Notes

Freedom From Fear
I grew up with lots of fears and through Christ I've conquered many. I was previously afraid of the dark. When I was about 8 years old I didn't desire to walk to your kitchen at bedtime to have a drink of water. My mother would always get it for me personally. I was afraid of walking down the dark hallway. One night she had fallen asleep on the chair and I wanted water so bad I transpired the long hall to your kitchen. Along the way, an ironing board behind a bedroom door along the hallway made a decision to fall forward which slammed the door closed while the ironing board hit the floor with a loud thud. Well, that has been proof that my fear of the dark was validated! At least for 19 more years of my entire life.

I meditated on Scripture about fear within my first year of salvation in 1977, and got freedom from concern with the dark. Since then I don't need lights on all over the house and I could walk through the house at night without thinking something is going to eat me alive!

I used to have a concern with bugs. I was terrified at the sight of them. When I was small I saw my mother scream and run and I adopted the same posture having an added step. I'd get up on a bit of furniture and scream hysterically. Although I was getting B's in my own 9th grade Science class, the fourth quarter was the time for a bug collection that was to be the basis for the grade for that quarter. I got the only F my report cards ever saw. I couldn't even think about looking at a bug collection.

A long time ago I asked god, the father for land with woods to get His peace and presence, and after 7 years of prayer while living on a busy street, He provided it in 1989. Living in the woods gives you many opportunities to overcome a concern with bugs, but I don't think opportunity is what allows you to overcome. It's only the energy of the Holy Spirit within applying Christ's victory on the cross to everyday activity.

I wanted to renew my mind about bugs because it was absolutely ridiculous that I was so fearful about something so small and literally harmless. The planet calls it a phobia. The definition of a phobia is "an irrational fear." jars of fear There's no rhyme or reason to it. There isn't a bug in the world that is even how big is my hand, and yet my reaction appeared that it was how big is an airplane ready to land on me.

I thought about all the beautiful critters we were privileged to view in the woods and began considering bugs to be in the same category. There are several truly beautiful insects in this world and I let God show me more of His creation as I began to have the ability to stay nearby and look at bugs to find something beautiful about them. As time passes I renewed my mind so much that I possibly could actually pick them up. We had a bug jar at the house in Alabama (circumstances with many bug opportunities since there's not enough cold to kill them off easily). The bug jar was a rescue vehicle for just about any bugs that got inside the house. We put them back outside.

Roaches! I understand you experienced this bug flash across your brain -- you're wondering, aren't you? Well, I'm not that renewed yet. I still have a mental imprint about roaches, but I can say I'm not afraid of them. I can have them right into a jar and put them outside rather than screaming and fleeing for my entire life. I'm discussing wood roaches, not the kind that multiply and plague homes.

It appears the more fears I'm ready to face, the more God reveals to me. The victories and freedom as I leave them behind one by one is nothing less than incredible!

For people who have done what it takes to overcome a fear, you understand the exhilaration of getting free. It's like standing on elevated rocks with a mountain breeze blowing on your own face and during your hair as you shop around at the scenery thinking, what a powerful and awesome God we have to create what can be seen in Nature. That power can be within us never to only change our very own lives, but to change others, and also change the world for the better.

It's worthwhile to be free! It's worthwhile to take the time to face up to your fears and commence the process of evicting them from the Temple of the Holy Spirit. The workbook, "Biblical Foundations of Freedom" by Art Mathias is a tremendous blessing if you ask me since it has helped to create out fears that I didn't even know existed. And shining The Light on them is the first step to victory. It has been so refreshing to be able to recognize fears and see how they've led to various health problems. I understand I still have many hard work before me, however the rewards are so excellent and each battle is simpler than the last when i unravel the net the devil has woven around my soul. I pray that all of it will be easy to do the same.
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