Fear Not -- Take Courage!
WORD OF VICTORY MINISTRIES Home Page
. And God Said PRAY
. Bind The Enemy
. The Days of a Tree
. DO Get Your Hopes Up
. Fear Not!
. The Force of Life
. From the INSIDE Out
. God Is NOT Angry
. Healing IS God's Will
. How Do You FEEL?
. The Kingdom of Heaven
. Let the Weak Say... I Am Strong
. Living With Power
. Open the Gift
. Pick Up Your Sword
. The Power of Words
. Say Goodbye To Guilt!
. Seated to Reign
. So God...
. Stand
. The War of Words
. The Weapon of Song
. What Do You Know?
. What is Faith, and How Do I Get Some?
. Who Is In Authority?
. A Word From God
. Your Miracle Will Happen
. Photos
. Prayers For Salvation and Holy Spirit Baptism
. Contact Us
God tells us repeatedly to "Fear not." If He warns us so many times not to do something, it must be a particular human weakness that many of us have, in one form or another (including worry, dread, anxiety, and even doubt.)
[“Fear not” and variations thereof occur 83 times, by my own unofficial, unscientific count; it appears that He doesn’t want us to be afraid of anything, except Him, in a reverential way.]
If God is against something, then it must be wrong, and then it must obviously NOT come from Him, right? God is love; God is good. Therefore, our old enemy Satan must be the source of fear.
“Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God...; God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him... There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment... We love because he first loved us.” [I John 4:15-19 ESV]
And just as when we are told to “love others”, I don't believe that God is asking us not to “feel” an emotion of fear. I believe He’s asking us to ACT, or in this case, NOT act on the feelings we may be experiencing. In fact, we are told how to counter these fear feelings:
I really believe that God never tells us to do something we can’t do. He is not trying to frustrate us; He’s given us the ability to do everything He tells us to do. We can do ALL things through Christ, who gives us the strength. [Phil.4:13]
How do we “take” courage? We TAKE something He’s giving us by RECEIVING it! When Jesus offered Himself to you as your Savior, you believed with your heart, and you confessed with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and you received Him as your Savior. [Romans 10:9]
We are told that we win and that Satan is defeated by:
(1) The Blood of the Lamb and
(2) Our belief and testimony
Jesus died to destroy the devil. When he defeated the devil, He freed us from fear. All you have to do is receive what Jesus died to give you; take the courage God is giving you.
Fear is not what God wants for us -- it's what Satan wants, because when we are afraid, we are weak, and that’s exactly what Satan wants us to be. If and when we start exercising the authority we have been given to resist him and cast him out, he will no longer have any way to intimidate us. (Satan has been disarmed; his main entrance is through fear; resist him and he will leave.)
Pray out loud right now:
"Father, I believe you want me courageous and strong. I believe that fear comes from Satan and not from You. I believe that Jesus defeated Satan and set me free. I receive what Jesus died to give me -- He did not die in vain! I receive courage right now, in the name of my Savior, Jesus Christ. Thank You, Father for sending Your Son; thank You, Jesus, for dying in my place; and thank You Holy Spirit for guiding me into all truth! Amen.”
If God is against something, then it must be wrong, and then it must obviously NOT come from Him, right? God is love; God is good. Therefore, our old enemy Satan must be the source of fear.
“Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God...; God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him... There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment... We love because he first loved us.” [I John 4:15-19 ESV]
And just as when we are told to “love others”, I don't believe that God is asking us not to “feel” an emotion of fear. I believe He’s asking us to ACT, or in this case, NOT act on the feelings we may be experiencing. In fact, we are told how to counter these fear feelings:
- Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord! [Ps. 31:24 ESV]
The following night the Lord stood by him and said, “Take courage,..." [Acts 23:11 ESV]
On seeing them, Paul thanked God and took courage. [Acts 28:15b ESV]
I really believe that God never tells us to do something we can’t do. He is not trying to frustrate us; He’s given us the ability to do everything He tells us to do. We can do ALL things through Christ, who gives us the strength. [Phil.4:13]
How do we “take” courage? We TAKE something He’s giving us by RECEIVING it! When Jesus offered Himself to you as your Savior, you believed with your heart, and you confessed with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and you received Him as your Savior. [Romans 10:9]
We are told that we win and that Satan is defeated by:
(1) The Blood of the Lamb and
(2) Our belief and testimony
[Rev. 12:11, Ps. 116:10, I Cor. 15:57, 2 Cor. 4:13, I John 5:4].
... for God gave us a spirit NOT of fear but of power and love and self-control. [2 Tim. 1:7 ESV]
For you did NOT receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear... [Rom.8:15 ESV]
Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. [Heb. 2:14,15 ESV]
Jesus died to destroy the devil. When he defeated the devil, He freed us from fear. All you have to do is receive what Jesus died to give you; take the courage God is giving you.
Fear is not what God wants for us -- it's what Satan wants, because when we are afraid, we are weak, and that’s exactly what Satan wants us to be. If and when we start exercising the authority we have been given to resist him and cast him out, he will no longer have any way to intimidate us. (Satan has been disarmed; his main entrance is through fear; resist him and he will leave.)
Pray out loud right now:
"Father, I believe you want me courageous and strong. I believe that fear comes from Satan and not from You. I believe that Jesus defeated Satan and set me free. I receive what Jesus died to give me -- He did not die in vain! I receive courage right now, in the name of my Savior, Jesus Christ. Thank You, Father for sending Your Son; thank You, Jesus, for dying in my place; and thank You Holy Spirit for guiding me into all truth! Amen.”
Now since the children have flesh and blood in common, He also shared in these, so that through His death He might destroy the one holding the power of death -- that is, the Devil -- and free those who were held in slavery all their lives by the fear of death.
- Hebrews 2:14-15 (HCSB)
- Hebrews 2:14-15 (HCSB)
For you shall not go out in haste, and you shall not go in flight,for the LORD will go before you, and the God of Israel will be your rear guard.
- Isaiah 52:12 (ESV)
For you shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace;the mountains and the hills before you shall break forth into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
- Isaiah 55:12 (ESV)