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Overcoming Fear through our Faith7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.Paul reminds us how fear does not come from God, but we get it by giving in to our failure to rely on the Lord and His word. Fear has conquered many a biblical character.-The Israelites couldn’t go into Cannan and wandered for 40 years in the desert because of fear. When Rahab said we were scared of You: Joshua 2:9-11.-It did in Peter when he denied the Lord and beforehand had bragged about not forsaking Christ, as did all but John, when Jesus was crucified Matt 26:74-75.-John Mark gave up and returned home when the going got tough for Paul and His uncle Barnaba Acts 15:37-38.Fear can be healthy if we understand that pleasing God is greater than all our fears. It moved Noah to build an ark.-Paul was more afraid of not pleasing God than man when He told Agrippa he was not disobedient to that heavenly vision. So he and Silas could sing praises in prison, not knowing what would happen to them.We should not fear because most of what we fear comes not from God but from the world, the flesh, and the devil. Someone has said: Fear stands for:F-ALSEE-VIDENCE A-PPEARING R-EAL. Someone has said 90% of what we fear never happens to us, and we can trust in God’s grace to overcome the other 10%.I want to suggest a greater acoustic, TRUST, standing for:T-IMELESSR-EMINDERS U-PHOLDINGS-CPIRITUAL T-RUTH.When we are weak in the flesh just remember that Paul said God’s strength was made perfect in His weakness. II Cor. 12:9The believer can overcome fear through our reminders of how God has not failed us or others in Scripture. He is always there to bolster us and overcome fear by His Holy Spirit, giving us courage, proper discernment, and clarity of His will.The Psalmist said, what time I am afraid, I will trust in thee. Ps. 56:3. More people overcame fear through their faith in Scripture than were defeated by it. John 5:4 says This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.Remind yourself of how God has overcome fear in the Bible and our lives. Uphold God’s Word. Let it not depart from your mind and mouth but meditate on it day and night Joshua 1:8a don’t let it depart from you. Remind yourself of what God has done, is doing, and will do if you trust Him fully.As the song says: “When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie, My grace all-sufficient shall be my supply, The flame shall not hurt thee-I only design, thy dross to consume and thy gold to refine from a Firm Foundation.Reach out to God, Remember His provision, Rest upon His promises, then show fear the door it will have to leave.--- Dan Nelson