How To Overcome Your Personal Fear
FEAR is the biggest enemy to your future.
It comes in many forms, mainly having to do with your future: failure, rejection, lack, or death (to name a few). Abram was mighty in battle yet his deepest fear was not having a successor.
How will you overcome the fears that limit you?
All leaders have had fears. Moses felt ashamed of his past. Jeremiah felt under-age. Gideon felt unqualified.
I’ve had fears of the future as well as anyone else. Voices whisper to all of us about our inadequacy and future uncertainties.
What do I do when I feel fear and anxiety about the days ahead?
1. I overcome fear with a PROMISE.
Fear comes from our minds. Faith comes from God’s Word. You must read and meditate on one of God’s promises until it stands up TALL inside you and becomes larger than your fear!
Abram saw himself getting older with no apparent answer to his prayer. God spoke directly to him and said, “Fear not, Abram” (Gen. 15:1). Fear and faith are opposites and must be totally removed before God can work.
2. I overcome fear with FAVOR.
Favor is God’s circle of protection around you. David said, “You surround me with favor as with a shield” (Ps. 5:12). God’s angels surround you. His favor causes your enemies to leave you alone.
Abram was alone in Canaan, surrounded by hostile armies. God’s favor, however, gave him a sense of perfect peace about his security. Relax, and think about God’s mighty army surrounding every step where you walk.
3. I overcome fear with VISION.
The Lord told Abram to go outside, look at the stars, and count them. “So shall your offspring be.” God was taking Abram’s eyes off his limitations and putting them on the spiritual world where God is unlimited.
You are not limited to your plan and ability. You are unlimited because of God’s plan and ability. He is “limitless.” Whatever you need, whenever you need it, He is totally able to make that thing appear out of nothing!
4. I overcome fear with COVENANT.
The last thing God did to help Abram overcome his fear was to make a “covenant” with him. A burning torch in the night passed through the pieces of animals Abram had cut in half. This was a very familiar ritual in those days when two people entered into a covenant of complete trust in each other.
You can trust God. In the dark times, you can trust God. He holds your future in His hands, because He has sworn Himself to BE THERE in your future. He will never leave you, forsake you, or forget you!
“Promises, favor, vision, and covenant.” These four principles are your mighty weapons against every fear, anxiety, and uncertainty.
Jesus said, “Do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself” (Mt. 6: 34).
Rise up, today, over your fears. Keep your eyes on the stars. Hear the promise of God in your ears.
Your future is in good hands…God’s hands!
