Fear is something I’ve struggled with for as long as I can remember. It has been a stronghold on my life for so long, that I became complacent with being fearful and anxious all the time. I literally use to have anxiety attacks while cashiering at my first job when my line got too long. I’d cry before small presentations and physically try to escape classroom introductions. I tried to get my mom to take me home shortly after arriving to my first fashion show. I tried to get out of any situation that put me in the spotlight. But I never really did anything about it or tried to fight it. Instead, I’d always run the other way, and I’d allow my fear and anxiety to control me. But in December of 2018 God revealed to me that the enemy has been using this spirit of fear to attack my anointing and distract me from my calling. A month later public speaking opportunities began to chase me down like water, but I turned all of them down out of fear. Ridiculous, right? With that being said, this year I made the decision to put up a good fight because I refuse to bow to this attack. Fear and timidity, cannot go where God is taking me, so I have decided to allow my faith to drive out my fear.
This month I officially cut fear off. We broke up June 2019. But girl let me tell you the devil is mad. Like — BIG MAD. But my pastor said it best, “the devil is the LOUDEST on his way out.” My relationship with fear is over and I’m making a conscious decision to move on and fully unlearn the lies I’ve been subscribing to for so long. I want Holy confidence so bad. But I don’t just want it, I need it to step into the shoes of the woman God has called me to be. God has been revealing a lot of things about fear to me in this process. So let’s get to the truth, shall we?
2 Timothy 1:7 says, “God has not given us a spirit of fear but of power, authority, and a sound mind.” Therefore, fear does NOT come from the Lord, fear comes from the enemy. The enemy doesn’t have the power to create anything. He, too, was once created, under the sovereignty of God! The enemy can only “pervert” what has already beencreated. Satan will use people, circumstances, and situations, to plant seeds of fear, timidity, and insecurity. The devil is the father of lies, so the seeds he attempts to plant in our minds are ALL lies! Biblically Jesus would cast demons into pigs and animals because the enemy needs a human mind to attack. The enemy needs a person to agree with his perversion. The enemy can only grow seeds of self-doubt, fear, and insecurity with our permission! It’s easy to fall for his lies when we are not fully equipping ourselves with Truth. When we aren’t equipping ourselves with prayer and the Word of God we unknowingly give the enemy room to use our minds as his playground. So it is imperative to guard our minds. The Bible says to renew your mind daily. Our minds are battlefields and the outcomes of those battles determine the course of our lives. So we have to allow God’s truth to permeate our minds in order to wash away the lies, confusion, and insecurities the enemy has tried to place down on the inside of us.
If you find yourself dealing with fear, do not continue to give the enemy that power. When you find that a seed was planted, kill it and do not allow people and circumstances to continue to water it. If you don’t destroy the lie, it will grow rapidly like a weed, and fear will drive you into insecurity or isolation. Put Satan in his place… beneath you. God did not give us the spirit of fear, but He has given us AUTHORITY over it. Cast your fearful burdens onto God, and plea the blood of Jesus over your mind daily. The Bible says perfect love casts out fear. When God’s love has been made complete in you, you will begin to fully understand that there is nothing in this world that can destroy or overcome you. God has already overcome the world and your fears.
I understand, all of this is way easier way said than done. It’s easier to talk about it, and it’s harder to be it. But now that you know the truth you can really begin to unlearn the lie of fear. Unlearning these lies will lead to healing and healing will lead to confidence – and not just self-confidence, but Holy confidence in the Lord. Let’s start equipping ourselves with Biblical truth, unlearning the lies that have been planted, and renewing our minds and healing. Have full confidence in the Lord, He will not fail you.
Trust me, I know it’s hard. I’m walking this this thing out, too. It’s not easy but it’s necessary. So take a deep breath and put one foot in front of the other and keep pushing. I’m rooting for you. I love you guys always and Jesus loves you all the more!
Xoxo,
Tori