Hi all,
Last month I shared what the Lord told me how the world is about to enter another time of difficulty, (this fall through spring next year especially) which will be a distraction for many Christians. He didn’t specify for the US other than political and economic turmoil.
It will provide an opportunity for Christians to either be shaken and in fear, or it won’t move them at all because they are secure in the peace in their spirit. These are just bumps in the road, we still have time, so we need to step back and not focus on events that cause the world to fear and panic.
Many Christians use spirituality to hide their fears, but behind the mask, fear is a major factor in their lives.
Some examples: A person won’t go to the doctor for fear of the money required or fear of the diagnosis, so will ignore the condition. They ‘stand in prayer’ and do all manner of spiritual things to seek healing for the condition, or word that it will all be okay. They refuse common sense to go through the fear to have it taken care of, and trust the Lord to provide the finances required.
A person won’t open the mail they know it contains a past due bill, hiding their fear behind ‘God will provide’. They fear contacting the creditor to work out a plan because their fears and imagination run wild, or they think they can’t tell them anything certain, so why call at all? They ignore the pile of bills rather than going through the fear to call the creditor.
They have a deadline the end of the week, so go to church on Wednesday night full of fear, even though they don’t normally go to the Wednesday service. They go in fear, appearing spiritual, but are there to remind God how sincere they are and how much they really need Him to answer. They worship with ulterior motives: “It’s me Lord, remember, I have this bill due Friday…”
Fear of missing God…
…also causes a person not to make any decision at all. They say they want Him to talk to them, or they want a word from someone. They have no confidence in their own decision making and fear is speaking to them, preventing them from moving forward. I’ve found that it is often more important to use common sense and get moving than just sitting waiting for God to give some direction. Not even God can steer a parked car.
I once was offered a promotion but waited 3 months to give them my decision, as I waited for God to give me some direction to accept it or not. I was in fear hiding behind spirituality, saying I didn’t want to miss God – and what was true, I didn’t. But the fear of doing so prevented me from making a common sense decision to accept the promotion, the extra money, the health care coverage my family needed. But I wouldn’t make a decision.
I finally decided to go through the fear, say yes to the promotion, and we were truly blessed. Why did I wait so long? I was afraid of missing God. He was waiting on me, I was waiting on Him.
BUT.…you can’t do that if you don’t truly deal with the emotions and thoughts that cause you to listen to fear in the first place.
What good is it to rebuke a spirit of fear if you haven’t dealt with the fleshly fear and worry that opened the door in the first place? That spirit of fear will laugh at your rebuke because it knows you are truly afraid and haven’t dealt with your own emotions and thoughts.
Hebrews 10: 32 says:
“Call to remembrance the former days, when you were first enlightened (about the Lord), and endured such great difficulty. Sometimes by being a spectacle in front of everyone (who saw your failings and weaknesses) and sometimes because you were associated with some like that.”
The way to shut the door on fear is to remember the Lord’s faithfulness, starting from when you first got saved, or even before, with His protection bringing you to salvation. Remember the difficulty you had personally and how you were part of a group that had their sins and weaknesses exposed for all to see – and remember how He brought you out of it.
Once you can look back and see the Father’s faithfulness to bring you to this point, you won’t fear the future. Paul said “I know in whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I’ve entrusted to Him for the day I stand before Him.”
Know Him. Be persuaded of Him.
Is He able to keep that which you’ve trusted to Him? Hebrews 11: 11 says “Sarah received the ability to conceive and be delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised.”
Judge your Father faithful. Look at His record in your life. Judge Him faithful. That will shut the door to any spirit of fear enticing you to be afraid.
Recall specific times there was no way out and He made the way. Once you have confidence in His record in your life, a spirit of fear will not have any opening in your life.
Fear is a spirit, which means we are to obey Jesus and cast it out and away from us. “Spirit of fear I take authority over you in the name of Jesus, and command you out and away from me. Now Father, I have done what has been commanded me, I trust you and your faithfulness in my life thus far. So I ask you to protect me, reveal your provision, reveal the way of escape…thank you for doing this…” and things like that.
Then if a spirit tries to come to you, you can command it to leave in the name of Jesus, and it will – and even if it lingers in the background looking for an opening for a while, it won’t bother you for you will be certain there is no open door for it to latch itself onto your emotions or thoughts.
KWOWI – Kids Without Walls International
Three children from Kenya recently lost their sponsor and are now looking for a new sponsor. Would you consider sponsoring one, two, or all three of these children? The 3 children looking for new sponsors are: Vallary A. (girl), Hillary C.(boy), and Rita S.(girl). If you feel led to sponsor one of these children, go to KWOWI.org and select the “Sponsor Children” tab. Once you see the list of children, change the filter to “Kenya”, and then select either boy or girl to narrow down the list more. Scroll until you see a child with one of these names.
In Uganda KWOWI news, a donor recently gave $500 towards new school uniforms for the children! This is a big “praise God” as Ugandan schools are required to have kids in uniforms but most of the kids only had regular clothes or very worn-out uniforms.
Conferences next year
We have some exciting changes coming to our US conferences next year. More on that next month.
Please remember our conference in the Netherlands May 2-5, registration details will be coming later this year.
Know that we appreciate you, I pray for every person behind every donation and/or prayer request. I could fill my day writing thank you notes to each one of you for every donation has an very positive and immediate impact in our lives. Thank you.
We recognize you have first given yourself to the Lord, and then to us, and we thank you so very much.
Blessings,
John & Barb, Brian & Amy
