What Do You Do When Fear Overpowers You?

I had a frightened call from Debbie yesterday. She wasntotally beside herself. She had just gotten off the bus andnwas at a physical as well as spiritual crossroads. She wasntotally consumed with fear, crying and shakingnuncontrollably.

Someone involved in occult practices had threatened that,nif she did not follow through on a tentative promise shenhad made, there would be consequences. Debbie, who hadnrecently accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as her Savior, hadnrun out of that house fighting against these spiritualnthreats as well as physical attempts to detain her.

Freaked out would be a good term to describe her state ofnmind. She got off the bus because she was afraid to go homenand was waiting for the connection to come here.

In the natural it is a fearful thing to be threatened,nespecially if you do not understand what you're up against.
I picked her up at the bus stop and over the course of thenafte
oon we prayed and I opened up the Scriptures thatnassure you that:

"The name of the Lord is a strong tower. The righteousnrunneth into it, and is safe." (Prov. 18: 10)

When you call on the Name of the Lord, you shall be savednfrom your enemies. (2 Sam: 22: 3-4)

After all, as Christians we're not immune from the evil innthe world. On the contrary; we are Satan's target, and hisnpreferred tool is fear. Once you're steeped in fear, whichnis the opposite of faith, then you can be manipulated bynyour thoughts.

"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil,nas a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he mayndevour; whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing thatnthe same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren thatnare in the world. But… God make you perfect, stablish,nstrengthen, settle you." (1 Pet. 5: 8-10)

You have to be aware of the fact that the devil is 'as anroaring lion. He only acts as if he's a lion, who roars tonstrike fear in its prey in order to immobilize it. But thendevil is not a lion. He has no power over you at all. Jesusnhas defeated him on the cross once and for all! It is done!
And you received the Holy Spirit when you asked Him intonyour heart:

"Greater is He that is in you, than he that is in thenworld." (1 John 4: 4) and:

"God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power,nand of love, and of a sound mind." (2 Tim. 1: 7)

Isn't it wonderful how God has provided you with everyntool to live a life of victory?

When all of Israel was fearful of the giant Goliath, therenwas one person who knew what his God-given weapons were andnhow to use them against this enemy.

No, the slingshot wasn't David's weapon; neither were thenfive smooth stones he picked up in the brook. His onenweapon was that he knew that this enemy was not to bendefeated by physical weaponry. He defeated him "in the namenof the Lord, the God of the armies of Israel"! (1 Sam. 17:
45) David's unwavering faith guided his slingshot. He knewnthat he knew that the Lord would have the victory throughnhim.

That's why the Lord says that the battle is His, notnyours. (2 Chron. 20: 15) He may use the physical, like
David's slingshot, but the battle is in the spiritual realm.

"No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; andnevery tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thounshalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of thenLord, and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord."
(Isa. 54: 17)

God commanded Joshua three times to be strong and withoutnfear because He would be with him in every battle. You haventhe very same promise: He will never leave you nor forsakenyou! (Heb. 13: 5)

Dear one, use the Name of the Lord in all your battles.
Debbie is learning to wield this weapon and is well on hernway to victory. So can you!