d (Job 14:5)<\/p>\n
III. CAUSES OF FEAR
\nWhat causes Gideon\u2014the man God destines to be one of the greatest leaders in history\u2014to fear the army God promises to defeat? There are 2 major reasons: 1st, Gideon lacks military experience, and 2nd, he has lived under the oppression of the savage Midianites for 7 years. These facts alone are enough to cause Gideon to doubt God\u2019s declaration of war against the Midianites.
\nGod\u2019s next charge, however, would leave anyone completely paralyzed with fear. Gideon is to go against an army \u201cthick as locusts\u201d (Judges 7:12) numbering 135,000 (Judges 8:10). And he is to do this not with an army larger than Midian\u2019s, not with a comparable army of the same size \u2026 and not even with his present small army of 32,000\u2014just one-fourth their size\u2014but with a drastically reduced and much, much smaller army! And why? The Lord specifically states, so that \u2026
\n\u201cIsrael may not boast against me that her own strength has saved her.\u201d
\n(Judges 7:2)
\nA. What Are Common Causes of Fear?
\nGod gives Gideon an unimaginable directive: Those who are fearful can return home. Instantly, 22,000 men are eliminated! While these men had enough faith to fight, they did not have enough faith to fight fearlessly\u2014something God required of Israel when going into battle. The fundamental principle? Ultimately, fear contaminates faith. (See Deuteronomy 20:1\u20134, 8.)
\nNow only 10,000 remain in Gideon\u2019s ranks. Then God states what seems absurd: \u201cstill too many men\u201d (Judges 7:4)!
\nSituations that evoke no fear in some people are the same situations that evoke great fear in others. What makes the difference? Perception! The perception of the person feeling the fear. Notice that Gideon is not one of the fearful men who return home! His perception has begun to change! Your perception of a situation affects both the degree of your fear (how much fear you will feel) and the way you will respond to your fear (what you will do because of the fear).
\nFear is a natural human reaction to feeling threatened\u2014either physically or emotionally\u2014in these 3 areas: love, significance, and security.
\n\u2022 Your Love from Others Feels Threatened.
\n\u2014 Primary relationship: \u201cIf I lose my marriage partner, I don\u2019t know what I will do or how I can go on living.\u201d
\n\u2014 Talents and abilities: \u201cIf I don\u2019t do well enough, I\u2019ll lose my friends. Then I\u2019ll be all alone.\u201d
\n\u2014 Physical attractiveness: \u201cIf I start looking older and put on weight, I will lose the affection I need so badly.\u201d
\n\u2014 Position in a relationship: \u201cIf you spend time with other people, then you don\u2019t really love me.\u201d
\nYour Solution: Learn that you are loved by the Lord beyond measure.
\n\u201cAs high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him.\u201d (Psalm 103:11)
\n\u2022 Your Significance Feels Threatened.
\n\u2014 Identity: \u201cIf I lose my position at work, I will lose all that I have worked to achieve. Then what reason will I have to live?\u201d
\n\u2014 Self-esteem: \u201cIf I embarrass myself in front of people, I will never be able to go back there\u2014I\u2019ll be too ashamed.\u201d
\n\u2014 Reputation: \u201cIf anyone finds out about my compulsive habit, I\u2019ll lose face with everyone.\u201d
\n\u2014 Self-fulfillment: \u201cIf I don\u2019t complete my goals, my life will be a failure.\u201d
\nYour Solution: Learn that you are so significant that the Lord chose to save you and has planned the future for you.
\n\u201cGod is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The Lord, the Lord, is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.\u201d (Isaiah 12:2)
\n\u2022 Your Security Feels Threatened.
\n\u2014 Financial security: \u201cIf I don\u2019t do well on this presentation, I might lose my job. Then I won\u2019t be able to support myself or my family.\u201d
\n\u2014 Physical safety: \u201cIf I drive too far from home, I might have an accident and even possibly be killed.\u201d
\n\u2014 Physical health: \u201cIf I am not really careful about what I eat\u2014or even touch\u2014I may get sick.\u2026 I could literally die!\u201d
\n\u2014 Possessions: \u201cIf I lose my home, I will have nowhere to live, and I won\u2019t be able to survive.\u201d
\nYour Solution: Learn that your security is in your personal relationship with the Lord.
\n\u201cIn God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?\u201d (Psalm 56:11)
\nB. What Are Key Contributors to Fear?
\nFear does not appear \u201cin a vacuum.\u201d Just as Gideon\u2019s 7 years of terror at the hands of the Midianites set him up to be fearful, something set you up to be controlled by fear, and something serves to trigger that fear. The setup occurred in the past, while the trigger occurs in the present. Finding the truth about your past fearful setup will provide wisdom as to why you are being controlled by fear in the present.
\n\u201cSurely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place.\u201d
\n(Psalm 51:6)
\n\u2022 Former Fear-Producing Experiences
\n\u2014 Traumatic experiences
\n\u25e6 Childhood sexual abuse or rape
\n\u25e6 Tragic accident
\n\u25e6 Divorce or the death of a loved one or a cherished pet
\n\u2014 Scare tactics used on you by others
\n\u25e6 Threats of violence by a parent
\n\u25e6 Threats of violence by siblings
\n\u25e6 Threats of violence by others
\n\u2014 Underdeveloped sense of self-worth
\n\u25e6 Neglect, criticism, or ridicule
\n\u25e6 Poor school performance
\n\u25e6 Lack of musical, artistic, or athletic abilities
\n\u2014 Parents or family members who displayed excessive fear
\n\u25e6 \u201cMy aunt had a panic disorder.\u201d
\n\u25e6 \u201cMy father was a constant worrier.\u201d
\n\u25e6 \u201cMy mother was fearful and overprotective.\u201d
\nRealize the reason for your fear and tell yourself the truth about both the past and the present.
\n\u201cWhen I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me.\u201d (1 Corinthians 13:11)
\n\u2022 Emotional Overload
\n\u2014 Denial of your own feelings
\n\u25e6 \u201cI must suppress my pain.\u201d
\n\u25e6 \u201cI must deny my disappointments.\u201d
\n\u25e6 \u201cI must reject my anger.\u201d
\n\u2014 Excessive need to please people
\n\u25e6 \u201cI must keep everyone from getting angry.\u201d
\n\u25e6 \u201cI must keep everyone happy.\u201d
\n\u25e6 \u201cI must have everyone at peace with me.\u201d
\n\u2014 Internalization of stress
\n\u25e6 \u201cI have a lot of hidden anxiety.\u201d
\n\u25e6 \u201cI fail to admit stressful situations.\u201d
\n\u25e6 \u201cI have no outlet for venting my emotions.\u201d
\n\u2014 Strict or perfectionist parents or authorities
\n\u25e6 \u201cI never pleased my parents.\u201d
\n\u25e6 \u201cI never was good enough.\u201d
\n\u25e6 \u201cI received harsh punishments.\u201d
\nRealize the reason for your fear and let the Lord help you heal from your emotional hurts.
\n\u201cHumble yourselves, therefore, under God\u2019s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.\u201d (1 Peter 5:6\u20137)
\n\u2022 Avoidance of Threatening Situations
\n\u2014 Refusing to face your fears
\n\u25e6 \u201cI minimize my fearfulness.\u201d
\n\u25e6 \u201cI think it will go away in time.\u201d
\n\u25e6 \u201cI think that I can avoid fearful situations.\u201d
\n\u2014 Giving no opportunity for change
\n\u25e6 \u201cI don\u2019t seek help or talk to anyone.\u201d
\n\u25e6 \u201cI don\u2019t try to figure out why I am fearful.\u201d
\n\u25e6 \u201cI don\u2019t try to learn to confront my fear.\u201d
\n\u2014 Continuing to reinforce your fears
\n\u25e6 \u201cI accommodate my fears rather than challenge them.\u201d
\n\u25e6 \u201cEverything I do is contingent on my fearfulness.\u201d
\n\u25e6 \u201cI don\u2019t go anywhere that might raise my anxiety level.\u201d
\n\u2014 Reinforcing your negative thought patterns
\n\u25e6 \u201cFear dominates all of my decisions.\u201d
\n\u25e6 \u201cI evaluate everything through the filter of fear.\u201d
\n\u25e6 \u201cMy thoughts are dominated by fear.\u201d
\nRealize the reason for your fear and let the Lord help you face your fears.
\n\u201cI am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.\u201d (Isaiah 41:13)
\n\u2022 Runaway Imagination
\n\u2014 Expecting life to be threatening
\n\u25e6 \u201cI always expect hostility and hatred.\u201d
\n\u25e6 \u201cI always expect resistance and roadblocks.\u201d
\n\u25e6 \u201cI always expect danger and disaster.\u201d
\n\u2014 Assuming the worst will happen
\n\u25e6 \u201cI always assume rejection and ridicule.\u201d
\n\u25e6 \u201cI always assume hurt and heartache.\u201d
\n\u25e6 \u201cI always assume frustration and failure.\u201d
\n\u2014 Believing you can never change
\n\u25e6 \u201cI have given up thinking my life will ever be good.\u201d
\n\u25e6 \u201cI think I will be controlled by fear forever.\u201d
\n\u25e6 \u201cI don\u2019t believe God can or will help me.\u201d
\n\u2014 Thinking you have no control over the situation
\n\u25e6 \u201cI am overwhelmed when I experience fear.\u201d
\n\u25e6 \u201cI am powerless when I experience fear.\u201d
\n\u25e6 \u201cI can\u2019t think clearly when I experience fear.\u201d
\nRealize the reason for your fear and replace the lies you are believing with the truth.
\n\u201cWhatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable\u2014if anything is excellent or praiseworthy\u2014think about such things.\u201d (Philippians 4:8)
\nC. What Are Physical Causes of Fear and Anxiety?
\nSo again, Gideon\u2019s troops are thinned! This time God is looking for fearless men who are fervently committed to engaging the enemy in battle, men who will keep pursuing the enemy even when hungry, thirsty, and exhausted.
\nGod has Gideon lead the thirsty men to water where He separates those who kneel to drink from those who lie on their stomachs, lapping water like dogs. The 300 who scoop water into their hands and lap while maintaining vigilance\u2014become God\u2019s chosen army to be led by Gideon in defeating the monstrous army of the Midianites.
\n\u201cThe Lord said to Gideon, \u2018With the three hundred men that lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hands. Let all the other men go, each to his own place.\u2019 \u201d
\n(Judges 7:7)
\nSometimes people have a physical or medical condition that contributes to their being fearful. There is no indication of a physical cause for Gideon\u2019s fear \u2026 no coronary condition, no blocked arteries, no heart attack. Rather, God sees something in Gideon\u2019s heart that is fatal to faith\u2014a fortress of fear, albeit crumbling, but still standing after living so many years under terror and tyranny. His residing fear is the result of how he has viewed his situation, how he has viewed his insufficiency, and how he has viewed God as having no real commitment in spite of His promises.
\nSome people, however, experience fear and anxiety when no fearful situation exists \u2026 and they become further frustrated when they try to talk themselves out of their anxious feelings\u2014but to no avail. They have no idea their feelings may simply be a reaction to something physical, such as a particular medication or illness.
\nIf you are suffering with a level of anxiety that is interfering with your normal functioning, seriously consider the following steps:
\n\u2022 First, obtain a thorough medical check-up.
\n\u2014 (Tell the doctor that you feel unusually anxious. Be specific.) While you cannot be genetically predisposed to panic attacks, you may be psychologically predisposed to having them.
\n\u2014 If you do not get substantial help, get a second opinion from a medical doctor who specializes in anxiety disorders.
\n\u201cThe heart of the discerning acquires knowledge; the ears of the wise seek it out.\u201d (Proverbs 18:15)
\n\u2022 Consider your medical condition.
\n\u2014 Especially to be evaluated are heart, endocrine system, respiratory, metabolic, and neurological conditions. (Identify any deficiency in the B-vitamins, niacin, pyridoxine, calcium, or magnesium.)
\n\u2014 The medical world has a classification called Anxiety Disorder Due to a General Medical Condition. This name clearly indicates that a person\u2019s poor physical health can contribute to fearful anxiety or even to panic attacks.
\n\u2022 Consider your exposure to substances.
\n\u2014 A condition known to cause fearful anxiety is called Substance-Induced Anxiety Disorder.
\n\u2014 Any exposure to toxins, all drugs, medications, vitamins, and minerals\u2014legal and illegal, over-the-counter and prescription\u2014should be evaluated, along with food substances (for example, caffeine or sugar).
\nRegardless of your affliction\u2014whatever the suffering\u2014know that your heavenly Father loves you, listens to you, and will help you.
\n\u201cHe has not despised or disdained the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help.\u201d
\n(Psalm 22:24)
\nD. What Are Spiritual Causes of Excessive Fear?
\nOnce Gideon hears words of his upcoming victory from the mouth of a Midianite, he is immediately filled with the praises of God and the courage of God. Quickly, in the dark of night, he summons his men and, with trumpets blasting, jars breaking, they shout, \u201cFor the Lord and for Gideon\u201d (Judges 7:18). Gideon\u2019s men surround the enemy camp with a fearsome ring of fire, striking terror into the hearts of the massive Midianite army. They cannot see who they are fighting \u2026 confusion and chaos reign as God causes the vast army to turn their swords on one another. The result is that 120,000 of the mighty enemy lie dead (Judges 8:10) without Gideon\u2019s ever even raising a shield or losing a single one of his 300 men \u2026 and God gets all the glory!
\nThe Lord gives the Midianite camp into Israel\u2019s hands.\u2026 And all the Israelites, along with all of their surrounding enemies, know that only God and God alone could achieve such an awesome feat! Surely the God of Israel is the one true God!
\nGideon knows he has to depend on God \u2026 not on himself \u2026 and not on his army. God is able to use Gideon to gain a great military and spiritual victory because Gideon chooses to put his trust in Him. Because he decides to obey God\u2014in spite of fear\u2014while he is preparing for battle, Gideon is able to obey God without fear in the midst of the battle. He let God be God\u2014the all-powerful One, who goes before us and conquers for His name\u2019s sake.
\n\u201cFear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.\u201d
\n(Ecclesiastes 12:13)
\nE. What Is the Root Cause of Being Controlled by Fear?
\nGideon\u2019s greatest weakness eventually becomes his greatest strength. He discovers that when he acknowledges he is weak and inadequate, God\u2019s strength and adequacy prevail in him. Imagine!\u2026 God has an encounter with a fear-filled Gideon and reveals truth to him both about the fearsome man of God he will become and the plan God has for him!\u2026 Then God supplies him with 32,000 men to accomplish that plan \u2026 but gradually reduces that number to only 300 men! Finally God sends this band of 300 against the army of 135,000\u2014with odds of 450 to 1\u2014so that the victory would clearly be the Lord\u2019s and His alone! And though no one man could ever defeat 450 men (the ratio God arranged) in his own strength, Gideon goes forth with a whole heart! But not until God first removes the final kernel of fear residing in Gideon\u2019s heart by sending him among the sleeping Midianites to overhear the interpretation of a dream.
\n\u201cHe [Gideon] and Purah his servant went down to the outposts of the camp.\u2026 Gideon arrived just as a man was telling a friend his dream. \u2018I had a dream,\u2019 he was saying. \u2018A round loaf of barley bread came tumbling into the Midianite camp. It struck the tent with such force that the tent overturned and collapsed.\u2019 His friend responded, \u2018This can be nothing other than the sword of Gideon.\u2026 God has given the Midianites and the whole camp into his hands.\u2019 When Gideon heard the dream and its interpretation, he worshiped God.\u201d
\n(Judges 7:11, 13\u201315)
\nSo now \u2026 it is time to rally the troops.\u2026
\n\u201cHe [Gideon] returned to the camp of Israel and called out, \u2018Get up! The Lord has given the Midianite camp into your hands.\u2019 \u201d
\n(Judges 7:15)
\nWrong Belief:
\n\u201cI have no control over my fear. My only recourse is to avoid all fearful situations.\u201d
\nRight Belief:
\n\u201cAs I face my fear in the strength of the Lord, fear will not control me. Christ lives in me, and as I focus on His perfect love and His perfect truth, I will feel His perfect peace in the midst of every fear-producing situation.\u201d
\n\u201cThere is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.\u201d (1 John 4:18)
\nF. How to Have Freedom from Fear \u2026 Forever!
\nThroughout the Bible God repeats the instruction over and over and over: \u201cDo not fear.\u2026 Do not be afraid.\u2026 Fear not.\u201d God tells us not to fear \u2026 circumstances, people, things. But we are told \u2026 \u201cFear the Lord your God, serve him only\u201d (Deuteronomy 6:13). This fear is not \u201cfright\u201d in the sense that we would be afraid of God. The meaning of this kind of fear is reverence and awe for God. We are to \u2026 fear Him, be in awe of Him \u2026 because He is the one and only all-powerful God. He alone has the ability to change us from being fearful of others to being courageously obedient to Him.
\n\u201cFear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.\u201d
\n(Ecclesiastes 12:13)
\n4 Points of God\u2019s Plan
\nThe first step in experiencing freedom from the fear in your life is acknowledging that God is worthy of your reverence. The second step is submitting your life \u2026 and your fears \u2026 to His authority by receiving His Son, Jesus, as your Savior and Lord.
\n#1 God\u2019s Purpose for You \u2026 is Salvation.
\n\u2014 What was God\u2019s motive in sending Christ to earth? To express His love for you by saving you! The Bible says,
\n\u201cGod so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.\u201d (John 3:16\u201317)
\n\u2014 What was Jesus\u2019 purpose in coming to earth? To forgive your sins, empower you to have victory over sin, and enable you to live a fulfilled life! Jesus said,
\n\u201cI have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.\u201d (John 10:10)
\n#2 Your Problem \u2026 is Sin.
\n\u2014 What exactly is sin? Sin is living independently of God\u2019s standard\u2014knowing what is right, but choosing wrong.
\n\u201cAnyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn\u2019t do it, sins.\u201d (James 4:17)
\n\u2014 What is the major consequence of sin? Spiritual \u201cdeath\u201d \u2026 eternal separation from God.
\n\u201cYour iniquities [sins] have separated you from your God.\u2026 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.\u201d (Isaiah 59:2; Romans 6:23)
\n#3 God\u2019s Provision for You \u2026 is the Savior.
\n\u2014 Can anything remove the penalty for sin? Yes! Jesus died on the cross to personally pay the penalty for your sins.
\n\u201cGod demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.\u201d (Romans 5:8)
\n\u2014 What can keep you from being separated from God? Belief in (entrusting your life to) Jesus Christ as the only way to God the Father.
\n\u201cJesus answered, \u2018I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.\u2019 \u201d (John 14:6)
\n#4 Your Part \u2026 is Surrender.
\n\u2014 Give Christ control of your life\u2014entrusting yourself to Him.
\n\u201cJesus said to his disciples, \u2018If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross [die to your own self-rule] and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?\u2019 \u201d (Matthew 16:24\u201326)
\n\u2014 Place your faith in (rely on) Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior and reject your \u201cgood works\u201d as a means of earning God\u2019s approval.
\n\u201cIt is by grace you have been saved, through faith\u2014and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God\u2014not by works, so that no one can boast.\u201d (Ephesians 2:8\u20139)
\nThe moment you choose to receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior\u2014entrusting your life to Him\u2014He comes to live inside you. Then He gives you His power to live the fulfilled life God has planned for you. If you want to be fully forgiven by God and become the person God created you to be, you can tell Him in a simple, heartfelt prayer like this:
\nPrayer of Salvation
\n\u201cFather, I want a real relationship with You. I admit that many times I\u2019ve chosen to go my own way instead of Your way. Please forgive me for my sins. Thank You for sending Your Son to die on the cross to pay the penalty for my sins and rising from the dead to provide new life. Come into my life to be my Lord and my Savior. Instead of being controlled by fear, I\u2019m giving control of my life to You to live by faith. In the holy name of Your Son I pray. Amen.\u201d
\nWhat Can You Expect Now?
\nBy placing your trust in the completed work of Jesus Christ, look at what God says He has just done for you!
\n\u201cThe Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.\u201d
\n(Deuteronomy 31:8)<\/p>\n
IV. STEPS TO SOLUTION
\n\u201cGet up!\u201d commands Gideon. \u201cThe Lord has given the Midianite camp into your hands.\u201d Obviously, something has changed \u2026 something in Gideon! His words could not be more direct, decisive, and divinely inspired. The stronghold of fear in his heart \u2026 that formidable fortress of fear \u2026 has finally fallen.
\nDividing his men into 3 companies, Gideon gives each of them a trumpet for one hand and a jar with only a torch inside for the other. Now, in yet another test of faith \u2026 God calls Gideon and his men to war \u2026 weaponless! They will face an army of 135,000 with not a sword, not a spear, not a shield in sight!
\nGod asks us to stand in His strength when we\u2019re afraid \u2026 and that\u2019s exactly what Gideon does.
\nA. Key Verse to Memorize
\n\u201cDo not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.\u201d
\n(Isaiah 41:10)
\n\u201cWatch me,\u201d Gideon further instructs, \u201cFollow my lead\u201d (Judges 7:17).
\nThese are not the words nor the actions of the Gideon first introduced in the winepress. The once cowering man \u2026 has now become courageous. Clearly he is operating in the strength of another, in the power of Almighty God Himself!
\nThe battalion of 300 men proceeds to encircle the vast Midianite camp in the dark of night and watches Gideon, their leader, like a hawk. \u201cWhen I and all who are with me blow our trumpets, then from all around the camp blow yours and shout, \u2018For the Lord and for Gideon\u2019 \u201d (Judges 7:18).
\nA bone-chilling blast of trumpets startles the enemy camp.\u2026 The terrifying smashing of jars expose blazing torches that now encircle the Midianites in a ring of fire.
\nAll bedlam breaks loose \u2026 absolute chaos consumes the camp.
\nOf course, the strategic mastermind of this brilliant battle plan was Gideon\u2019s Commander-in-Chief\u2014the Lord Himself! Whenever you find yourself in a fearful situation, realize, like Gideon, you are not alone. Rely on the Lord\u2019s presence in your life.\u2026 Focus on His strength in your life.\u2026 And claim and memorize the promise in this key verse (Isaiah 41:10) for your life.
\nB. Key Passage to Read and Reread
\nIn the blackness of night, the Midianites can\u2019t see their opponents. Nevertheless, they draw their swords\u2014and attack \u2026 and attack \u2026 and attack \u2026 each other! Pandemonium runs rampant. But in truth, \u201cThe Lord caused the men throughout the camp to turn on each other with their swords\u201d (Judges 7:22) \u2026 unknowingly, brother against brother, friend against friend.
\nWhat would you do if you felt terrorized\u2014panic-stricken\u2014but there is no Gideon in hot pursuit \u2026 no blaring sound \u2026 no crashing noise \u2026 just the rapid pounding of your heart?
\nGideon learned to rely totally on the Lord. In every real sense, the Lord was his Shepherd\u2014even when he walked through the valley of the shadow of death\u2014Gideon feared no evil \u2026 because from the beginning, he was told \u2026 \u201cThe Lord is with you.\u201d
\nWhen you are stricken with fear, take in hand Psalm 23. Follow each of the steps presented with each verse.
\nPsalm 23 is the most beloved and most requested passage in the Bible. And for good reason. This Psalm is full of truths we need to focus on in order to have the comfort, restoration, and peace from our relationship with Him.
\nThe psalm 23 strategy
\n\u201cThe Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name\u2019s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.\u201d
\n(Psalm 23)
\nCertain situations are more fearful than others. Sometimes you only need to read the first few verses once or twice. At other times\u2014especially if you feel a sense of fear out of control\u2014move to an undistracted place and follow each step for each verse. When fear begins to fester, you can exchange panic for peace by focusing on Psalm 23.
\n\u2022 Verse 1: \u201cThe Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.\u201d
\nImagine a grassy, pastoral scene and the Lord there with you. Slowly say 5 times, \u201cThe Lord is my Shepherd.\u201d
\nEach time emphasizing a different word:
\nTHE Lord is my Shepherd.
\nThe LORD is my Shepherd.
\nThe Lord IS my Shepherd.
\nThe Lord is MY Shepherd.
\nThe Lord is my SHEPHERD.
\n\u2022 Verse 2: \u201cHe makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters.\u201d
\nImagine yourself lying down beside a calm pool of water.
\n\u2022 Verse 3: \u201cHe restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name\u2019s sake.\u201d
\nTake several deep breaths and slowly say 5 times, \u201cMy Shepherd restores my soul.\u201d
\nEach time emphasizing a different word:
\nMY Shepherd restores my soul.
\nMy SHEPHERD restores my soul.
\nMy Shepherd RESTORES my soul.
\nMy Shepherd restores MY soul.
\nMy Shepherd restores my SOUL.
\n\u2022 Verse 4: \u201cEven though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.\u201d
\nRealize that you are not trapped. Slowly say, \u201cI will fear no evil\u2014The Lord is with me.\u201d Repeat 5 times.
\n\u2022 Verse 5: \u201cYou prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.\u201d
\nEach time emphasizing a different word:
\nTHE Lord is my Protector.
\nThe LORD is my Protector.
\nThe Lord IS my Protector.
\nThe Lord is MY Protector.
\nThe Lord is my PROTECTOR.
\n\u2022 Verse 6: \u201cSurely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.\u201d
\nThank the Lord for the way He will use each fearful situation for good in your life.
\n\u201cDear God, I thank You that You are my Shepherd. You guide me, You protect me, and You give me Your peace. You are the One who restores my soul. You know my weaknesses and the times I\u2019ve caved in to fear. Now, in my weakness, I will choose to rely on Your strength. You are my Shepherd. I am choosing to rely on Your power for me to move from fear to faith. As I turn my fear over to You, use it for good in my life to remind me of my continual need for You. In Your holy name I pray. Amen\u201d
\nFocus on your fear, and your panic will increase. Focus on your Shepherd, and your heart will be at peace.
\n\u2014June Hunt
\nC. Why Are You Afraid?
\nNo knocking of knees, no trembling of hands, Gideon not only leads the charge against the remaining Midianites, in the Lord\u2019s strength he boldly stands up to criticism and relentlessly pursues his enemies. Along the way, he and his 300 men keep up the pursuit despite physical exhaustion. After Gideon asks the men in the town of Succoth for sustenance to continue his quest, they scoff at his potential for success and refuse his request.
\nSometimes after a great success, we can revert to an old habit\u2014a habit filled with fear and doubt\u2014simply because someone currently in our lives, treats us as we had been painfully treated in the past.
\nWhen the men of Succoth scoffed at Gideon, he could have emotionally cratered\u2014even after experiencing such miraculous victory. That is why it\u2019s helpful for us to evaluate \u2026 why am I really afraid?
\nExamining your fear, its origin, its legitimacy, and its pattern can help you understand your fear and develop a strategy to resolve it. First, go before God, who is the Source of wisdom, and pray this prayer from your heart \u2026
\n\u201cSearch me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.\u201d
\n(Psalm 139:23\u201324)
\n\u2022 Identify your specific fear: Of what are you truly afraid?
\nThen ask yourself:
\n\u2014 Is my fear tied to recent events or did it originate from a specific situation in the past?
\n\u2014 Is my fear of the object or situation a true threat or merely a perceived threat?
\n\u2014 Is my fear wrongly associated with an event or object that should not be feared?
\n\u2014 Is my fear coming from certain places, people, or things that remind me of possible fearful consequences?
\n\u2014 Is my fear due to a persistent fear-based mentality\u2014even though the relationship or lifestyle in which it was rooted no longer exists?
\n\u2014 Is my fear a result of having faked fear to get attention over such a long period of time that the fear has now become real to me?
\n\u201cThe wisdom of the prudent is to give thought to their ways, but the folly of fools is deception.\u201d
\n(Proverbs 14:8)
\nD. What to Ask When You Feel Afraid
\nGideon makes the same request for supplies at a second town\u2014Peniel\u2014and receives the same refusal. In resuming his pursuit of the Midianite kings, Gideon and his men rout the entire remaining army of 15,000 and capture their cruel kings. Gideon continues living out his personal transformation from fear to faith as he completes the task God has called him to accomplish \u2026 delivering Israel from the destructive domination of the Midianites. And he does it in the face of criticism and opposition, not only from his enemies, but from his countrymen. And he does it because he knows his God, his source for truth, is trustworthy.
\nKnowing the truth and then acting on the truth is critical to conquering fear. The source of truth is the One who does not lie \u2026 our God who cannot lie.
\nThe first step in applying truth is to identify the false assumptions behind the fears you are experiencing and to replace the false with the truth.
\n\u201cYou will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.\u201d
\n(John 8:32)
\nWhen you feel afraid of a person or a situation \u2026
\n\u2022 Ask yourself if what you are afraid of is certain to happen \u2026
\n\u2014 Evaluate: \u201cIs what I fear actually likely to happen?\u201d
\n\u2014 Realize that fixating on your fear guarantees its repetition.
\n\u2014 Understand that most fears have nothing to do with what\u2019s happening now.
\n\u2022 Determine how current the fear that you are presently feeling is. Ask yourself \u2026
\n\u2014 What was the past trauma(s) that first instigated my fear?
\n\u2014 What past fear am I bringing into the present?
\n\u2014 When did this fear first begin?
\n\u2014 How old am I emotionally when I am feeling this fear?
\n\u2014 Where am I when I am feeling this fear?
\n\u2014 What is going on when I am feeling this fear?
\n\u2014 How is this fear affecting my life now? What is it costing me?
\n\u2022 Decide: Are you determined to get out of the grip of fear? If so \u2026
\n\u2014 Do what it takes to control your fear and to change from being fearful. Tell yourself, \u201cI will not let this fear run my life.\u2026 I will not let past fears control me.\u201d
\n\u2014 Decide to live in the here and now and act in a way that is not based on fear. Repeat this phrase over and over, \u201cThat was then, and this is now.\u2026 That was then, and this is now.\u201d
\n\u2014 Share your fear and your plan for change with a trustworthy person.
\nAs you choose to face your fear with faith, claim this Scripture as your own \u2026
\n\u201cI sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.\u201d
\n(Psalm 34:4)
\nE. How to Move from Fear to Faith
\nGideon moves from the testing of God to triumph with God \u2026 from a fear-based fleece to a faith-based foundation. Previously, Gideon kept asking God for supernatural signs affirming that God would do what He clearly and repeatedly said He would do. (See Judges 6:36\u201340.) Ultimately, Gideon moves from weakness to strength, from doubt to faith, from vacillating to victorious\u2014and he does so by trusting in the one true God and taking action based on that trust. For it is God who gives Gideon victories in defeating both his foes \u2026 and his fears. Because of Gideon\u2019s successes in saving his people from perishing \u2026 in conquering enemy kings \u2026 and in gaining victory over vast armies, his people ask him to rule over them. However, Gideon tells them,
\n\u201cI will not rule over you.\u2026 The Lord will rule over you.\u201d
\n(Judges 8:23)
\nGod\u2019s call on Gideon\u2019s life is clear \u2026 he is to go in the Lord\u2019s strength and \u201csave Israel out of Midian\u2019s hand\u201d (Judges 6:14). But that call does not include ruling over Israel. Gideon knows this, and he also knows that God is not to be replaced by the man He made into a \u201cmighty warrior\u201d and empowered to accomplish His purposes. Gideon is still just a man \u2026 and God is still the Almighty Ruler of the universe.
\nAs you seek to follow Gideon\u2019s example in moving from fear to faith \u2026
\n\u2022 Begin with a healthy fear (awe) of God.
\n\u2014 Believe that God created you because He loves you.
\n\u2014 Believe that God has a purpose and a plan for your life.
\n\u2014 Believe that God has the right to have authority over you.
\n\u2014 Believe that God wants you to entrust your life to Him.
\n\u2014 Believe that God has the power to change you.
\n\u2014 Believe that God will keep you safe as you trust in Him.
\n\u201cThe fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.\u201d (Proverbs 1:7)
\n\u2022 Be aware that living in a \u201cstate of fear\u201d is not part of God\u2019s plan for you.
\n\u2014 Fear-based thinking suggests you may not be fully trusting God.
\n\u2014 Fear-based thinking does not appropriate the grace of God.
\n\u2014 Fear-based thinking keeps you in bondage to fear.
\n\u2014 Fear-based thinking is physically, emotionally, and spiritually damaging.
\n\u201cIn God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me?\u201d (Psalm 56:4)
\n\u2022 Be willing to analyze your fear honestly to discover the real source of your fear.
\n\u2014 Fear of rejection.\u2026 Do you need to be loved?
\n\u2014 Fear of failure.\u2026 Do you need to feel significant?
\n\u2014 Fear of financial loss.\u2026 Do you need to feel secure?
\n\u201cFear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.\u201d (Proverbs 29:25)
\n\u2022 Be aware of the power of God\u2019s love for you.
\n\u2014 God\u2019s love provides you with complete acceptance.
\n\u2014 God\u2019s love provides you with a realization of your true value.
\n\u2014 God\u2019s love provides you with the power to overcome fear.
\n\u2014 God\u2019s love provides you with true security.
\n\u201cI have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness.\u201d (Jeremiah 31:3)
\n\u2022 Be committed to developing your faith in the Lord.
\n\u2014 Be actively involved in a Bible study. (2 Timothy 2:15)
\n\u2014 Be in daily prayer\u2014truly talking with God. (Philippians 4:6)
\n\u2014 Be consistently active in a local church that teaches the Word of God. (Hebrews 10:25)
\n\u2014 Be committed to memorizing and meditating on God\u2019s Word. (Philippians 4:8)
\n\u2014 Be obedient to God\u2019s promptings in your spirit. (Philippians 4:5)
\n\u201cHis delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.\u201d (Psalm 1:2)
\n\u2022 Be involved with other believers.
\n\u2014 Be engaged with fellow Christians. (Hebrews 10:25)
\n\u2014 Be willing to testify to God\u2019s faithfulness in your life. (Lamentations 3:22\u201323)
\n\u2014 Be focused on serving others. (Philippians 4:10)
\n\u2014 Be aware of the twofold responsibility (Christ\u2019s and yours) in assisting others in need. (Philippians 4:13\u201314)
\n\u2014 Be accountable to a small intimate group of growing Christians.
\n\u201cAs iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.\u201d (Proverbs 27:17)
\n\u2022 Begin using truth from God\u2019s Word to rein in your fear-producing imagination the moment it starts spinning out of control.
\n\u2014 \u201cWhen I am afraid, I will trust in you.\u201d (Psalm 56:3)
\n\u2014 \u201cThe Lord is my light and my salvation\u2014whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life\u2014of whom shall I be afraid?\u201d (Psalm 27:1)
\n\u2014 \u201cGod is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.\u201d (Psalm 46:1)
\n\u2022 Be willing to face the situations you fear through faith in the power of Christ.
\n\u2014 Know that Christ is always ready to respond to your needs.
\n\u2014 Acknowledge His actual presence and call for His help.
\n\u2014 Release your fear to Him and receive His powerful love.
\n\u2014 Act in love toward others by focusing on their needs and relying on God.
\n\u201cThe one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.\u201d (1 Thessalonians 5:24)
\n\u2022 Become free from your fear and strengthened in your faith.
\n\u2014 Become more trusting.
\n\u2014 Become more peaceful.
\n\u2014 Become more thankful.
\n\u2014 Become more Christlike.
\n\u201cJust as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.\u201d (Colossians 2:6\u20137)
\nF. How to Decrease Your Fear with \u201cDesensitization\u201d
\nIn spite of his enormous initial fear, Gideon eventually accomplishes the supernatural in the power of God because he believes in the promises of God \u2026 and acts on them in faith. At first, he sees himself as a weak thresher, but God sees him as a \u201cmighty warrior.\u201d Then, as Gideon takes God at His word and acts out of faith rather than out of fear, his faith in God grows, his courage as a warrior grows, and finally he comes to see himself as God sees him. With each progressively more fearful situation, God\u2019s reassurance helps Gideon to choose, as an act of his will, to trust God and move forward in victory. With each new step, Gideon\u2019s fear becomes weaker while his faith becomes stronger.
\nIdentifying your fear and its \u201ctriggers\u201d will help deprive those triggers of their power. Your regular, repeated exposure to a trigger (something that initiates a sense of fear or danger) can help to desensitize you to it. If your fear is situational or if you are under medical care for panic attacks, you can move toward victory as you walk through the following process:
\n\u201cPrepare your minds for action; be self-controlled.\u201d
\n(1 Peter 1:13)
\nMoving from Panic to Peace
\nIf you are overly sensitive to an object or situation, \u201cdesensitization\u201d can be the key to open the door to freedom. Systematically repeat each of the following steps one at a time. After repeating one individual step day after day for a week or 2, or until you no longer have a strong emotional reaction, move on to the next step. A slight reaction is expected and permissible before moving to the next step.
\n\u2022 Gradually increase your exposure to the fear.
\nSpecific Phobia\u2014Example: fear of elevators
\n\u2014 Stand near an elevator and watch people get on and off.
\n\u2014 Push the button AS IF you are getting ready to step inside.
\n\u2014 Step inside (when other people are not around), hold the \u201cDoor Open\u201d button, count to 5 and step out.
\n\u2014 Step inside, (again, when others are not around), hold the \u201cDoor Open\u201d button, count to 10 and step out.
\n\u2014 Step inside, ride to only one floor and exit.
\n\u2014 Ride to 2 floors \u2026 3 \u2026 eventually all the way up and down for 10 minutes.
\nA supportive person can be present for each step\u2014initially also doing the activity\u2014then later not participating, but being present to encourage and praise.
\n\u2022 Practice facing your fear.
\nSocial Phobia\u2014Example: fear of initiating conversation
\n\u2014 Initiate by simply saying \u201chello\u201d with a smile.
\n\u2014 Practice being genuinely interested in each person you speak with. Think: What is truly meaningful to this person?\u2014then mention it or ask about it.
\n\u2014 Listen carefully to what is said by others.
\n\u2014 Ask follow-up questions.
\n\u2014 Ask simple, open-ended questions of others about themselves\u2014questions that can\u2019t be answered with just a \u201cyes\u201d or \u201cno.\u201d
\n\u2014 Intentionally use \u201cyou\u201d and \u201cyours\u201d more in conversations than you use \u201cI\u201d and \u201cmy.\u201d
\n\u2014 Make brief comments about yourself.
\n\u2014 Practice by asking a salesperson questions.
\n\u2014 Every day practice saying general questions you could ask anyone:
\n\u25e6 \u201cWho has been the most influential person in your life?\u201d
\n\u25e6 \u201cWhat was your favorite subject in school?\u201d
\n\u25e6 \u201cWhat do you enjoy doing more than anything else?\u201d
\n\u25e6 \u201cWhat has brought you the greatest satisfaction in anything that you have done?\u201d
\n\u2022 Repeat each step over and over again until it evokes little reaction.
\nAgoraphobia\u2014Example: fear of a panic attack (fear in open spaces)
\n\u2014 Open your front door and leave it open.
\n\u2014 Stand in the open door for as long as possible.
\n\u2014 Go out the door and stand on the porch\u2014breathe deeply.
\n\u2014 Walk down the sidewalk to the edge of your property.
\n\u2014 Walk around the outside of the house.
\n\u2014 Sit in the car while it is in the driveway.
\n\u2014 Have someone drive you around the block.
\n\u2014 Drive yourself around the block.
\n\u2014 Go to the mall and sit in your car in the parking lot.
\n\u2014 Go to the mall when it will not be too crowded and walk around.
\n\u2014 Go into a store and greet a sales clerk.
\n\u2014 Make a small purchase.
\nEach step of the way, say,
\n\u201cThe Lord is with me; I will not be afraid.\u201d (Psalm 118:6)
\n\u201cBe strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.\u201d
\n(Deuteronomy 31:6)
\nNote: For serious phobic reactions, the process of desensitization is almost always used in combination with professional medical help.
\nG. How to Counter Your Fears with Facts
\nLike Gideon, if you grew up in an environment where fear reigned, you could easily have developed a fear-based mentality as a child and then grown into an adult who is now controlled by the fear. At times, you feel helpless and powerless to confront or to match someone strength-for-strength. Gideon had been at the mercy of those around him who, as \u201cmaster manipulators,\u201d had a whole arsenal of fear tactics. Unless you, like Gideon, come to recognize the bondage you are in and accept the fact that Christ came to free the oppressed, you will remain in bondage. Yes, Christ came to set you free\u2014just as He set Gideon free centuries before.
\n\u201cThe Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed.\u201d
\n(Luke 4:18)
\nFear: \u201cI can\u2019t help this feeling of intense fear!\u201d
\nFact: \u201cThis feeling is a bluff to my mind and body. It is not grounded in truth.\u201d
\n\u201cThough an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then will I be confident.\u201d (Psalm 27:3)
\nFear: \u201cI have this feeling of doom\u2014a feeling that I am going to die.\u201d
\nFact: \u201cThe time of death is in God\u2019s hands. I will choose to trust Him.\u201d
\n\u201cMan\u2019s days are determined; you have decreed the number of his months and have set limits he cannot exceed.\u201d (Job 14:5)
\nFear: \u201cI\u2019m afraid of what others are thinking about me.\u201d
\nFact: \u201cMy peace comes from pleasing God, not in pleasing man.\u201d
\n\u201cWe make it our goal to please him.\u201d (2 Corinthians 5:9)
\nFear:: \u201cI am hopeless and can never change.\u201d
\nFact: \u201cIn Christ, I am a new person. Nothing is hopeless.\u201d
\n\u201cIf anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!\u201d (2 Corinthians 5:17)
\nFear: \u201cI am so nervous, I can\u2019t think clearly.\u201d
\nFact: \u201cGod will guard my mind and give me peace.\u201d
\n\u201cThe peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.\u201d (Philippians 4:7)
\nFear: \u201cTo be safe, I have to be in control.\u201d
\nFact: \u201cGod is in control of my life, and He is with me step-by-step.\u201d
\n\u201cThe Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.\u201d (Deuteronomy 31:8)
\nFear: \u201cI feel trapped with no way of escape.\u201d
\nFact: \u201cGod always makes a way of escape.\u201d
\n\u201cNo temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.\u201d (1 Corinthians 10:13)
\nQuestion: \u201cI want to conquer my fears \u2026 what do I need to do first?\u201d
\nAnswer: In reality, God is actually the One who does what He calls Gideon to do because He is the One who enables Gideon to do it. All God requires is that Gideon refuses to focus on the fear he feels and chooses to step forward in the faith he possesses. Of course, Gideon\u2019s faith increases as he faces each new fear-producing situation. He goes from fearfully tearing down his father\u2019s altar and Asherah pole under the cover of darkness to boldly pursuing the Midianites in the bright light of day!
\n\u201cThe one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.\u201d (1 Thessalonians 5:24)
\nCertain general things to consider when dealing with fears are often overlooked just because they are quite simple and too \u201cobvious\u201d to be seen. It\u2019s like looking at the forest but missing the trees. These suggestions may seem simplistic, but they can be the foundation on which to build an effective plan for overcoming unwanted fear and anxiety.
\n\u201cHe is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built.\u201d
\n(Luke 6:48)
\n\u2022 Get a thorough medical checkup\u2014ask if any condition could be causing anxiety.
\n\u2022 Ask your doctor to evaluate all medications.
\n\u2022 Get adequate sleep.
\n\u2022 Get regular exercise.
\n\u2022 Plan to get sufficient laughter, fun, and recreation.
\n\u2022 Be around encouraging people\u2014remove yourself from negative people.
\n\u2022 Get on a healthy diet by eating healthful foods\u2014avoid alcohol and drugs.
\n\u2022 Develop the habit of living one day at a time.
\n\u2022 Listen to inspirational Christian and\/or classical music.
\n\u2022 Ask a trusted friend to help you; then imagine the worst and consider why it wouldn\u2019t be so bad after all.
\n\u201cTo him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.\u201d
\n(Ephesians 3:20)
\nH. Do\u2019s and Don\u2019ts for Family and Friends
\nGideon does exactly what God requires. In time, he refuses to focus on his fear and chooses to step forward in faith. He knows he is not a mighty warrior, but he learns that God can be the warrior within him! It\u2019s not complicated\u2014his supernatural victory comes simply because Gideon walks both fearfully with God by faith \u2026 and fearlessly with God by faith.
\nSometimes God chooses a specific person\u2014friend or family member\u2014to walk with the one who needs more faith. Just as God told Gideon to take Purah with him into the Midianite camp, fearful people need fearless friends to walk alongside to help them find the road to freedom.
\nThose who are fearful need a friend \u2026 those who are timid need a teammate \u2026 those who are worried need someone wise \u2026 those who are anxious need an exhorter \u2026 those who cower need an encourager. Those who are tormented by fear need inspiration from those who have found freedom from fear.
\nTo support a loved one who is struggling with fear, learn what to do and what not to do. You can very well be that person\u2019s answer to prayer.
\n\u201cThere is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.\u201d
\n(Proverbs 18:24)
\nDon\u2019t become impatient when you don\u2019t understand their fear.
\nDo \u2026 Understand that what fearful people feel is real.
\n\u201cA patient man has great understanding, but a quick-tempered man displays folly.\u201d (Proverbs 14:29)
\nDon\u2019t think they are doing this for attention.
\nDo \u2026 Realize they are embarrassed and want to change.
\n\u201cI do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.\u201d (Romans 7:15)
\nDon\u2019t be critical or use demeaning statements.
\nDo \u2026 Be gentle and supportive, and build up their self-confidence.
\n\u201cEncourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.\u201d (1 Thessalonians 5:11)
\nDon\u2019t assume you know what is best.
\nDo \u2026 Ask how you can help.
\n\u201cWe urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone.\u201d (1 Thessalonians 5:14)
\nDon\u2019t make them face a threatening situation without planning.
\nDo \u2026 Give them instruction in positive self-talk and relaxation exercises.
\n\u201cHold on to instruction, do not let it go; guard it well, for it is your life.\u201d (Proverbs 4:13)
\nDon\u2019t make them face the situation alone.
\nDo \u2026 Be there and assure them of your support.
\n\u201cTwo are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!\u201d (Ecclesiastes 4:9\u201310)
\nDon\u2019t begin with difficult situations.
\nDo \u2026 Help them to begin facing their fear in small increments.
\n\u201cConsider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.\u201d (James 1:2\u20133)
\nDon\u2019t constantly ask, \u201cHow are you feeling?\u201d
\nDo \u2026 Help them see the value of having other interests.
\n\u201cEach of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.\u201d (Philippians 2:4)
\nDon\u2019t show disappointment and displeasure if they fail.
\nDo \u2026 Encourage them and compliment their efforts to conquer their fear.
\n\u201cDo not withhold good from those who deserve it, when it is in your power to act.\u201d (Proverbs 3:27)
\nDon\u2019t say, \u201cDon\u2019t be absurd; there\u2019s nothing for you to fear!\u201d
\nDo say \u2026 \u201cNo matter how you feel, tell yourself the truth, \u2018I will take one step at a time.\u2019 \u201d
\n\u201cThe wise in heart are called discerning, and pleasant words promote instruction.\u201d (Proverbs 16:21)
\nDon\u2019t say, \u201cDon\u2019t be a coward; you have to do this!\u201d
\nDo say \u2026 \u201cI know this is difficult for you, but it\u2019s not dangerous. You have the courage to do this.\u201d
\n\u201cA wise man\u2019s heart guides his mouth, and his lips promote instruction.\u201d (Proverbs 16:23)
\nDon\u2019t say, \u201cQuit living in the past; this is not that bad.\u201d
\nDo say \u2026 \u201cRemember to stay in the present and remind yourself, \u2018That was then, and this is now.\u2019 \u201d
\n\u201cPleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.\u201d (Proverbs 16:24)<\/p>\n
Epilogue
\nAmong the thousands and thousands of people mentioned in the Bible, Gideon is selected by God to be one of the few in His famous \u201cHall of Faith.\u201d Hebrews chapter 11, commonly called \u201cThe Hall of Faith,\u201d illustrates the power of living by faith and extols the predominant heroes of the faith. Fewer than 20 names are listed on this Honor Roll of Old Testament Saints. Gideon is one of the rare few: \u201cGideon \u2026 who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised\u201d (Hebrews 11:32\u201333).
\nHis transformation from being fearfully timid to being fearlessly triumphant is evident as he confronts the captive kings of Midian. Asking what kind of men they had killed at Tabor, Gideon\u2019s once fearsome enemies reply, \u201c \u2018Men like you,\u2019 they answered, \u2018each one with the bearing of a prince\u2019 \u201d (Judges 8:18).
\nInstead of retreating in fear, the once meek man from the small clan of Manasseh now bears a princely posture \u2026 and has become a powerful warrior\u2014the \u201cmighty warrior\u201d God called him to be.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Fear No Longer Afraid by June Hunt Imagine being terrorized \u2026 your life continually threatened \u2026 your heart gripped with fear. Imagine every day \u2026 waking to the thought: This day could be my last day\u2014the last for my family\u2014the last for my friends! Imagine living in the constant fear of being burglarized and brutalized … <\/p>\n