Archives For Overcoming Fear

Overcome Fear with Faith

March 22, 2022

When I was serving with a church-planting team overseas, I had memorized a set of five Bible verses that I found especially encouraging. I would remind myself of these verses on the way to outreach ministry activities on a regular basis. They would remind me:

  • how great God is,
  • Jesus has all authority and has commissioned us
  • Jesus has promised to be with us,
  • the enemy of our souls is already condemned, and

Lately, I’ve been searching for a new set of verses for the current season of life. I was reminded of that search this morning during my quiet time. Some of these are strong contenders.

This morning, I was reading/listening to a devotional plan on the YouVersion Bible app titled, “Certainty Amid Uncertainty”. Pastor Gregg Matte, of Houston’s First Baptist, wrote the plan to help those who’ve been struggling lately.

Photo Credit: Kevin T. Cunningham. Ross Lake National Recreation Area, Sedro-Woolley, WA

In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, you may be feeling that your whole world is falling apart. In spite of the uncertainty that surrounds us, we have ultimate certainty in God, the Rock of our salvation. We are going to see God do great things in and through us. Walk with hope, for our God is a refuge and an ever-present help in time of need.

Pastor Gregg Matte

Day 3 of this five-day Bible reading plan focuses on five Scripture passages:

  • Psalms 46:1-4
  • 2 Corinthians 12:9-11
  • 2 Timothy 1:7
  • Exodus 15:2
  • Isaiah 41:10

The first passage clearly gets us to shift our focus off of our current situation or problems and onto God.

Psalm 46

1 God is our refuge and strength,
    an ever-present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
    and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,

The next passage offers comfort in the midst of our weakness, challenges, and confusion.

2 Corinthians
9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

The next passage reminds us that even though we may be weak, he is strong and through his Holy Spirit, we can be strong.

2 Timothy 1

7 For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.

Again our hearts are moved to praise as we are reminded that the Lord is our strength, defense, and our salvation.

Exodus 15:2

“The Lord is my strength and my defense;
    he has become my salvation.
He is my God, and I will praise him,
    my father’s God, and I will exalt him.

The final verse ties it all together.

Isaiah 41:10

So do not fear, for I am with you;
    do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
    I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Pastor Gregg closes out the devotional with a declaration for us to proclaim aloud.

Declare: Jesus, You are my Strength. I know that I am not perfect and that sometimes I become impatient when my faith is tested, but I will not fear, and I will not allow my feelings to steal the joy that is found in You. I trust that You will give me all the strength I need to come out of uncertainty full of certainty.

You can find this reading plan at https://www.bible.com/en/reading-plans/20285. For more encouraging posts, visit https://trinity.encourageandequip.com/Sub-Test/home/start-here/

In Encouraging Bible Verses , , , , ,
permalink

Respect!

February 23, 2019

A friend shared this on Facebook. Normally, I would simply click Like and maybe even Share. But this one seemed too important not to share here.

I did not write this! In fact, I do not know whom to credit as the author. If you know, please post in the comments. (Thank you!)

In Encouragers, The Need for Encouragement , , ,
permalink

Guard Your Joy

November 5, 2018

As a Christ-follower, I don’t have the right to hate anyone.

In this age of rage, we need to guard our hearts against people that would seek to manipulate us for their own advantage. There are many special interest groups that have entire machines designed to keep us angry.

DepositPhoto.com Image ID: 82711512 Copyright: kikkerdirk

I understand they want to keep their base fired up. In a day where the average person is bombarded by advertising slogans and other messages all day long, these marketing, media, and PR machines have to fight for our attention and our action.

A quick and easy way to do that is to appeal to basic fears.

Instead of emphasizing the positive aspects of their cause or candidate, they attack the person, policies, or practices of the opponent. Essentially the underlying message is, “I understand you may not want me but there’s NO WAY we want to let that other person or group win. So, even if you hate me, I KNOW you hate them even more!

Some time ago, I remember seeing the President of the United States approach the podium to give a speech or address the press. And I remember feeling absolute disdain for this person. I dug deep inside and realized I felt no respect whatsoever for the office of the presidency because I was blinded by what some in the media had me focusing on about the person who occupied that office at that time.

I remember being struck immediately with this thought that I reminded myself, “I’m a Christian. I don’t have the right to feel like that about anyone — least of all the president of my country.”

I realized immediately that I had to limit the amount of time exposed myself to political commentators of a certain type.

I like to stay informed as much as time will allow me to do. However, there seems to be a clear line in the sand between those who reported the news and those who are willing to use disrespectful or inflammatory language to entertain and maintain their audience while disrespecting and demeaning public figures at any level.

As a Christian, the command God gives us is to love our neighbor. We’re even commanded to love our enemies. I don’t have the right to hate anyone for any reason.

In the Gospel of John, Jesus talks about being the Good Shepherd to show how He cares for the sheep (us). In that context, he warns that there is an enemy whose sole goal is to steal, kill or destroy but that He comes that they/we might have life — and have it to the full! Essentially Jesus is talking about a quality of life. He is working to build up His sheep. The enemy is at work to tear down, destroy, and kill that very quality of life.

Jesus gives joy.

Righteous indignation is appropriate at the right times. But man’s anger stirred up by special interest groups is different. As James wrote:

19Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; 20for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.

James 1:19–20

The Apostle Paul reminds us to

Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger,

Ephesians 4:236

In Focus, The Need for Encouragement , , ,
permalink

Knowing the Five Ws Will Make You a More Confident Speaker

August 20, 2018

My eclectic background includes radio and club DJ, MC, Trainer, and Pastor. I have spoken for decades in a wide variety of settings. I am comfortable speaking to a wide variety of groups including all ages and settings, community, business, religious, non-religious, etc.

Whether I’m invited to speak at a corporate meeting, a community event, or a church group, I’ve learned to work through the five Ws to assure an excellent experience for all involved.

DepositPhotos.com ID: 48763103 Copyright: kasto

If you are an experienced speaker, these will be a helpful reminder to master the basics.

If you’ve never spoken in public before and you just learned that YOU are the speaker at the meeting you were looking forward to attending, these might help you manage the fears and feel prepared.

The Five Ws

“Who, What, Where, When, and Why” is the traditional order of the Five Ws. So, I’ve kept that in mind while writing this. Beyond the first W, the following are not necessarily in order of importance.

We may not be able to answer all of the following questions every time. The following are just a guide. You may be able to answer some of these through online research but I would recommend verifying your findings to assure they are still relevant. An organization may have just changed top leadership and are getting ready for an entirely new vision.

Sometimes, we may be called upon to speak without knowing ANY of the following information. In those times, we have to trust our message and be ready to assess and adapt in the moment as much as possible.

Know Your Who — the Audience

Learn as much as possible about the attendees. Age, profession, roles, ethnic makeup(?), personality/culture.

Know Your What — the End Result

What you expect the audience to do/feel/think as a result of your message.

Know Your When — the Timing

We need to respect everyone’s time! Know when you supposed to start and end. Know how to track your time while speaking.

Know Your Where — the Setting

The room (small, medium, gigantic), the contacts, technology, handouts(?)

Know Your Why — the Purpose of the Gathering

Why are they meeting? Regular event? Resolve issues?

This is a grid to help focus your thoughts and questions. I will flesh these out in future articles.  This might be a good time to subscribe so you’ll receive future posts in your inbox.

In Equip, Speaker Development , ,
permalink

Wait In Hope

August 2, 2018

These verses were very comforting and encouraging during a time when I was unemployed and seeking God’s guidance for next steps.  May they encourage your heart today whatever your needs may be.

Psalm 33:20-22

In Encouraging Bible Verses, Focus , , , ,
permalink

3 Steps to Accepting a Compliment

November 27, 2017

Have you ever noticed that some people just can’t take a compliment?

I invest a ton of time and energy reminding Christ-followers (including myself) of the importance of encouraging one another.  But have you noticed that some people are hard to encourage?

They may not even realize it. But a compliment triggers something inside them that shouts, “you are unworthy.”  For whatever reason, they feel awkward being appreciated.

Copyright: ivelin DepositPhoto18908817

Before I mention the three steps to accepting a compliment let’s briefly look at some reasons people struggle.

Why Some People Can’t Receive a Compliment

Insecurity or Fear

They might be afraid that they can’t live up to the higher standard in the future. Some people have been bullied into submission by friends or family members afraid of being outshined.  They’ve been conditioned to think it is unsafe to be celebrated.

Perfectionism

They might feel unworthy because they are intensely aware of the imperfections in the product or performance that the average person would never even notice.

Pride

This comes from a different place.  To give the benefit of the doubt, some people have worked very hard to be able to fulfill their role in life.  Whether it be an entertainer, teacher, speaker, or political leader, they may feel that the average person isn’t even qualified to evaluate their performance.  To be fair, I’m not sure I would want to have an untrained person conduct an annual review that would impact my salary or job security.  But anytime we offer a product or service to the world, every single consumer is in the position to evaluate our offering as worthy of their time and hard-earned money.

Whatever the reason, I have seen people so uncomfortable in receiving a compliment, that they belittle or even abuse the person giving the compliment.  In an effort to appear humble, some people reject the compliment by criticizing themselves to compensate for the compliment.  I’m often amazed at how willing humans are to pounce on the self-destruct button.

How to Give a Compliment

I write much about how to encourage people but for now, I want to focus on an important character trait—humility. Continue Reading…

In Character Development, Encourage, Training , , ,
permalink

Ready for a Calling Upgrade?

March 3, 2017

I had the honor of guest blogging on the Defying Shadows website today as part of their #Fearless365 series. I was able to share some personal reflections on Luke 5:10 and part of my own testimony as I related to Jesus inviting Simon Peter to a career upgrade.  The following originally appeared at https://defyingshadows.com/2017/03/03/fearless365-luke-510/.

 

and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.”

Luke 5:10

I can empathize with Simon Peter. When Jesus spoke the words, “Don’t be afraid”, he knew that the Holy Spirit was at work in Simon’s heart.

Exhausted after a long night of commercial fishing with nothing to show for his efforts, Simon agreed to let Jesus use his boat as a platform to address the gathered crowd on the shore. Simon continued to wash his nets while listening to the master teacher at work. When Jesus finished, he told Simon to go out into deep water and let down the nets for a catch. The experienced fisherman surely knew it would be fruitless to expect to catch fish in the heat of the day. But, something inside compelled him to follow the teacher’s suggestion.

I can imagine Simon’s shock as the image of his formerly empty nets contrasts with the nets that were now so full that he had to call to his partners to help bring in the catch. Continue Reading…

In Encourage, Encouraging Bible Verses , , ,
permalink

OvercomeEvil2

Posted on July 10, 2016 In Sunday Verse ,
permalink

28 Days to A More Confident and Consistent Personal Prayer Life

November 18, 2015

A lot of people find spending time in prayer particularly challenging. They carve out some time. They muster up all their self-discipline and courage, get on their knees, and then say, “OK, what do I do now?!”

Personally, I have often found it helpful to have a variety of resources available to help me stay focused during prayer. I share this not because I am a spiritual giant. Rather, I often find it such a struggle to stay focused in prayer that I have had to discover or develop tools to help.

I have found three resources, or methods, immensely helpful in developing confidence and consistency in my own prayer life. In this book. I weave all three of those methods together for a powerful combination in Time with God: Develop Confidence and Consistency in Your Personal Prayer Life.

This book is designed to serve as a resource to help us grow closer to God and to build confidence and consistency in our personal prayer lives. Primarily, we need to remember that prayer is simply spending time with God. Unfortunately, we can complicate it so much that we get confused, insecure, bored, or distracted. Continue Reading…

In Equip, Focus, Prayer , , , ,
permalink

What an Opportunity to Rejoice with… and to Mourn with…

June 26, 2015

The Supreme Court delivered another major decision today. Some of my friends will be Partying like it’s 1999 and other friends will be thinking “It’s the End of the World as We Know It”. What an opportunity to Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.

Matt Wade's Picture of the U.S. Supreme Court

By UpstateNYer (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

  • To those who are celebrating, may you enjoy your new freedom to move around the country and the rights that accompany it. Please be patient with those who will be processing what this will mean in the long term. I’ve seen people in both camps voice concerns over the impact.
  • To those who mourn today, my other friends, who are wondering how this decision will affect your ministries or churches, can I share a few thoughts?

Continue Reading…

In Equip , , ,
permalink