Today I will continue my current series entitled, REASONS WHY NOT TO FEAR! Reason #6: Fear is a choice! You can simply choose NOT to fear. This is a major point for you to consider in this season.
So what does this mean for you today? A few things.
1. You have to allow fear into your heart. If you don’t allow it in, it won’t live there.
a) We have already covered the fact that God did not give you the spirit of fear (2 Tim 1:7). Instead of giving you the spirit of fear, God gave you power, love, and a sound mind. The Amplified Version of 2 Tim 1:7 reads: “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (of cowardice, of craven and cringing and fawning fear), but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self-control.”
Instead of accepting the spirit of fear, and the things that come along with it, like timidity and cowardice, Paul teaches us that we can accept the things that come from God’s Spirit. The Holy Spirit, who lives in us, gives us access to His love. Once God’s love fills out hearts, we can be calm in our souls, well-balanced in our minds, and we are able to live disciplined lives, full of self-control. This is a major reminder for us today.
b) No matter what is going on in the world and no matter how bad things get with COVID-19, do you NOT have to accept the spirit of fear because God did not give it to you. Fear is NOT of God! You can be at peace on the inside, with a calm spirit, full of self-control, no matter what is going on on the outside! You can live this way by God’s grace.
c) Fear is a spirit and it is looking for a way in. For it to get in, you must be open to it. You basically need to OPT-IN. The good news is that for the Born-Again believer, you can OPT-OUT! Fear is a choice. You can choose NOT to fear!
2. You have to allow your heart to be troubled. You can choose not to.
a) Jesus said, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me.” (John 14:1). When Jesus was preparing His disciples for His departure, He let them know that the time was drawing near for Him to leave. Jesus had been their source of strength for over three years. He knew the disciples relied heavily upon Him. He also knew that once He was gone, if the disciples were not careful and prayerful, they could open their hearts to fear. So Jesus told them NOT TO ALLOW their hearts to be troubled or to be afraid. He told them to believe God!
The point here is that if the disciples were going to operate in fear, it would be because they ALLOWED IT! Fear is a choice. Just like you can choose to ALLOW fear in, you can choose to refuse, reject, and close the door to fear. The choice is yours!
b) God made you a free moral agent. This means God has given you the right and responsibility to make your OWN decisions. God will not force Himself on you. You are not a puppet and He is not a puppet master. People say things like, “God is in control”, all the time, but the truth is, the Bible shows us something different. While God has all power, He is not controlling the things that happen in this world. God put the world in the hands of humans and He has given us the grace to rule and dominate it. God is looking for humans to be conduits of His power on this planet. God is looking for humans to be the conduits through which heaven is extended to the earth.
c) The same people who say, “God is in control”, know that they say, “NO” to God all the time. God is not controlling you. He wants to influence you and lead you by His Spirit. But you have to choose to listen to Him. Faith is a choice, just like fear is a choice. You can be Born-Again and choose to live in fear. Just like you can choose to live by faith.
d) God will allow whatever you allow. God will permit whatever you permit. If you allow fear to have a foothold in your heart, it won’t be long before the devil has a stranglehold on your life. Because satan’s kingdom is fueled by fear. Just like God’s Kingdom operates by faith.
e) You can be Born Again and live under the bondage of fear if you ALLOW it. You have to ALLOW your heart to be troubled. You have to ALLOW your heart to be afraid
If you don’t ALLOW it, fear cannot live in your heart. So, simply put, DO NOT ALLOW IT!
3. Fear tolerated is faith contaminated.
a) Fear is a choice, just like faith is a choice. If you choose to tolerate fear and ALLOW it to run freely in your heart, it is going to negatively impact your faith. Because faith and fear cannot occupy the same space in your heart. Fear cancels out faith and faith cancels out fear. You must decide which one you are going to live by.
b) If you fill your mind with messages that promote fear, and you allow fear into your heart, it is going to be hard for you to live by faith, to be at peace, and to enter into God’s rest.
c) During this time you must be very diligent concerning what you allow through your eye and ear gates. Whatever you allow in those gates will get down into your heart. And your entire life flows from your heart.
I will close with the words of Solomon. These words are especially important as you seek to protect you heart from the fear of COVID-19.
“Above all, be careful what you think because your thoughts control your life. ” (Proverbs 4:23).
Declaration of Faith:
Father, You made me a free moral agent. This means You have given me the right and responsibility to make my own decisions. You are not forcing me to do anything. You are not forcing Your will upon me. You honor whatever I choose. Faith is a choice. Fear is also a choice. Therefore, I refuse to allow the spirit of fear to have any space in my life. I close the door to fear. I choose to OPT-OUT of fear. You will allow whatever I allow. You will permit whatever I permit. Therefore, I choose NOT to allow fear to have any power over me. I do not ALLOW my heart to be troubled. I refuse to ALLOW my heart to be afraid. Fear has no power over me because I simply choose NOT to fear! I declare this by faith! In Jesus’ name. Amen!
This is Today’s Word. Apply it and prosper!
