Conquering Fear
- Thread starter LeeJUk
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Scottish Lass
Puritan Board Doctor
Is there a specific issue prompting the fear or is it more generalized?
Scott1
Puritanboard Commissioner
Lee,
A couple things that might be helpful:
1) Pray specifically for grace and wisdom of God to face the things that make you anxious
2) Pray specifically that God will replace fear, worry, and doubt with faith, peace and gratitude.
God is faithful and I believe promises to change your life toward those ends- not necessarily to change circumstances, though He may do that, but He will change you as you ask Him for it.
A couple things that might be helpful:
1) Pray specifically for grace and wisdom of God to face the things that make you anxious
2) Pray specifically that God will replace fear, worry, and doubt with faith, peace and gratitude.
God is faithful and I believe promises to change your life toward those ends- not necessarily to change circumstances, though He may do that, but He will change you as you ask Him for it.
Heidelberg1
Puritan Board Freshman
I have wrestled with ongoing fears. These have focused on where we live with our children. Poor medical conditions, tropical diseases, poisonous snakes, etc. They have never been paralyzing, but more of the "what if" kind of thoughts that re-occur.
Trust in God is the only refuge. Some things that have helped me grow in that: The chapter in David Powlison's book "Seeing with New Eyes" entitled "Don't Worry" was great. (The whole book is a great read).
http://David Powlison Seeing-New-Eyes-Counseling-Condition/dp/087552608X
Ed Welch's book "Running Scared" was a good read too. It had 30 chapters and if you read one a day, it will help you think through the topic Biblically in a sustained way. His book "When People are Big and God is Small" is a great book on dealing with the fear of man.
Ed Welch Running-Scared-Fear-Worry-and the God of Rest/dp/0978556755
Blessings,
Trust in God is the only refuge. Some things that have helped me grow in that: The chapter in David Powlison's book "Seeing with New Eyes" entitled "Don't Worry" was great. (The whole book is a great read).
http://David Powlison Seeing-New-Eyes-Counseling-Condition/dp/087552608X
Ed Welch's book "Running Scared" was a good read too. It had 30 chapters and if you read one a day, it will help you think through the topic Biblically in a sustained way. His book "When People are Big and God is Small" is a great book on dealing with the fear of man.
Ed Welch Running-Scared-Fear-Worry-and the God of Rest/dp/0978556755
Blessings,
BobVigneault
Bawberator
I teach my children over and over to "Fear God more than you fear anything else and you will fear nothing else."
I had so many fears when I was a young dad and I think most of my fears came true and yet we are still here and God has been good and always there.
You suffer from unbelief Lee, not the hopeless unbelief but the kind expressed by the fear filled dad in Mark 24: 23 And Jesus said to him, “‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.” 24 Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!”
The father knew that Jesus was very powerful and could effect the change he hoped for but he was yet plagued with fear and question.
We believe in God but do we believe that He really knows our limits? How much we can stand? You must be absolutely honest and transparent about your fears with the Lord. Confess that you doubt Him and that you are ashamed that you doubt Him but nevertheless the doubt paralyzes you. Read the Psalms in which David expresses that same fear. Read of John the Baptist's doubt and how Jesus responded. Your experience is not outside the scope of scripture and God addresses it there.
The circumstances around us will often be discomforting and frightening but Good Friday proves for all time that God is good. God is all wise, all knowing, all seeing in eternity past, present and future. Your life has been ordained, you death day has been ordained and so Jesus reminds us to not fear the one that can destroy the body but the one who owns your soul.
Finally, understand that God has set His preference on you (love), you cannot be plucked from his hand, he cannot for forget, you cannot increase or decrease in favor with God because you are hidden in Christ. This is the perfect love that casts out fear.
I had so many fears when I was a young dad and I think most of my fears came true and yet we are still here and God has been good and always there.
You suffer from unbelief Lee, not the hopeless unbelief but the kind expressed by the fear filled dad in Mark 24: 23 And Jesus said to him, “‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.” 24 Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!”
The father knew that Jesus was very powerful and could effect the change he hoped for but he was yet plagued with fear and question.
We believe in God but do we believe that He really knows our limits? How much we can stand? You must be absolutely honest and transparent about your fears with the Lord. Confess that you doubt Him and that you are ashamed that you doubt Him but nevertheless the doubt paralyzes you. Read the Psalms in which David expresses that same fear. Read of John the Baptist's doubt and how Jesus responded. Your experience is not outside the scope of scripture and God addresses it there.
The circumstances around us will often be discomforting and frightening but Good Friday proves for all time that God is good. God is all wise, all knowing, all seeing in eternity past, present and future. Your life has been ordained, you death day has been ordained and so Jesus reminds us to not fear the one that can destroy the body but the one who owns your soul.
Finally, understand that God has set His preference on you (love), you cannot be plucked from his hand, he cannot for forget, you cannot increase or decrease in favor with God because you are hidden in Christ. This is the perfect love that casts out fear.
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