Faith over fear. I have been brought back to this phrase here at the end of 2020. With all the fear in this world, and in our own personal lives, I think it is time for us to get angry at fear. With how 2020 has turned out, fear is growing bigger and bigger. We must address fear head on and let the enemy know he has no place here. If we don’t address fear, we let it run its course. If we address fear with God, we let His kingdom run its course.
I’m gonna use the story of David and Goliath. The classic story of having great courage to overcome impossible odds. This is a well-known Biblical story, but what does it mean for us in our own lives? Why did David have so much courage? Goliath was incomparably stronger. Standing about nine feet tall. A Philistine champion who had conquered many. How did David win? How did he even have confidence to step up to the plate?
David didn’t have some powerful, self-generated courage inside of him that made him ready to fight Goliath. His courage came from his confidence in God’s power and His promises. Courage is not the absence of fear, but the greater presence of faith. The greater our faith, the greater our courage. It is not being someone who is fearless. It is having a faith stronger than any fears. Faith over fear.
So David. A man, who compared to Goliath, seemed inadequate for the challenge. In all ways he seemed less than Goliath. When we are in the flesh, we can fall into comparing ourselves to our fears. Comparing ourselves to our Goliaths. Consumed with fear because the odds are stacked against us. But the sooner we realize that the story is not so much David and Goliath, but God and Goliath, we understand that the challenges we face are not supposed to be fought alone. We aren’t supposed to conquer our fears alone. Most of the time, we are unqualified. But with God, we become qualified. Not because of who we are, but because of who God is. We are nothing without God, but if we don’t understand who we are with God, then our fears will be greater than our faith.
So let me be brutally honest because we all need it. If courage comes from faith, lack of courage is lack of faith. Stepping out in courage is not being confident in yourself, it is being confident in God. When you step out in courage, it displays God’s power and faithfulness.
The enemy will try to prey upon your fear. To try and make it consume you. The enemy wants to use fear to hold you back from the beautiful future God has for you. He will compare who you are in the flesh to your Goliaths. We must focus on who we are in the Spirit to our Goliaths.
Is fear holding you back in any areas of your life right now. Are you anxious about what the future holds? Are you letting circumstances stop you from following God? Are you afraid to step into God’s purpose for you? It is important to be self-aware when fear tries to sneak in, and to take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5).
I know I have dealt with some of these fears being home before leaving the country, but we have to say no to fear before it can grow. We need to stop living our lives in fear because then Goliaths of the world will be proclaiming the victory. David was frustrated about how the fear of the Israelites ashamed the power of God. Isn’t it about time we get frustrated too? You may look crazy for it. David did. But as Christ followers we should know who we are. What does it look like for you to be your own “David” and let God dictate who you are, and more importantly, show you who He is.
Thank you all for your love and support! I pray that this blog finds the right people and pursues God’s will in you!
