The "F" Word

When I was young my brother enjoyed terrorizing me on a regular basis. He was mischievous and a prankster.  He would splatter ketchup all over himself and turn his eyelids up and chase me around the house like he was a zombie. I would run screaming into my bedroom where he would turn the light off & hold the door close from the outside. I was frozen in fear and because I was so afraid, it never occurred to me that all I had to do was switch the light on and I would no longer be in the dark. My brother did this because he knew he would get a reaction from me and he thought it was very funny.  Not once do I remember my parents coming to my rescue, maybe they were never home during his zombie attacks.  It’s funny how all these years later I think back on this and I find it very comical.  I guess he prepared me to enjoy being scared because now I like scary movies!

Somewhere I read that there are about 530 documented phobias.  We live in a time when people are afraid of everything.  Fear is poison from the enemy. It is the root of many physical and emotional ailments such as anxiety, stress and depression. When fear sets in it affects our mind, which alters how we think.  Fear distorts our perception; we no longer are able to see situations as they really are, just as I was unable to reason all I had to do was turn the light on.  But God has not given us a Spirit of fear but a Spirit of power, love and sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:7

Fear steals our peace. Peace is a state of mutual harmony, cessation of war, and freedom.  Peace produces clarity of mind and rest for the body. The enemy tries to keep us at war with God, through fear, but because of the blood of Jesus the war has ceased. “…and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.” Colossians 1:20 NIV Christians are no longer at war with God; we have freedom from torment, dread, and anxiety.  “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace” Ephesians 2:13-15 NIV

The enemy takes advantage of fear in our lives to stop us from fulfilling the plan God has for us. We will continue to have feelings of fear but be encouraged that you have a heavenly Father who is always home and waiting to come to your rescue. God knew this would be an area where His children would struggle, that must be why He left us so many instructions on not fearing, about 365 one for each day of the year. Stand firm in your promise of peace, “Peace I leave with you; My [own] peace I now give and bequeath to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. [Stop allowing yourselves to be agitated and disturbed; and do not permit yourselves to be fearful and intimidated and cowardly and unsettled.]” John 14:27 AMP

Stop allowing the enemy to torment you and fill you with fear and darkness.  The light of Jesus lives in you; you no longer live in darkness. Daily you can make a decision for peace and not to live in fear. Be bold and believe the war has ended you have VICTORY. You can live the life God has planned for you; a life filled with love, joy and peace.

Michelle Odom
Michelle is an Ordained Minister through United Christian Fellowship and co-founder with her husband, John, of MJ Ministries, a “Practical Evangelism” ministry expressing the Gospel through action. MJ Ministries is dedicated to revealing God’s love through the practice of hospitality using our God given gifts, talents and resources. We are challenged to Engage others in the pursuit of Jesus, Encourage others to realize their potential in Jesus, and Empower others to have influence for Jesus. “Mission Possible” Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God” Mark 10:27