Fighting The Battle of Fear

I am going to go out on a limb here and say that I am not the only woman who battles fear.  I am guessing that I am not the only one who can take one simple thought and have it blown WAY out of proportion in less than two seconds.  I am pretty sure that I am not the only one who has suffered from panic attacks when I allow my mind to wander and dream up scenarios.  

Fear and worry have been a huge area of sin in my life and I am confident that it has hindered my spiritual growth along the way.  Fear and worry are hallmarks of a heart that refuses to trust who God is and what He has promised His children.  When I am in this battle, I often go to 2 Corinthians 10:3-5.  The second half of verse 6 is often quoted and used when talking about fear, but you shouldn’t miss what comes before.

³ For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. ⁴ The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. ⁵ We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:3-5

-Verse 3: As a believer in Christ, I don’t fight battles the same way that a non-Christian does. 

-Verse 4: As a believer in Christ, I have the DIVINE power to demolish strongholds.

-Verse 5: As a believer in Christ, I must DEMOLISH arguments and every PRETENSION that sets itself up against the knowledge of God.  The ESV version says “we destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God.”  What does it mean to “destroy” and “demolish” arguments, pretensions, and lofty opinions?  It means that believers in Christ must use the weapon of God’s word and through the power of the Holy Spirit demolish and destroy any fears, worries, or doubts that we know are contrary to the character of who God is and what He has promised to his Children.  

It is impossible to take captive every thought to Christ, if we don’t replace the lie with the truth of Scripture.  What does it look like in practice? 

Lie: I can not continue to walk in this difficult situation without seeing some sort of answer.

Truth: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in your weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:9 

This week, I was tempted to be filled with worry and doubt about a situation, but I was reminded of this passage and quickly went to it and repeated it over and over in my mind.  I also listened to this great podcast by Martha Peace on “How to Think Biblically.”

As women, we are prone to have worrying and fearful hearts, but as women who are daughters of the King, we must learn to replace our fear and worry with trust.  We must train ourselves to replace the sinful thoughts with the truth of scripture and the truth of God’s character. 

How are you growing in your knowledge of who God is so that you can replace lies with the truth?

What are you currently worrying and fretting over? Will you take the thought "captive"?

For My Power is Made Perfect

2 Corinthians 12:9

The last couple of weeks have been long.  We had a wonderful but exhausting vacation. Getting laundry done and getting back into a routine was interrupted by big brother getting a triple whammy of sickness: strep, stomach bug, and a sinus infection.  At the same time, little brother is working on his bottom two teeth.  In the midst of all this, Hal and I have been praying about a situation and the answer isn’t coming as quickly as we would like.  I am tired: mentally, physically, and spiritually.  The temptation to whine, complain, and give in to an overall pitiful attitude has been overwhelming at times.  Each time I feel the urge to just bust out in tears, snap at big brother, or lash out at Hal, I hear a certain scripture ever so gently whispered to my soul, “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.” 2 Corinthians 12:9

Lindsay, you don’t have to find the strength to clean up the vomit again, FOR MY POWER IS MADE PERFECT IN YOUR WEAKNESS.  I will give you the strength.

Lindsay, you don’t have to figure it all out: the timing and the answer, FOR MY POWER IS MADE PERFECT IN YOUR WEAKNESS. I will answer when I am ready and I will work out every little detail.

Lindsay, you don’t need to feel overwhelmed about getting all the housework done and worrying about if you are measuring up, FOR MY POWER IS MADE PERFECT IN YOUR WEAKNESS.  I will bless your efforts to serve your family.  

Lindsay, you don’t have to keep on giving in your strength, FOR MY POWER IS MADE PERFECT IN YOUR WEAKNESS. I will fill you so that you can keep giving of yourself even when you think there is nothing left to give.

FOR MY POWER IS MADE PERFECT IN YOUR WEAKNESS...how gracious the LORD is to give us the energy, strength, and endurance we need if we can humble ourselves by admitting our weakness and admitting we are in need of His help.  When we aren’t able, He is able.  

September 11, 2001

Where were you on the morning of September 11, 2001?  I am sure most people can remember exactly where they were that day and exactly what they were doing when they heard the news about the terrorist attacks.  I think that one day my boys will ask me about that horrible morning in the same way I asked my mom about where she was when President Kennedy was assassinated.

I was a junior in college.  Every morning before classes, my roommates and I would watch Good Morning America while we were getting ready.  We were watching as the news reports started to come in.  I remember watching the reports as I walked out the door to head to class knowing that it was serious but not realizing just how serious it was. When I walked into the classroom and sat in my seat, I knew that this was a day that would change the way we lived our lives.  My professor, who was known for never canceling class, came in and with tears in his eyes, told us to go back home and to watch the television coverage and to pray for our nation.  I walked out of the building and was overcome with the feeling that I needed to know exactly where my family was.  I pulled out my cell phone and couldn’t get my parents but I do remember talking to my grandma.  I remember her crying on the phone.  It was the first and the only time I have seen her emotional and not in control.  I remember feeling so uncertain and so scared.  The days after 9/11 were filled with much of the same and it seemed that everything was so different.  A friend was in Afghanistan serving before we could go home for Christmas break and there were yellow ribbons tied on the railings of our on-campus apartment.  

I don’t think I really realized how much that day changed me personally until lately.  After college, I met and married Hal.  The job he had after we married required him to travel and quite a lot of it was international travel.  The fear and anxiety attacks I battled over his airline travel was unlike anything I have ever faced in my life.  And each year when the anniversary of 9/11 rolls around and it seems like every program on TV focuses on analyzing the attacks, I feel that same fear and uncertainty rise up in me.  It is a feeling of panic that if it is left unchecked can take over in an instant.  In those moments, I have learned to battle those feelings a couple of different ways.  I use the sword of the Spirit and repeat scripture to myself.  I also will call out and list the names of God or the attributes of His character.  One of the scriptures I use the most is 2 Corinthians 10:3-5.  

“For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” 2 Corinthians 10:3-5

I often see verse 5 quoted or used when battling anxiety and fear, but verses 3 and 4 are usually left out.  To me personally those verses have had such an impact.  As believers in Jesus Christ, we do not fight the way the world does.  We fight with the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.  The truth that is the Word of God is what we as believers use to battle these fears and anxiety and take captive our thoughts and make them obedient to Christ.  

What are your memories of September 11, 2001?  What has God taught you as a result of the events of that day?