Lets have some healthy fear!!!!

If you have come to this site from my devotional at sheseeks.org; Welcome!!

This week's devotional at She Seeks is on fear. It is hard to find peace when fear is present. People have many types of fear. It can come in many forms; such as:

Fear of spiders
Fear of snakes
Fear of being alone
Fear of the unknown
And so on...

I used to have daily panic attacks. When daily attacks occurred, they came at a time in my life when there were many things I needed to change. I used to think that "freedom" was not being under authority and that living as I wanted would bring peace. I misunderstood my parents' concern, not as concern, but as judgement. I then realized that the path I had chosen was wrong and I felt that I was unworthy of going back to God. Well-I was wrong, VERY wrong. Panic attacks brought to me to my knees and back to God.

I changed the direction of my life. I saw my parents' love for just that...LOVE and I knew that God didn't consider me unworthy.

However, at times...panic attacks still occur. And they occur now for a different reason. For me, it seems that having a panic attack or even the idea of a panic attack can bring fear to mind. When it grips, it hangs on tight. I am fortunate because I have gone from daily attacks, to random attacks. I at one time thought I was completely over them (still have hope that it will happen). But once in a while they strike back with a vengeance. I even suffered one this past weekend. Why? I am not sure. Thankfully, the Lord has shown me tools and techniques to help when I become anxious.

One tool I have learned is to stop when my body tells me to. If I am very tired and have gone and done too much, if I have given too much of myself...that is a sign I need to rest. If I continue to push myself, I can become susceptible to another attack which leads to fear. This tells me something is wrong.

When the enemy wants to control our mind or feelings, fear becomes present. This can be referred to as the "spirit of fear." The spirit of fear is not of God, it comes from Satan.

2 Timothy 1:7 says: "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind" (NKJV).

God does not instill fear in our hearts or mind. He instills love and peace. 1 John 4:18 says: “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear..."

God is perfect love. Therefore, I should not fear.

Is there fear in your life? Do you fear the unknown? loneliness? disease? financial distress? One of the hardest things to do is to tell your head what your heart knows. When the struggle of fear is present it is difficult to tell your head what is rational. I know!!!! I try!!!! But just because it is a struggle does not mean peace is not obtainable.

Trusting God, knowing He is there, and relying on Him to help you are perfect ways fear can be removed. When we trust and rely on God we are telling the enemy that he has no control in our lives. Because God tells us in His word that He does not administer fear, we can use this as a tool to fight the "spirit of fear" away.

The only "fear" we should have in our lives is the healthy kind. Healthy fear, you ask? Yes!!! Fear of the Lord.

He who fears the Lord has a secure fortress...(Proverbs 14:26 NIV)

Now that sounds like an AWESOME type of Fear. I claim that one!!!! You?

I pray that if you have fear in your life that both devotionals (sheseeks and rachelwclark.blogspot.com) have offered helpful advice today. I pray that God removes the spirit of fear from your life and that you will learn to trust in Him and rely on His perfect love to cast out all negative fear.

Love in Christ,
Rachel