The Journey Begins. What FEAR is keeping you from being FREE?

”What FEAR is keeping you from being FREE?”

This is the question God had me ask myself at the beginning of this year.
It’s something I have pondered, prayed, and cried over a lot lately! The answers were astounding to me when I was actually, truly honest with myself about the real unfiltered answers. It is never just on the surface. I challenge you to go deep and disarm your fear(s) about what God is calling you to do! God will equip and empower you to do what He’s calling you to and what you were created to do! I hope we can all find those things that are hidden in the dark and expose them to the light when we ask ourselves this question honestly.

There are two things that cause F+e+a+R:

1. e = ENEMY – The Accuser, who speaks lies!
   ❖ The lies of the enemy bring fear.

• What Lie are you believing that is holding you back from what you know you were created to do?
• Not good enough? Smart enough? Pretty enough? Strong enough? Not worthy? Too old? Too young?
• The truth is that God has gifted YOU. Just as you are; to use your unique abilities to fill a space He has created for only YOU!
  ❖ Fear keeps us from walking into unknown places. 
• What are you afraid of?
• Failure?Unacceptance? Being unequipped? Losing your influence? Not being relevant? Losing your platform? – ALL LIES of insecurity!
• The truth is that all God is asking you to do is take one step in faith! He will give you EVERYTHING you need in the process.

2. A= APATHY – Indifference, lack of enthusiasm, lack of interest, unresponsive.
❖ Do you have one foot in and one foot out?

• The fear of going “all in” is crippling and stagnating. It keeps us from seeing and experiencing all the blessings of our gifting and what God has called us to.
• Are you complacent and stagnant where you are, yet afraid to leave?
• Afraid to invest too much because of what you might have to give up or what you might lose?
• Participating, while remaining aloof, obscure and rooted in insecurity and FEARS!
• Don’t shrink back in worry and doubt, but step out and be who God has created you to be, unafraid, unapologetic, full of power and influence, while walking in humility and grace.

“Fear only attacks what we are afraid to lose” JOHN GRAY

There are two things we need to do to be FREE…

FROM …..F+e+a+R ……to ……F+R+e+e

1. e = ENLIGHTEN – Free from misinformation!
   ❖ Enlighten yourself with truth! Combat the lies of the enemy.

• The enemy lies. God speaks truth through his word (knowledge).  Read it and get it inside of you so that you will have it when you need it the most.
• The enemy brings darkness and despair. Our God brings light and hope!
• The enemy brings insecurity. The Lord, our God, is a firm foundation! He will not be shaken! He brings confidence!

2. e = EMPOWER – to enable and equip, to authorize and commission.
❖ Empowerment comes from the Spirit of God, who enables, equips, authorizes and commissions us to walk in power and might with confidence and joy.

• Be empowered to walk confidently, with unwavering purpose, fully engaged, ALL IN, sold out and highly motivated.
• Unshaken by circumstances.
• Leaning on faith and trust, while walking in obedience.

2 Timothy 1:7- “For God has not given us a spirit of
*FEAR (kjv) … (or TIMIDITY nasb)”

The Greek word for FEAR here is *Deilos – Timidity, Cowardly, Fearful. Excessive fear of losing! Lack of courage. Lack of confidence.

“But of… *POWER…”

The Greek word here for power is *dunameos – Miraculous power, might and strength. Enabled and empowered by God!

“*LOVE”

The Greek word here for Love is *agape – Good will, to take pleasure in, to long for. Affection that is by CHOICE and SELECTION. (Preferring God’s love by embracing HIS WILL, Doing what he prefers by His power.)

“and *DISCIPLINE”

The Greek word for the word in this passage is *sophronizo – It means Self-control, A settled state of mind that embraces TRUTH (God’s word/knowledge), Sober-minded, True balance, Living in divine moderation. (Accessing the circumstance and seeing the reality, while standing firm on faith and trust.)

John 8:32 – “You will know the *TRUTH (not lies, whispered by the enemy to keep us apathetic and from becoming who we were created to be, but truth grounded in the *knowledge/the word of god!) and the TRUTH will make you
FREE!”