Better Together

Will God Deliver Me from Fear? | Better Together Episode 1149

March 5, 2026 | S8 E1149 | 50:59

Fear does not have the final word! God invites our honest emotions and meets our fears with His truth. When we open our hearts to Him, we find freedom and supernatural peace. | TBN Prayer Line: 714-731-1000

Closed captions

Show Timecode

Better Together | Will God Deliver Me from Fear? | Better Together Episode 1149 | March 5, 2026

>> god has not given us a spirit of fear but of power and of love
00:01:28.988 --> 00:00:04.160
And of a sound mind.
00:00:04.160 --> 00:00:06.262
When old fears try to creep into your mind, he is the answer.
00:00:06.262 --> 00:00:10.233
Come on, let's talk about this.
00:00:10.233 --> 00:00:39.062
>> so a couple of years ago, after walking through a really
00:00:40.296 --> 00:00:43.333
Difficult time behind the scenes, you know,
00:00:43.333 --> 00:00:44.667
There's sometimes that you have public suffering and sometimes
00:00:44.667 --> 00:00:47.937
There's silent suffering that just you walk through.
00:00:47.937 --> 00:00:50.573
And so we were walking with someone really close through
00:00:50.573 --> 00:00:53.443
Suffering, and at the time, i started to feel sick.
00:00:53.443 --> 00:00:56.379
And, you know, at first you just feel like you pushed through,
00:00:56.379 --> 00:00:59.749
And it's crazy because i look back at other seasons of my life
00:00:59.749 --> 00:01:02.318
Where i literally was a widow with 3 boys, blended a family,
00:01:02.318 --> 00:01:05.955
Was dealing with adoption trauma with one of our kids and special
00:01:05.955 --> 00:01:09.792
Needs, and, you know, god had just given abundant grace.
00:01:09.792 --> 00:01:12.929
And strength in those seasons.
00:01:12.929 --> 00:01:14.831
But this season, it felt different.
00:01:14.831 --> 00:01:16.866
I felt so sick.
00:01:16.866 --> 00:01:19.502
And so, the more time i sat on the couch,
00:01:19.502 --> 00:01:20.870
The more i started to think something is really wrong
00:01:20.870 --> 00:01:24.073
With me.
00:01:24.073 --> 00:01:26.409
So, i went to different doctors, they couldn't figure out what
00:01:26.409 --> 00:01:27.243
Was going on.
00:01:27.243 --> 00:01:29.245
One time in the middle of the night,
00:01:29.245 --> 00:01:30.980
I was on my phone and i found this doctor, and i thought, ok,
00:01:30.980 --> 00:01:33.950
Maybe this is going to be the answer.
00:01:33.950 --> 00:01:35.118
So i go to this doctor, he diagnosed me, and he said,
00:01:35.118 --> 00:01:39.122
You need to clear your schedule for a year.
00:01:39.122 --> 00:01:41.191
Take sabbatical from everything, say no to everything,
00:01:41.191 --> 00:01:43.726
And go after this healing like it's your job,
00:01:43.726 --> 00:01:45.461
Because this is very serious.
00:01:45.461 --> 00:01:48.164
And so i started doing iv treatments,
00:01:48.164 --> 00:01:50.667
I cleared my calendar.
00:01:50.667 --> 00:01:52.135
I did everything that i could do,
00:01:52.135 --> 00:01:53.536
And i wasn't getting better.
00:01:53.536 --> 00:01:55.939
And what i didn't realize was because of walking through loss
00:01:55.939 --> 00:01:59.342
And walking with other people through loss,
00:01:59.342 --> 00:02:01.110
I started to slowly have this fear that was building greatly
00:02:01.110 --> 00:02:06.583
In the midst of the sickness, and the fear was that i was
00:02:06.583 --> 00:02:08.718
Going to die.
00:02:08.718 --> 00:02:10.053
Fear was that there's something very seriously wrong and that my
00:02:10.053 --> 00:02:13.456
Kids wouldn't just lose their daddy, but would lose their mom.
00:02:13.456 --> 00:02:17.360
But i've never said it out loud.
00:02:17.460 --> 00:02:19.696
It's just been something in my heart that i had wrestled with
00:02:19.696 --> 00:02:22.098
Before, but this sickness had just highlighted it.
00:02:22.098 --> 00:02:26.536
And so after months in the couch and just wrestling with it,
00:02:26.536 --> 00:02:30.073
Knowing what it was, but still, and when you're not getting
00:02:30.073 --> 00:02:32.942
Better, it just really messes with your heart and your mind
00:02:32.942 --> 00:02:35.645
And eventually was messing with my soul.
00:02:35.645 --> 00:02:38.848
And nobody likes to be sick, but i had never experienced this
00:02:38.848 --> 00:02:42.952
Type of sickness.
00:02:42.952 --> 00:02:44.487
But i distinctly remember this one night,
00:02:44.487 --> 00:02:45.922
My husband was washing the dishhees and cleaning the
00:02:45.922 --> 00:02:49.025
Kitchen because i had no energy to do it.
00:02:49.025 --> 00:02:51.628
I had my 6 kids that were all around me.
00:02:51.628 --> 00:02:53.796
They were playing legos, one was reading a book.
00:02:53.796 --> 00:02:56.566
And on the outside, you'd have thought,
00:02:56.566 --> 00:02:59.035
This is such a beautiful scene, a husband serving his wife,
00:02:59.035 --> 00:03:02.438
The kids all playing, but i was so sick on that couch.
00:03:02.438 --> 00:03:06.109
And all of a sudden, i started weeping,
00:03:06.109 --> 00:03:09.479
And this was not just like a couple of tears.
00:03:09.479 --> 00:03:11.147
It was just weeping.
00:03:11.147 --> 00:03:13.016
My heart was racing.
00:03:13.016 --> 00:03:14.417
I felt anxiety and i felt like all of these lies and fears that
00:03:14.417 --> 00:03:18.521
I had been holding down were coming up.
00:03:18.521 --> 00:03:20.256
In that moment, my husband looked over and saw me crying.
00:03:20.256 --> 00:03:23.993
He immediately dried his hands from dishes.
00:03:23.993 --> 00:03:26.095
He raced over there and he put his hands on me.
00:03:26.095 --> 00:03:28.765
He just started praying over me.
00:03:28.765 --> 00:03:31.567
And he prayed over me and he looked me in the eyes and he
00:03:31.567 --> 00:03:34.337
Said, this is not your story forever.
00:03:34.337 --> 00:03:36.673
God is going to heal you.
00:03:36.673 --> 00:03:38.875
You are going to have strength again to declare his goodness.
00:03:38.875 --> 00:03:40.877
This is not the end of the story.
00:03:40.877 --> 00:03:43.780
This is a sickness.
00:03:43.780 --> 00:03:45.081
We know what it is.
00:03:45.081 --> 00:03:46.449
You're battling it, but god is going to give you victory.
00:03:46.449 --> 00:03:48.384
And he looked at me, he said, you are not going to die.
00:03:48.384 --> 00:03:51.554
God has big plans for you and big plans for this family,
00:03:51.554 --> 00:03:54.624
And you are going to make it through this.
00:03:54.624 --> 00:03:56.759
And so in that moment,
00:03:56.759 --> 00:03:58.828
It wasn't that my body got healed instantly.
00:03:58.828 --> 00:04:02.031
It was that god revealed what was building in me for so many
00:04:02.031 --> 00:04:05.435
Years was a deep fear that needed to be ultimately healed.
00:04:05.435 --> 00:04:09.706
And so i'm so grateful.
00:04:09.706 --> 00:04:10.940
It's amazing how god works because it's not like i said any
00:04:10.940 --> 00:04:14.777
Of those things out loud.
00:04:14.777 --> 00:04:16.012
It's the holy spirit spoke through my husband to speak that
00:04:16.012 --> 00:04:19.916
Truth and literally address the lies.
00:04:19.916 --> 00:04:22.552
And pretty soon after that, when i really felt like god showed me
00:04:22.552 --> 00:04:25.988
It was fear and sickness, we could battle it a different way.
00:04:25.988 --> 00:04:31.361
And so, a month later, i had one good day.
00:04:31.361 --> 00:04:34.397
A couple weeks later, i had 2 good days.
00:04:34.397 --> 00:04:37.033
A couple of days later, i had 3 good days,
00:04:37.033 --> 00:04:39.402
And all of a sudden i started to feel like my strength was coming
00:04:39.402 --> 00:04:42.672
Back.
00:04:42.672 --> 00:04:43.940
And it's amazing how sometimes we don't notice all that god
00:04:43.940 --> 00:04:46.743
Does in the moment.
00:04:46.743 --> 00:04:48.644
And when you look back, you think, man, god,
00:04:48.644 --> 00:04:50.246
You have really healed me.
00:04:50.246 --> 00:04:51.447
Yesterday before coming here and flying into this,
00:04:51.447 --> 00:04:53.316
I literally did some high
00:04:53.316 --> 00:04:55.618
High weights, like 200 pound weights,
00:04:55.618 --> 00:04:58.488
And ran and did 4 miles, and i will never just forget,
00:04:58.488 --> 00:05:01.257
Like yesterday i was running and i was praying about what i was
00:05:01.257 --> 00:05:05.461
Going to talk about and i was just crying, saying, god,
00:05:05.461 --> 00:05:07.463
You have delivered me from my fear.
00:05:07.463 --> 00:05:11.801
Not just delivered me from my fear,
00:05:11.801 --> 00:05:13.736
But you've also delivered my body from the sickness.
00:05:13.736 --> 00:05:16.639
So sometimes god does those miracles in our life, right,
00:05:16.639 --> 00:05:20.743
Of healing us.
00:05:20.743 --> 00:05:22.044
And sometimes the miracle is god freeing us from the fear that
00:05:22.044 --> 00:05:25.715
Weighs us down.
00:05:25.715 --> 00:05:27.150
I mean, nobody likes to feel sick,
00:05:27.150 --> 00:05:28.418
And there's so many people that battle sickness.
00:05:28.418 --> 00:05:31.387
And when sickness attacks your body, it also attacks your mind.
00:05:31.387 --> 00:05:34.924
Where you start thinking, this is going to be my forever story,
00:05:34.924 --> 00:05:37.994
But i'm so grateful for the way that the lord walked with me,
00:05:37.994 --> 00:05:42.231
The way that god used people to speak truth over me,
00:05:42.231 --> 00:05:45.334
And the way that ultimately he got glory for the freedom.
00:05:45.334 --> 00:05:48.438
>> i mean, there's power in that speaking truth over someone's
00:05:48.438 --> 00:05:51.474
Life.
00:05:51.474 --> 00:05:53.009
>> i know everybody knows that there is a fear verse for every
00:05:53.109 --> 00:05:56.245
Day of the year.
00:05:56.245 --> 00:05:56.846
God commands us, do not be afraid.
00:05:57.613 --> 00:06:02.685
Fear not, for i am with you, and he always,
00:06:02.685 --> 00:06:07.023
He always answers it back with, i am with you.
00:06:07.023 --> 00:06:09.892
What can man, what can man do to you?
00:06:09.892 --> 00:06:11.994
He's in control.
00:06:12.428 --> 00:06:14.764
God is in control of our lives.
00:06:14.764 --> 00:06:15.798
And so we are to step out and, and fear not.
00:06:15.798 --> 00:06:21.304
That is a, a command that god would say.
00:06:21.304 --> 00:06:24.674
Fear thou not, i am with you.
00:06:24.774 --> 00:06:26.709
Beaten, be not afraid, for i am your god.
00:06:26.709 --> 00:06:30.780
I will strengthen you.
00:06:30.780 --> 00:06:31.247
I will help you.
00:06:31.247 --> 00:06:33.382
I'll uphold you with the right hand of my righteousness.
00:06:33.382 --> 00:06:35.952
If god is for me, who can be against me?
00:06:35.952 --> 00:06:38.421
All these beautiful things that it does not matter what man does
00:06:38.421 --> 00:06:42.458
Or what i see or the storms that roll.
00:06:42.458 --> 00:06:45.728
If god is with me, there is nothing to be afraid about.
00:06:45.728 --> 00:06:48.764
>> i had a strange thing.
00:06:49.365 --> 00:06:51.667
I was supposed to be speaking somewhere and i woke up and i
00:06:51.667 --> 00:06:52.969
Felt really bad.
00:06:52.969 --> 00:06:54.537
I thought i had the flu, but i'd committed to go and i thought,
00:06:54.537 --> 00:06:56.772
I think i'll be ok.
00:06:56.772 --> 00:06:58.341
But, so i flew in and i got up the next morning and i felt way
00:06:58.341 --> 00:07:02.245
Worse and i kind of looked at myself in the mirror and i was
00:07:02.245 --> 00:07:04.914
Like, oh gosh, this was a mistake.
00:07:04.914 --> 00:07:06.983
But then i thought, you know what?
00:07:06.983 --> 00:07:08.751
Here's what i do know for sure, i don't know if i've got the flu
00:07:08.751 --> 00:07:11.854
And i don't know if this or that.
00:07:11.854 --> 00:07:12.722
Here's what i do know for sure.
00:07:12.722 --> 00:07:13.723
I know there is power in the word of god.
00:07:13.723 --> 00:07:16.626
Now i'm not like, i don't treat my bible like a lucky rabbit's
00:07:16.626 --> 00:07:19.462
Foot, but i believe in the power of the word of god.
00:07:19.462 --> 00:07:22.398
And so i imagined myself standing at the top of stairs
00:07:22.398 --> 00:07:25.134
Going down into a cellar, and here came the first lie,
00:07:25.134 --> 00:07:29.705
You know, you can't do this, you're not well enough.
00:07:29.705 --> 00:07:32.041
If i believe that, i'm one step down.
00:07:32.041 --> 00:07:33.743
And then comes the next one, you know what,
00:07:33.743 --> 00:07:34.744
You've probably passed your time, you know,
00:07:34.744 --> 00:07:37.013
Maybe pass this baton on to somebody else,
00:07:37.013 --> 00:07:38.681
You shouldn't be doing it.
00:07:38.681 --> 00:07:39.649
I believe that, and before you know it,
00:07:39.649 --> 00:07:41.551
When you agree with those lies, you're at the bottom of the
00:07:41.551 --> 00:07:44.220
Cellar, and i stood there and i was like, i can do
00:07:44.220 --> 00:07:48.090
All things through christ, not through myself,
00:07:48.090 --> 00:07:50.927
I can do all things through christ who gives me strength.
00:07:50.927 --> 00:07:54.730
And i moved on to psalm 27.
00:07:54.730 --> 00:07:57.333
The lord is my light and my salvation.
00:07:57.333 --> 00:07:58.534
Whom shall i fear?
00:07:58.534 --> 00:08:00.736
The lord is the stronghold of my life, of whom shall i be afraid?
00:08:00.736 --> 00:08:03.639
Skip to the end.
00:08:03.639 --> 00:08:04.907
I believe i will live to see the goodness of the lord and the
00:08:04.907 --> 00:08:07.543
Land of the living.
00:08:07.543 --> 00:08:08.878
So i have discovered in my own life,
00:08:08.878 --> 00:08:11.847
It's as much of a mental battle sometimes, you know,
00:08:11.847 --> 00:08:14.984
Fear is it's like a mental battle,
00:08:14.984 --> 00:08:16.953
But i've discovered the power of the word of god to speak truth.
00:08:16.953 --> 00:08:21.891
I mean, it was amazing that your husband was given that insight
00:08:21.891 --> 00:08:23.626
And that understanding of who you are,
00:08:23.626 --> 00:08:25.728
To be able to speak directly to that lie.
00:08:25.728 --> 00:08:29.231
But for those who maybe think, well, i don't have anybody,
00:08:29.231 --> 00:08:31.901
But when you have the word of god, there is power in the
00:08:31.901 --> 00:08:35.538
Word of god.
00:08:35.538 --> 00:08:36.572
>> what i love about that example is that--
00:08:36.572 --> 00:08:38.841
And it's not even just, oh, pulling yourself up by the
00:08:38.841 --> 00:08:41.410
Bootstraps, but you made a choice.
00:08:41.410 --> 00:08:44.413
You know, and i'm reminded how in joshua 1:9,
00:08:44.513 --> 00:08:47.516
God told joshua and all of his people,
00:08:47.516 --> 00:08:49.986
Be strong and courageous.
00:08:49.986 --> 00:08:51.387
Have i not commanded you?
00:08:51.387 --> 00:08:53.189
Be strong and courageous.
00:08:53.189 --> 00:08:54.156
And it's something to obey, right?
00:08:54.156 --> 00:08:57.360
It's not like a feeling that we need to wait for.
00:08:57.360 --> 00:08:59.895
And man, fear can be a torment.
00:08:59.895 --> 00:09:02.164
It could be such a torment and paralyzingly so, right?
00:09:02.164 --> 00:09:06.636
And i think sometimes we feel like we got to wait until this
00:09:06.636 --> 00:09:10.473
Sensation of confidence comes our way before we can move
00:09:10.473 --> 00:09:13.509
Forward.
00:09:13.509 --> 00:09:14.543
Whereas true courage is something to obey.
00:09:14.543 --> 00:09:17.613
It's the willingness and the choice to obey no matter how
00:09:17.613 --> 00:09:21.684
Loud fear really is.
00:09:21.684 --> 00:09:23.986
>> yeah, isaiah 41:10 says,
00:09:23.986 --> 00:09:25.321
"this, it says, fear not, for i am with you.
00:09:25.321 --> 00:09:27.289
Be not dismayed, for i am your god.
00:09:27.289 --> 00:09:28.624
I will strengthen you, and i will help you.
00:09:28.624 --> 00:09:32.662
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."
00:09:32.662 --> 00:09:35.197
And you know, during that season of fear,
00:09:35.197 --> 00:09:36.666
I wrote scripture all over.
00:09:36.666 --> 00:09:39.502
So, because i struggled in your mind, when fear takes over,
00:09:39.602 --> 00:09:41.404
It lies and it takes over.
00:09:41.404 --> 00:09:43.239
And so i would literally have to say over and over again
00:09:43.239 --> 00:09:47.209
Be not dismayed.
00:09:47.209 --> 00:09:48.811
The lord your god is with you.
00:09:48.811 --> 00:09:50.079
He will strengthen you, he will uphold you,
00:09:50.079 --> 00:09:52.481
He will sustain you with his righteous right hand,
00:09:52.481 --> 00:09:54.316
Because you do, you're right.
00:09:54.316 --> 00:09:55.785
In those moments when we don't, everyone's not with us all the
00:09:55.785 --> 00:09:58.688
Time, right?
00:09:58.688 --> 00:09:59.822
To speak truth, but the word of god never ever fails.
00:09:59.822 --> 00:10:02.291
And we've got to preach it to our own hearts in the midst of
00:10:02.291 --> 00:10:05.795
It, because fear can take over everything if we let it.
00:10:05.795 --> 00:10:09.632
>> fear is something that can be paralyzing.
00:10:10.633 --> 00:10:12.768
I mean, it's part of life.
00:10:12.768 --> 00:10:14.036
There are things in this world that are crazy and that it's
00:10:14.036 --> 00:10:16.405
Natural to be afraid of, but you just don't want fear to control
00:10:16.405 --> 00:10:20.509
Your life.
00:10:20.509 --> 00:10:21.677
It's not that we'll never walk through things that are
00:10:21.677 --> 00:10:23.946
Difficult, but you don't want fear to be the one that you give
00:10:23.946 --> 00:10:27.149
The microphone to.
00:10:27.149 --> 00:10:28.117
You want that to be the word of god.
00:10:28.117 --> 00:10:30.553
It says in scripture that his perfect love casts out fear,
00:10:30.553 --> 00:10:35.391
And i think that that's absolutely true,
00:10:35.391 --> 00:10:36.392
But you be honest with god.
00:10:36.392 --> 00:10:39.495
If you're in a situation right now where you're really,
00:10:39.495 --> 00:10:41.797
Where something's happening and you don't know what to do and
00:10:41.797 --> 00:10:43.833
You feel afraid, bring it to the lord and then read psalm 23.
00:10:43.833 --> 00:10:47.803
I love psalm 23.
00:10:47.803 --> 00:10:49.038
The lord is not just a shepherd, the lord is your shepherd.
00:10:49.038 --> 00:10:53.042
And even if you walk through the valley of darkness or death,
00:10:53.042 --> 00:10:58.047
The lord is with you.
00:10:58.047 --> 00:10:59.048
You are not alone.
00:10:59.048 --> 00:11:00.316
>> in your story i felt like also there's two parts of it
00:11:01.517 --> 00:11:02.885
Where your husband, his obedience and wanting to speak
00:11:02.885 --> 00:11:06.989
This over you is a reminder that we also need to be obedient and
00:11:06.989 --> 00:11:12.728
Speak that into other people's lives and not hold back, right?
00:11:12.728 --> 00:11:15.664
So sometimes we can be that lifesaver in in someone's when
00:11:15.664 --> 00:11:20.636
They're drowning in their fear, but also on the other end of it
00:11:20.636 --> 00:11:24.140
That you were willing to receive.
00:11:24.140 --> 00:11:25.574
I know there have been times where
00:11:25.574 --> 00:11:27.443
Someone probably tried to throw me a lifeline.
00:11:27.443 --> 00:11:29.779
I'm like, no, i got it, you know, it's just like,
00:11:29.779 --> 00:11:32.114
And so the willingness to say, no,
00:11:32.114 --> 00:11:34.183
I'm not gonna sit and wallow in this like,
00:11:34.183 --> 00:11:36.285
Yes, you still have to feel the things you have to feel,
00:11:36.285 --> 00:11:39.021
But you're willing to have a community,
00:11:39.021 --> 00:11:40.956
Someone that loves you, help pull you out of it, and that
00:11:40.956 --> 00:11:43.626
Is effort and that's active as well.
00:11:43.626 --> 00:11:46.162
So that was, that's really cool to hear that.
00:11:46.162 --> 00:11:48.130
>> god uses all things, you know,
00:11:48.130 --> 00:11:49.465
When james talks about trials of various kinds,
00:11:49.465 --> 00:11:52.635
God uses trials of various kinds to get at our hearts.
00:11:52.635 --> 00:11:56.272
And so, you know, i looked at, you know,
00:11:56.272 --> 00:11:57.406
I had walked through loss and that had broken me.
00:11:57.406 --> 00:12:00.409
All these things had god had shipped and sanctified and
00:12:00.409 --> 00:12:03.746
Taught me things, but this part of my journey i had never walked
00:12:03.746 --> 00:12:06.615
Through, even after loss
00:12:06.615 --> 00:12:08.784
I hadn't walked through fear in this great magnitude,
00:12:08.784 --> 00:12:11.620
But this is what god used to humble me,
00:12:11.620 --> 00:12:14.323
And he used this sickness to remind me that he can be trusted
00:12:14.323 --> 00:12:17.827
Even in this stuff, even in the things that were attacking my
00:12:17.827 --> 00:12:21.330
Body, he could be trusted and that he still has good plans
00:12:21.330 --> 00:12:24.500
Even if you find yourself on the couch.
00:12:24.500 --> 00:12:26.969
He still has good plans and that he was going to use all of it in
00:12:26.969 --> 00:12:29.872
Our lives, and i will tell you, it changed me forever.
00:12:29.872 --> 00:12:32.741
I will never, ever again, be the same after walking through that
00:12:32.741 --> 00:12:35.611
Season of sickness.
00:12:35.611 --> 00:12:37.713
And i have such a compassion for people that i never ever had
00:12:37.713 --> 00:12:41.150
Before who are walking through illness,
00:12:41.150 --> 00:12:42.518
Who feel like they have to pull it together i feel like, lord,
00:12:42.518 --> 00:12:45.454
Will this always be my story?
00:12:45.454 --> 00:12:47.523
And it isn't.
00:12:47.523 --> 00:12:48.858
And if that is you today and you feel like you are always going
00:12:48.858 --> 00:12:51.894
To be sick or you are always going to be in this struggle,
00:12:51.894 --> 00:12:54.496
I just want to speak that truth over you that this is not the
00:12:54.496 --> 00:12:56.699
End of your story.
00:12:56.699 --> 00:12:58.067
That this is not going to be forever,
00:12:58.067 --> 00:13:00.236
That jesus has good things ahead of you,
00:13:00.236 --> 00:13:02.204
So keep holding on to hope.
00:13:02.204 --> 00:13:03.505
>> even if you have not experienced god's healing,
00:13:04.607 --> 00:13:07.543
You could still walk in victory because the question is,
00:13:07.543 --> 00:13:10.846
What is victory, right?
00:13:10.846 --> 00:13:13.048
Although yes, god is a healer and he's always going to heal
00:13:13.048 --> 00:13:17.386
In ways and in a timing that might be beyond our
00:13:17.386 --> 00:13:21.323
Understanding, or he may heal right away.
00:13:21.323 --> 00:13:23.792
But at the end of the day, the true victory is our growing
00:13:23.792 --> 00:13:27.496
Friendship with god and our faith that abounds in his
00:13:27.496 --> 00:13:30.499
Presence.
00:13:30.499 --> 00:13:31.467
And so i think we have to ask ourselves,
00:13:31.467 --> 00:13:33.302
What's the victory here?
00:13:33.302 --> 00:13:34.670
Um, even for the israelites, was the promised land alone the
00:13:34.670 --> 00:13:39.508
Victory, or was it that they were faithful to yahweh?
00:13:39.508 --> 00:13:42.945
And so questioning ourselves, ok,
00:13:42.945 --> 00:13:45.314
What am i prioritizing today?
00:13:45.314 --> 00:13:48.284
Is it to believe and trust and to love the presence of god,
00:13:48.284 --> 00:13:52.755
Or is it to get the outcome that i want?
00:13:52.755 --> 00:13:56.191
>> god created us to be in community and we want you to
00:13:57.359 --> 00:13:59.128
Join ours.
00:13:59.128 --> 00:14:01.263
>> follow us on social media and join our conversation.
00:14:01.263 --> 00:14:04.066
>> let's keep the conversation going.
00:14:04.934 --> 00:14:06.135
You can find the better together podcast on your favorite
00:14:06.135 --> 00:14:09.972
Listening platform.
00:14:09.972 --> 00:14:11.140
Subscribe today.
00:14:11.140 --> 00:14:16.003
Subscribe today.
00:14:16.003 --> 00:14:18.614
>> i think it's wild how convincing faith is.
00:14:19.581 --> 00:14:22.718
Um, i think sheila, you're the one that was saying like,
00:14:22.718 --> 00:14:24.219
It could just wrap your brain, you know, and it's, it,
00:14:24.219 --> 00:14:27.790
You just kind of get wrapped up in all these thoughts,
00:14:27.790 --> 00:14:31.160
And i think fear could almost feel like wisdom,
00:14:31.160 --> 00:14:33.896
Which is why we just keep playing the thoughts over and
00:14:33.896 --> 00:14:37.599
Over and over again.
00:14:37.599 --> 00:14:38.867
It almost feels like we're doing something right to protect
00:14:38.867 --> 00:14:41.937
Ourselves, and i think um when we think about when jesus was
00:14:41.937 --> 00:14:47.009
Walking on water towards his fearful disciples, he says,
00:14:47.009 --> 00:14:52.614
Have courage.
00:14:52.614 --> 00:14:54.249
It is i, right?
00:14:54.249 --> 00:14:55.818
And i think that revelation of who god is needs to interrupt
00:14:55.818 --> 00:15:01.991
The train wreck of our thoughts.
00:15:01.991 --> 00:15:04.727
It needs to interrupt the traffic jam of our thoughts.
00:15:04.727 --> 00:15:07.763
I think, like i said, when we are going through anxiety,
00:15:07.763 --> 00:15:11.633
When we're afraid, when we're tormented by our paranoia,
00:15:11.633 --> 00:15:13.936
It's easy to feel like we need to follow those thoughts,
00:15:13.936 --> 00:15:19.208
But to say no right now.\
00:15:19.208 --> 00:15:21.443
I am not going to think at all, right?
00:15:21.443 --> 00:15:24.913
And i think sometimes just even that can be a scary thing
00:15:24.913 --> 00:15:29.818
Because we feel like we have control over the situation the
00:15:29.818 --> 00:15:32.321
More we ruminate, right?
00:15:32.321 --> 00:15:34.056
But then when we say, i am not going to think and i am going to
00:15:34.056 --> 00:15:37.426
Right now behold who god is, and when we behold who we are with.
00:15:37.426 --> 00:15:44.700
I think that changes the matter completely.
00:15:44.700 --> 00:15:47.269
I think when we're trying to climb our way out of our fears
00:15:47.269 --> 00:15:53.175
On our own with our own thoughts,
00:15:53.175 --> 00:15:55.811
That's when we get swamped.
00:15:55.811 --> 00:15:57.112
But to interrupt our thoughts with the revelation of who god
00:15:57.112 --> 00:16:02.584
Is, to remind ourselves who we're actually with,
00:16:02.584 --> 00:16:06.121
I think that's a game changer.
00:16:06.121 --> 00:16:07.523
>> i love the way jesus did warfare when he was in the
00:16:07.523 --> 00:16:11.693
Desert.
00:16:11.693 --> 00:16:12.528
>> yeah.
00:16:12.528 --> 00:16:13.429
>> and the enemy comes, speaks a lie.
00:16:13.429 --> 00:16:15.397
If you do this, i'll make you.
00:16:15.397 --> 00:16:19.902
And jesus spoke truth to a lie all three times, truth to a lie,
00:16:20.002 --> 00:16:27.042
And then he said, satan, get behind me.
00:16:27.042 --> 00:16:30.245
I'm not gonna look at you anymore.
00:16:30.245 --> 00:16:31.814
>> that's right.
00:16:31.814 --> 00:16:32.014
>> so i think in our, in our walk with god
00:16:32.981 --> 00:16:37.386
Satan always wanted the attention.
00:16:38.220 --> 00:16:40.389
He always wanted the glory.
00:16:40.389 --> 00:16:42.758
He always wanted all of that and
00:16:42.758 --> 00:16:45.794
Here today we have a tendency to talk about
00:16:45.794 --> 00:16:51.400
How the devil is after us and and all the crazy things and,
00:16:51.400 --> 00:16:56.705
And jesus said i'm not gonna look at you any longer and so in
00:16:56.705 --> 00:17:00.375
Our life satan doesn't have anything to do with my life he
00:17:00.375 --> 00:17:04.379
Doesn't have anything to do.
00:17:04.379 --> 00:17:06.582
There is nothing between me and god that i have to get through,
00:17:06.582 --> 00:17:10.352
And when he says take captive every thought.
00:17:10.352 --> 00:17:15.524
So it's not the devil chasing after me, coming after me,
00:17:15.624 --> 00:17:19.461
It's god coming after me, god saying come, come, come,
00:17:19.461 --> 00:17:24.800
So we fix our eyes on jesus and when we do that and we take
00:17:24.800 --> 00:17:29.371
Those thoughts captive that that want to raise itself above who
00:17:29.371 --> 00:17:34.543
God is.
00:17:34.543 --> 00:17:36.411
That he's not my healer or that he's gonna leave me and i'm
00:17:36.411 --> 00:17:39.047
Gonna fail or i'm gonna die or i'm gonna succumb to whatever
00:17:39.047 --> 00:17:44.953
And speaking truth to that lie, no, i am the healed of the lord.
00:17:44.953 --> 00:17:51.226
I will live and not die, you know,
00:17:51.226 --> 00:17:53.996
By his stripes i am healed.
00:17:53.996 --> 00:17:56.298
It's not that we're just confessing things that aren't
00:17:56.298 --> 00:17:59.101
True.
00:17:59.101 --> 00:18:00.769
We're confessing the word of god that sets us free from anything
00:18:00.869 --> 00:18:04.640
That would hold our minds or our thoughts above the sovereignty
00:18:04.640 --> 00:18:07.976
Of god that he is in control of our lives and so i think the way
00:18:07.976 --> 00:18:14.116
That we find ourselves in fear and anxiety and
00:18:14.116 --> 00:18:19.288
All of that stuff, speaking the word
00:18:19.288 --> 00:18:21.490
Of god like your husband did speaking over
00:18:21.490 --> 00:18:24.893
Your friends like you i just saw you do back there which was so
00:18:24.893 --> 00:18:28.764
Beautiful you're speaking life we're speaking life over each
00:18:28.764 --> 00:18:32.467
Other it's what we do if we have jesus inside of us
00:18:32.467 --> 00:18:36.238
We're speaking truth and i think that's such a powerful thing
00:18:36.238 --> 00:18:40.042
That we keep our eyes fixed and there's nothing that the enemy
00:18:40.042 --> 00:18:45.514
Can do to stop anything around me from the goodness of god
00:18:45.514 --> 00:18:48.283
Because everything that pertains to life and godliness is mine
00:18:48.283 --> 00:18:53.222
Right here and now, my joy, my peace.
00:18:53.222 --> 00:18:55.924
My provision, my healing, my sound mind,
00:18:55.924 --> 00:19:01.396
Everything that we need is mine right now because that's who god
00:19:01.396 --> 00:19:05.434
Is and god lives on the inside of us.
00:19:05.434 --> 00:19:07.402
>> and you sought the lord and he answered you and he delivers
00:19:07.502 --> 00:19:11.139
You from all of your fears.
00:19:11.139 --> 00:19:12.040
If you feel trapped by fear, i just want to encourage you to
00:19:13.308 --> 00:19:17.012
Literally lay it all before the lord.
00:19:17.012 --> 00:19:19.815
Nothing holding back.
00:19:19.815 --> 00:19:21.283
Oftentimes we're scared to get to the root of what the fear
00:19:21.283 --> 00:19:24.253
Truly is, why our bodies are responding the way,
00:19:24.253 --> 00:19:26.922
Why our minds are responding, and honestly why our actions
00:19:26.922 --> 00:19:29.291
Are.
00:19:29.291 --> 00:19:31.193
Fear oftentimes look like control in our lives,
00:19:31.193 --> 00:19:33.495
That we cannot control everything,
00:19:33.495 --> 00:19:35.130
And so there's a fear rising up.
00:19:35.130 --> 00:19:36.331
But i just want to encourage you that jesus holds you.
00:19:36.331 --> 00:19:39.468
He controls all things, and he is over all things,
00:19:39.468 --> 00:19:42.304
And he will help you overcome.
00:19:42.304 --> 00:19:43.939
He is the one that has total authority.
00:19:43.939 --> 00:19:46.108
He is the one that can do something in our lives,
00:19:46.108 --> 00:19:49.378
The miracle that you need him to do,
00:19:49.378 --> 00:19:51.380
And he can do more in a moment than we can do in a lifetime
00:19:51.380 --> 00:19:54.283
So surrender it to him.
00:19:54.283 --> 00:19:55.984
Give him that sphere and ask the lord to give you the faith to
00:19:55.984 --> 00:19:59.321
Walk through and walk in total victory.
00:19:59.321 --> 00:20:03.025
And it's the seeking the lord--
00:20:03.759 --> 00:20:04.893
I love what you said about fixing your eyes on that,
00:20:04.893 --> 00:20:06.995
Because even in that journey, there was a season where i was
00:20:06.995 --> 00:20:09.998
Trying to get wisdom of like, how do i go about the sickness,
00:20:09.998 --> 00:20:12.534
Whatever.
00:20:12.534 --> 00:20:13.702
And so i joined some online forums, and pretty soon,
00:20:13.702 --> 00:20:16.838
You know what feeds your fear is when you hear the worst of the
00:20:16.838 --> 00:20:20.042
Things.
00:20:20.042 --> 00:20:21.543
And so, literally after that time when he prayed over me,
00:20:21.543 --> 00:20:24.446
And he spoke that over me i didn't look at them again.
00:20:24.446 --> 00:20:27.916
I was like, i'm going to walk in what god has called me to do,
00:20:28.016 --> 00:20:30.952
And it changes your mindset.
00:20:30.952 --> 00:20:33.255
It's consuming the word of god, consuming the hope,
00:20:33.255 --> 00:20:35.857
Consuming truth.
00:20:35.857 --> 00:20:37.359
And you know, there's times where you may not even have
00:20:37.359 --> 00:20:38.860
Energy to read the word, play it.
00:20:38.860 --> 00:20:41.430
We have these amazing things on our phones that we can listen to
00:20:41.430 --> 00:20:45.133
The word of god just be played over you.
00:20:45.133 --> 00:20:46.168
If you feel too sick to read, play the word,
00:20:46.168 --> 00:20:49.771
Play worship music.
00:20:49.771 --> 00:20:51.139
Sometimes we don't have the strength to sing.
00:20:51.139 --> 00:20:53.342
Let someone else sing hope over you until you can sing it
00:20:53.342 --> 00:20:55.177
Yourself.
00:20:55.177 --> 00:20:57.579
But that is the goodness of god is that he meets us wherever we
00:20:57.579 --> 00:21:00.582
Are, even in the bed, even in the hospital,
00:21:00.582 --> 00:21:03.785
Even in all of our fears.
00:21:03.785 --> 00:21:05.120
But i love that it says that in psalms 34:4, "i sought the lord.
00:21:05.120 --> 00:21:08.790
So we have to seek him, and he answered me and he delivered me
00:21:08.790 --> 00:21:13.595
From all of my fears."
00:21:13.595 --> 00:21:14.696
>> i love how in your story you chose to look away,
00:21:14.796 --> 00:21:16.798
And i think that's the hardest part, you know,
00:21:16.798 --> 00:21:20.602
Because we feel like we got to keep looking.
00:21:20.602 --> 00:21:23.705
Maybe it's a sense of control, maybe it's a sense of, oh,
00:21:23.705 --> 00:21:28.477
As long as my eyes are fixed on this,
00:21:28.477 --> 00:21:30.912
Then i have a handle on the matter.
00:21:30.912 --> 00:21:34.483
But it's interesting because when you look in the bible,
00:21:34.483 --> 00:21:37.119
Where our eyes go, our faith goes.
00:21:37.119 --> 00:21:39.988
The moment eve and adam looked at the fruit, all of a sudden,
00:21:39.988 --> 00:21:45.293
You know, their perspective changed.
00:21:45.293 --> 00:21:47.429
It's when peter saw the winds and the waves,
00:21:47.429 --> 00:21:49.965
That's when he sank into the water.
00:21:49.965 --> 00:21:51.333
It's where our eyes go.
00:21:51.333 --> 00:21:53.168
And i remember there was a time when i was like really anxious,
00:21:53.168 --> 00:21:57.606
Like i felt like i was doomed, and i was scrolling on social
00:21:57.606 --> 00:21:59.741
Media, which you should not do.
00:21:59.741 --> 00:22:01.977
That's like the last thing you should do,
00:22:01.977 --> 00:22:03.278
But we always do what we shouldn't be doing, you know,
00:22:03.278 --> 00:22:05.580
And i remember like, it would just feed.
00:22:05.580 --> 00:22:08.216
And confirm and affirm every one of my paranoias,
00:22:08.216 --> 00:22:11.920
And i felt the holy spirit say, you have permission to look
00:22:11.920 --> 00:22:15.056
Away.
00:22:15.056 --> 00:22:16.358
Like you have permission to look away.
00:22:16.358 --> 00:22:19.661
And i remember thinking, oh, the compulsive need in me to keep
00:22:19.661 --> 00:22:23.331
Staring at what scares me.
00:22:23.331 --> 00:22:27.335
It was hard, you know, but you have to make that choice.
00:22:27.335 --> 00:22:30.572
You have permission to look away,
00:22:30.572 --> 00:22:33.975
To not listen to what people are writing on social media, to,
00:22:33.975 --> 00:22:38.180
To not look at the news 24/7.
00:22:38.180 --> 00:22:41.316
You have permission to look away and look at god,
00:22:41.316 --> 00:22:44.853
And i think sometimes we forget that his presence itself is a
00:22:44.853 --> 00:22:49.391
Refuge.
00:22:49.391 --> 00:22:51.660
You know, and i think sometimes we think it's a poetic
00:22:51.760 --> 00:22:54.396
Insinuation in the bible, like, oh, he's, you know,
00:22:54.396 --> 00:22:57.666
We hide in the shelter of the almighty, right?
00:22:57.666 --> 00:23:00.202
And we think, oh, it's just a song, it's just poetry,
00:23:00.202 --> 00:23:02.871
But i really think the psalmist meant that literally,
00:23:02.871 --> 00:23:06.808
That his presence is a realm.
00:23:06.808 --> 00:23:09.978
A refuge that we step into by faith, by acknowledging him,
00:23:09.978 --> 00:23:14.850
You know, and god is saying, you have permission to look away
00:23:14.850 --> 00:23:19.788
From what you're physically seeing and use your spiritual
00:23:19.788 --> 00:23:22.958
Eyes to see the refuge, the fortress that is your true
00:23:22.958 --> 00:23:27.629
Protection.
00:23:27.629 --> 00:23:29.498
>> so we just need to take time and be open first to healing
00:23:29.598 --> 00:23:34.002
Instead of holding on so tightly to this.
00:23:34.002 --> 00:23:37.272
Some of us kind of like just wanna be caught up in fear,
00:23:37.272 --> 00:23:40.475
And i think that's the first question.
00:23:40.475 --> 00:23:41.409
Do i kind of just want to be afraid?
00:23:41.409 --> 00:23:44.479
And once you've answered that question,
00:23:44.579 --> 00:23:46.314
I think the next step is just actually releasing it.
00:23:46.314 --> 00:23:49.417
It's easier to hold on to it like this, um,
00:23:49.417 --> 00:23:52.087
And it's also easier to open your hand than it is to have it
00:23:52.087 --> 00:23:56.024
Pried out of your hand.
00:23:56.024 --> 00:23:57.325
So, it's, it comes down to our own choice, i think.
00:23:57.325 --> 00:23:59.561
>> i remember years ago interviewing elizabeth elliott,
00:24:00.762 --> 00:24:03.565
And she had been married to jim elliott,
00:24:03.565 --> 00:24:04.933
The missionary who lost his life with the aua indians,
00:24:04.933 --> 00:24:08.803
And her daughter valerie, i think valerie was 3
00:24:08.803 --> 00:24:12.541
When jim was shot.
00:24:12.541 --> 00:24:14.743
And my thought would have been as a parent, well,
00:24:14.743 --> 00:24:17.979
I'm coming back to america, but she felt like they had not
00:24:17.979 --> 00:24:22.384
Finished their mission, that god had called them to reach this
00:24:22.384 --> 00:24:25.287
Tribe of indians, and even though those very people had
00:24:25.287 --> 00:24:27.822
Taken her husband's life and nate's life and all the other
00:24:27.822 --> 00:24:30.392
Guys, she felt like it wasn't over.
00:24:30.392 --> 00:24:33.194
She hadn't been given a job, job done.
00:24:33.194 --> 00:24:35.730
And she told me that she talked to one of her closest friends
00:24:35.730 --> 00:24:38.567
And said to her, i don't really know what to do.
00:24:38.567 --> 00:24:40.635
And her friend asked her, she said,
00:24:40.635 --> 00:24:43.238
Do you feel as if you're supposed to still be here?
00:24:43.238 --> 00:24:45.574
And she said, yes.
00:24:45.574 --> 00:24:48.176
And she said, are you afraid?
00:24:48.176 --> 00:24:49.644
And she said yes.
00:24:49.644 --> 00:24:51.012
She said, then do it afraid, do it afraid.
00:24:51.012 --> 00:24:53.515
And there was something about that.
00:24:53.515 --> 00:24:54.983
I mean that doesn't mean we foolishly jump into random
00:24:54.983 --> 00:24:57.085
Flames, but sometimes if you know that god has called you to
00:24:57.085 --> 00:25:01.256
Something and it feels like way bigger than you can do and
00:25:01.256 --> 00:25:05.093
You're afraid, then faith says do it afraid.
00:25:05.093 --> 00:25:07.729
And even as you step out, god will give you the,
00:25:07.729 --> 00:25:10.665
What you need.
00:25:10.665 --> 00:25:11.967
I, i love the fact that the very first time the children of
00:25:11.967 --> 00:25:14.102
Israel came to a vast body of water.
00:25:14.102 --> 00:25:17.172
All they had, moses had to hold up.
00:25:17.172 --> 00:25:19.374
That was all in the water.
00:25:19.374 --> 00:25:21.042
The next time with joshua, when it's time to actually go into
00:25:21.042 --> 00:25:24.913
The promised land, the priests have to get their feet wet,
00:25:24.913 --> 00:25:27.515
They have to step into the jordan river before it parts.
00:25:27.515 --> 00:25:29.985
But sometimes i think as god's growing us up in our faith,
00:25:29.985 --> 00:25:34.556
At times all we have to do is stand there and watch the lord
00:25:34.556 --> 00:25:37.726
Deliver us, but sometimes you have to be willing to move,
00:25:37.726 --> 00:25:40.228
To move, to put your feet in the water and say, ok.
00:25:40.228 --> 00:25:42.764
>> yes is good.
00:25:42.764 --> 00:25:43.798
>> the fear is hard because fear either makes
00:25:43.798 --> 00:25:45.967
Us flee, it freezes us, it makes us fight all these things that
00:25:45.967 --> 00:25:50.405
Fear does inside for us and it comes down to there's this
00:25:50.405 --> 00:25:55.644
Cognitive dissonance, right, of the why.
00:25:55.644 --> 00:25:58.279
Why are we afraid?
00:25:58.279 --> 00:26:00.215
And it usually comes down to us feeling like we're not in
00:26:00.215 --> 00:26:05.186
Control or we're out of control, um,
00:26:05.186 --> 00:26:08.590
And it's nothing that we can do anymore,
00:26:08.590 --> 00:26:10.258
Which is why what you're saying is so important because the
00:26:10.258 --> 00:26:11.526
Faith part has nothing to do with us we have to get to that
00:26:11.526 --> 00:26:14.796
Place of, ok, yeah, fear is fine as long as we don't sit in it
00:26:14.796 --> 00:26:17.999
And make that the bigger thing, make that the thing that we're
00:26:17.999 --> 00:26:20.835
Worshiping we don't practice some
00:26:20.835 --> 00:26:22.404
Of these, you know, it's just to be still we don't practice our
00:26:22.404 --> 00:26:25.540
Sabbaths we don't practice sacred rhythms that allow us to
00:26:25.540 --> 00:26:29.644
Go back to the place of remembering who is god and who
00:26:29.644 --> 00:26:33.915
Is god in us and we're image bearers and so we get locked up
00:26:33.915 --> 00:26:37.819
In these things.
00:26:37.819 --> 00:26:39.354
I'm not saying the fear is not real.
00:26:39.354 --> 00:26:40.588
I'm saying that it should not be given the power that we
00:26:40.588 --> 00:26:44.693
Allow it.
00:26:44.693 --> 00:26:45.994
And so being still taking those sacred rhythms and reminding
00:26:45.994 --> 00:26:49.631
Ourselves that we're, no, not, we're not in control because we
00:26:49.631 --> 00:26:52.400
Shouldn't be allows us some rest in that and maybe just some
00:26:52.400 --> 00:26:58.339
Solace in the sail and a breath of,
00:26:58.339 --> 00:27:00.508
Ok, the creator is bigger than this.
00:27:00.508 --> 00:27:05.547
He's got it.
00:27:05.947 --> 00:27:07.282
What have i to fear?
00:27:07.816 --> 00:27:09.017
>> i don't know if you're familiar with um what they call
00:27:10.218 --> 00:27:12.620
Spiritual disciplines.
00:27:12.620 --> 00:27:13.722
I mean they're given all sorts of different titles,
00:27:13.722 --> 00:27:15.090
But there's certain habits that we set up in our life that kind
00:27:15.090 --> 00:27:18.560
Of help navigate the journey we're on,
00:27:18.560 --> 00:27:21.596
And for me they're really important.
00:27:21.596 --> 00:27:23.465
Number one is, is prayer, you know, talking to god,
00:27:23.465 --> 00:27:28.069
Communicating with god, interceding for friends,
00:27:28.069 --> 00:27:31.506
Bringing my requests, um, but then also listening.
00:27:31.506 --> 00:27:34.743
And if you feel like i'm not very good at praying,
00:27:34.743 --> 00:27:37.045
It doesn't matter.
00:27:37.045 --> 00:27:38.079
A great scottish writer, john bunyan said,
00:27:38.079 --> 00:27:40.448
It's better to have a heart without words than words without
00:27:40.448 --> 00:27:42.317
A heart, and then worship.
00:27:42.317 --> 00:27:44.953
It's beautiful that you and i are invited into the presence of
00:27:44.953 --> 00:27:47.856
The lord to worship him and remind ourselves of who he is
00:27:47.856 --> 00:27:52.026
And community.
00:27:52.026 --> 00:27:53.428
You know, we live in a culture where it's very easy to isolate.
00:27:53.428 --> 00:27:55.964
You know, we've kind of got everything at our fingertips
00:27:55.964 --> 00:27:59.067
With, you know, laptops and everything,
00:27:59.067 --> 00:28:00.835
But we need one another.
00:28:00.835 --> 00:28:02.871
The body of christ, we're there to build one another up and to
00:28:02.871 --> 00:28:05.774
Remind each other of who god is and how much we are loved.
00:28:05.774 --> 00:28:10.345
And when you make these things part of your everyday life,
00:28:10.345 --> 00:28:13.381
They help you keep your eyes fixed on where you're going,
00:28:13.381 --> 00:28:16.651
And we're all heading home.
00:28:16.651 --> 00:28:18.119
The follow up chapter to elizabeth's story is that they
00:28:19.254 --> 00:28:21.656
Did stay and she got to lead the very man who killed her husband
00:28:21.656 --> 00:28:25.393
To christ.
00:28:25.393 --> 00:28:26.427
A lot of them didn't know what the time was
00:28:26.427 --> 00:28:27.896
On that morning when they landed the little plane on the shore
00:28:27.896 --> 00:28:29.931
And the indians started coming out and with their spears,
00:28:29.931 --> 00:28:33.568
Jim had a gun, but he'd made a promise to god he would never
00:28:33.568 --> 00:28:37.438
Shoot somebody who hadn't heard the gospel.
00:28:37.438 --> 00:28:39.541
And so he could have defended himself that day,
00:28:39.541 --> 00:28:41.743
But he chose not to.
00:28:41.743 --> 00:28:43.378
But elizabeth, his wife, because she remained true to that call,
00:28:43.378 --> 00:28:47.048
Had the privilege.
00:28:47.048 --> 00:28:48.416
And jim would know that one day when that gentleman walked
00:28:48.416 --> 00:28:50.819
Through the gates of heaven, through gates of splendor.
00:28:50.819 --> 00:28:53.922
Yeah, it's pretty amazing.
00:28:53.922 --> 00:28:55.156
>> you know, fear doesn't have authority, jesus does.
00:28:55.156 --> 00:28:57.792
And so i think we have to walk into that authority of going,
00:28:57.792 --> 00:29:00.929
Fear, you do not own me.
00:29:00.929 --> 00:29:02.831
You do not own my story.
00:29:02.831 --> 00:29:04.165
You do not write my story.
00:29:04.165 --> 00:29:05.767
Jesus is all authority, and he has authority over all of our
00:29:05.767 --> 00:29:09.604
Fear.
00:29:09.604 --> 00:29:10.705
And so i think walking in that and resting in that,
00:29:10.705 --> 00:29:13.007
That god is writing our story and that fear
00:29:13.007 --> 00:29:15.710
Doesn't get to write her story.
00:29:15.710 --> 00:29:17.045
But i think having people that step into your life,
00:29:17.045 --> 00:29:20.181
Having good rhythms of speaking truth, you know,
00:29:20.181 --> 00:29:22.050
If we're struggling with it and we're stuck in this cycle over
00:29:22.050 --> 00:29:26.221
And over again, you have to do something to stop the cycle.
00:29:26.221 --> 00:29:29.290
So, you know, it may look like getting a godly counselor,
00:29:29.290 --> 00:29:33.094
Maybe a mentor and sitting down with someone.
00:29:33.094 --> 00:29:35.330
For me, i reached out to someone who had walked through sickness
00:29:35.330 --> 00:29:37.966
And got victory, who was able to say, listen, you're on your way.
00:29:37.966 --> 00:29:41.836
You just missed these signs.
00:29:41.836 --> 00:29:43.004
Because you're struggling with fear, you've got signs,
00:29:43.004 --> 00:29:44.272
God is doing things.
00:29:44.272 --> 00:29:46.574
Why don't you write down every little sliver of healing that
00:29:46.574 --> 00:29:49.644
You see, instead of every sliver of sickness you see.
00:29:49.644 --> 00:29:53.181
It changes your whole perspective.
00:29:53.181 --> 00:29:55.183
And then you walk into that victory,
00:29:55.183 --> 00:29:57.752
Knowing that god is at work, he is doing something,
00:29:57.752 --> 00:29:59.621
But sometimes our perspectives are so off,
00:29:59.621 --> 00:30:03.091
We don't even see him at work.
00:30:03.091 --> 00:30:04.392
We think, god, you're not doing something.
00:30:04.392 --> 00:30:06.327
Oh god, is it ever going to get better?
00:30:06.327 --> 00:30:08.630
But when we sit down and we remember what god
00:30:08.630 --> 00:30:12.267
Has done in the past, how faithful he's been.
00:30:12.267 --> 00:30:14.669
He's not going to stop being with us now.
00:30:14.669 --> 00:30:17.705
He promises to be with us, but there's something in our heads
00:30:17.705 --> 00:30:20.441
That sometimes think, oh, god was faithful then,
00:30:20.441 --> 00:30:22.677
He was with me there.
00:30:22.677 --> 00:30:23.778
But you know what?
00:30:23.778 --> 00:30:24.846
I, i just don't know if he's going to do it now.
00:30:24.846 --> 00:30:26.648
But the kindness and the goodness of god and his
00:30:26.648 --> 00:30:28.950
Character over and over and over again is that he never stops
00:30:28.950 --> 00:30:33.321
Being who he promises he is.
00:30:33.321 --> 00:30:35.189
He's even greater than we could even imagine.
00:30:35.189 --> 00:30:37.392
And so we can walk in that every circumstance
00:30:37.392 --> 00:30:40.094
To know god will be with me in this.
00:30:40.094 --> 00:30:41.996
I can trust him.
00:30:41.996 --> 00:30:43.364
I can see that i've walked through things i never thought
00:30:43.364 --> 00:30:44.732
I'd walk through and get on the other side,
00:30:44.732 --> 00:30:47.268
And i have gotten on the other side because jesus,
00:30:47.268 --> 00:30:50.338
Jesus walked me to the other side,
00:30:50.338 --> 00:30:52.307
And if god can do it for me, he can do it for you,
00:30:52.307 --> 00:30:55.109
And that is who he is.
00:30:55.109 --> 00:30:56.678
He will not just be faithful to you and your story and faithful
00:30:56.678 --> 00:30:59.347
To you and your story.
00:30:59.347 --> 00:31:00.815
He's gonna be faithful to all of us and all of our stories.
00:31:00.815 --> 00:31:03.651
He's the gap-filling god and he's the healer in all of our
00:31:03.651 --> 00:31:06.521
Stories.
00:31:06.521 --> 00:31:07.388
>> look, i'm going to be honest, when fear starts to creep in,
00:31:08.656 --> 00:31:12.393
It gets very difficult for me to rest in god's sovereignty.
00:31:12.393 --> 00:31:16.397
I could meditate, do the bible studies, listen to sermons,
00:31:16.397 --> 00:31:18.866
Read the bible, but fear sometimes can be so overwhelming
00:31:18.866 --> 00:31:24.372
That i need to reach for somebody else that carries a
00:31:24.372 --> 00:31:28.710
Piece of god.
00:31:28.710 --> 00:31:30.178
And sometimes peace is not taught, it's caught.
00:31:30.178 --> 00:31:33.881
Right?
00:31:33.881 --> 00:31:35.316
And so sometimes i need to find somebody that is biblically
00:31:35.316 --> 00:31:39.020
Based, spirit led, whether it's a friend,
00:31:39.020 --> 00:31:42.390
Whether it's my husband, and talk to them about it.
00:31:42.390 --> 00:31:46.260
>> and we're a forgetful people.
00:31:46.961 --> 00:31:48.463
I am at least, what day is it?
00:31:48.463 --> 00:31:52.033
So, but i do journal.
00:31:52.033 --> 00:31:53.968
My husband and i have a journal.
00:31:53.968 --> 00:31:55.336
It's a bullet journal, and we write down things that worry us,
00:31:55.336 --> 00:31:57.038
Things that we wanna pray over our friends,
00:31:57.038 --> 00:31:59.640
And we just do bullets, not like a whole paragraph or anything,
00:31:59.640 --> 00:32:01.042
Bullet, bullet, bullet, and we leave a space on the side in a
00:32:01.042 --> 00:32:03.611
Different color and when it's answered,
00:32:03.611 --> 00:32:07.382
We say the date that was answered and how it was answered
00:32:07.382 --> 00:32:10.418
And it is a good reminder to go back when we have fear,
00:32:10.418 --> 00:32:13.588
When we have worries to go back and look through and go look at
00:32:13.588 --> 00:32:16.791
How faithful you are god, look at what you have done.
00:32:16.791 --> 00:32:19.394
Thank you for reminding me and so we have to do put some of
00:32:19.394 --> 00:32:23.031
These practices in place too to remind us that god is not a god
00:32:23.031 --> 00:32:26.200
Of fear he's bigger than all of it.
00:32:26.200 --> 00:32:27.769
>> yeah, and a stake in the ground, you know,
00:32:27.769 --> 00:32:29.437
If sometimes journaling or writing that saying god,
00:32:29.437 --> 00:32:32.306
I am believing for this, i'm asking you to do that.
00:32:32.306 --> 00:32:34.008
The other day i was reading through james,
00:32:34.008 --> 00:32:36.577
And i had written a year ago, god,
00:32:36.577 --> 00:32:39.347
I'm asking that you would just heal my body of this sickness
00:32:39.347 --> 00:32:41.783
Where it doesn't rule my day.
00:32:41.783 --> 00:32:44.185
And you know what?
00:32:44.185 --> 00:32:45.119
It doesn't rule my day anymore.
00:32:45.119 --> 00:32:46.487
God has given me victory, but it was so neat for me to see the
00:32:46.487 --> 00:32:49.424
Exact date, exact prayer by that passage that i had forgotten
00:32:49.424 --> 00:32:52.960
That i wrote down.
00:32:52.960 --> 00:32:54.395
And it was just that reminder, like you were saying, of those,
00:32:54.395 --> 00:32:56.697
We need to remind ourselves of the faithfulness of god.
00:32:56.697 --> 00:32:59.901
And it talks about that in scripture,
00:32:59.901 --> 00:33:01.235
To remember his faithfulness by knight,
00:33:01.235 --> 00:33:03.471
His loving kindness, his steadfastness when we're not
00:33:03.471 --> 00:33:05.673
Steadfast, you know, and when we ponder on the truths of who god
00:33:05.673 --> 00:33:10.478
Is and his character, it helps us trust him more.
00:33:10.478 --> 00:33:13.381
>> yeah, i think that's a great reminder to take what god is
00:33:13.481 --> 00:33:17.485
Doing more seriously than what the enemy is doing.
00:33:17.485 --> 00:33:20.721
I remember once we got a german shepherd.
00:33:20.721 --> 00:33:23.758
Her name is lady.
00:33:23.758 --> 00:33:24.759
>> i love german shepherds.
00:33:24.759 --> 00:33:25.560
>> she's the best.
00:33:25.560 --> 00:33:27.228
She's the best.
00:33:27.228 --> 00:33:28.496
And eventually as she grew up, i mean this,
00:33:28.496 --> 00:33:31.632
This dog is everywhere.
00:33:31.632 --> 00:33:34.435
I mean, she, like her ears are always turning to whatever noise
00:33:34.435 --> 00:33:39.273
She's hearing, and she's always pacing the house, she's--
00:33:39.273 --> 00:33:43.277
When she's in the lawn, she's pacing the lawn, you know,
00:33:43.277 --> 00:33:45.947
She protects our home from one amazon driver at a time,
00:33:45.947 --> 00:33:50.151
You know, like she, she takes it very seriously,
00:33:50.151 --> 00:33:53.421
But i think what what really marked me was realizing, ok,
00:33:53.421 --> 00:33:57.391
This dog, is very well aware that her job
00:33:57.391 --> 00:34:02.196
Is to look out for noises, to look out for threats,
00:34:02.196 --> 00:34:07.602
And to protect.
00:34:07.602 --> 00:34:08.136
That's her job.
00:34:08.136 --> 00:34:09.737
So all she's doing all day is listening for noises,
00:34:09.737 --> 00:34:14.509
For threats, looking out for anything suspicious,
00:34:14.509 --> 00:34:17.478
And when i look at that, i realized, wait,
00:34:17.478 --> 00:34:19.247
My job is not that.
00:34:19.247 --> 00:34:22.950
>> that's right.
00:34:22.950 --> 00:34:24.218
>> my job is not for my ears to be turning for every
00:34:24.218 --> 00:34:26.621
Little noise, for every little threat.
00:34:26.621 --> 00:34:30.324
My job is not to be pacing around my life looking for
00:34:30.324 --> 00:34:33.728
Anything that could possibly come to my door.
00:34:33.728 --> 00:34:35.396
Like that's not my job.
00:34:35.396 --> 00:34:37.765
My job as a child of god,
00:34:37.765 --> 00:34:40.368
Is to seek first his kingdom and his righteousness,
00:34:40.368 --> 00:34:44.238
And all these things will be given on to me as well.
00:34:44.238 --> 00:34:47.008
You know, and sometimes i forget that,
00:34:47.008 --> 00:34:48.075
Sometimes we forget what a prerogative is, right?
00:34:48.075 --> 00:34:52.580
And as to your point, like what am i looking for each day?
00:34:52.580 --> 00:34:56.784
Like what am i, what are my eyes looking for?
00:34:56.784 --> 00:34:58.786
What are my ears looking for?
00:34:58.786 --> 00:35:00.888
If you are paranoid.
00:35:00.888 --> 00:35:02.456
About the way people are thinking about you or talking
00:35:02.456 --> 00:35:05.760
About you or reputation, your ears will always be listening on
00:35:05.760 --> 00:35:09.397
Other people's conversations.
00:35:09.397 --> 00:35:11.132
Your eyes will always be scrolling through the comments
00:35:11.132 --> 00:35:13.201
On social media.
00:35:13.201 --> 00:35:15.436
You're always going to be looking for what you are afraid
00:35:15.436 --> 00:35:18.406
Of, but that's not your job.
00:35:18.406 --> 00:35:19.807
We're not a german shepherd, right?
00:35:19.807 --> 00:35:22.276
We're children of god, you know.
00:35:22.276 --> 00:35:26.781
The difference between healthy caution and a fear that reflects
00:35:28.049 --> 00:35:33.654
A lack of trust in god is that healthy caution comes from
00:35:33.654 --> 00:35:37.525
Wisdom and wisdom comes from the holy spirit,
00:35:37.525 --> 00:35:41.295
Whereas fear would not come from the holy spirit.
00:35:41.295 --> 00:35:45.533
And so really you have to wonder where is this coming from?
00:35:45.533 --> 00:35:48.803
Is this wisdom that's coming to me from prayer,
00:35:48.803 --> 00:35:51.939
From wise counsel, or is this paranoia?
00:35:51.939 --> 00:35:57.245
Is this something that my mind goes to as a default?
00:35:57.245 --> 00:36:00.648
>> join the conversation on our better together youtube channel.
00:36:01.949 --> 00:36:06.153
Subscribe today and never miss a new upload.
00:36:06.153 --> 00:36:11.001
Subscribe today and never miss a new upload.
00:36:11.001 --> 00:36:12.995
>> yeah, and then, you know, i think too often like fear tempts
00:36:14.263 --> 00:36:17.266
Us to respond in our own strength instead of the strength
00:36:17.266 --> 00:36:19.668
Of god, right?
00:36:19.668 --> 00:36:20.836
So fear tells us a lie, and then we respond in a lie.
00:36:20.836 --> 00:36:24.239
Like this is gonna happen so basically,
00:36:24.239 --> 00:36:26.108
I'm gonna try to control it as much as i can
00:36:26.108 --> 00:36:28.543
Instead of rely on the lord who controls all things.
00:36:28.543 --> 00:36:31.079
Have you guys ever seen that in your life?
00:36:31.079 --> 00:36:33.682
>> i think jesus modeled what it looks like to not be
00:36:33.782 --> 00:36:39.688
Staring at what's right ahead, but staring at the one who's
00:36:39.688 --> 00:36:44.259
Holding the whole path.
00:36:44.259 --> 00:36:45.827
I, i think, i remember when we were in israel a couple of years
00:36:45.827 --> 00:36:47.963
Ago and going down to where the garden of gethsemane was and
00:36:47.963 --> 00:36:51.933
Just thinking of what it must have been like, you know,
00:36:51.933 --> 00:36:55.671
On that night, because jesus, the only one who knew what was
00:36:55.671 --> 00:36:59.141
Gonna happen and knew how devastating that for the only
00:36:59.141 --> 00:37:01.443
Time in eternity he would be alone.
00:37:01.443 --> 00:37:04.980
>> yeah.
00:37:04.980 --> 00:37:06.248
>> and because of that we will never be alone,
00:37:06.248 --> 00:37:07.549
But he would know he would be alone for the only time in all
00:37:07.549 --> 00:37:10.919
Of eternity.
00:37:10.919 --> 00:37:12.287
But the fact that when he knelt in his father's presence,
00:37:12.287 --> 00:37:15.157
He poured out what was true.
00:37:15.157 --> 00:37:17.192
You know, when it says that, i love that luke,
00:37:17.192 --> 00:37:19.828
The doctor gives us a little detail that he sweat drops of
00:37:19.828 --> 00:37:22.497
Blood, that would be significant to him,
00:37:22.497 --> 00:37:24.666
And that means extreme stress, it's called hematohydrosis.
00:37:24.666 --> 00:37:27.336
And it still happens sometimes when people are being walked to
00:37:27.336 --> 00:37:30.205
Their execution.
00:37:30.205 --> 00:37:32.541
The stress is so intense that they literally will sweat blood.
00:37:32.541 --> 00:37:34.443
So jesus was in intense fear.
00:37:34.443 --> 00:37:38.647
But he poured it all out
00:37:38.647 --> 00:37:40.649
In god's presence, he told the truth,
00:37:40.649 --> 00:37:43.051
And then it says the angels came to strengthen him, which i love,
00:37:43.051 --> 00:37:46.388
It's like, i'm going to tell god everything that's true and then
00:37:46.388 --> 00:37:48.957
I'm gonna wait because i've just made space for grace and i'm
00:37:48.957 --> 00:37:52.160
Gonna leave room for the peace that comes.
00:37:52.160 --> 00:37:55.397
It's not like we have to pretend we're not afraid.
00:37:55.397 --> 00:37:57.766
We get to tell god, yeah, you know what, this is,
00:37:57.766 --> 00:37:59.701
This is not good, but i'm telling you that,
00:37:59.701 --> 00:38:02.938
I'm not telling you know who that,
00:38:02.938 --> 00:38:04.740
I'm telling you that because you're the one that holds
00:38:04.740 --> 00:38:06.975
Everything and you hold me.
00:38:06.975 --> 00:38:08.643
>> how do we avoid acting in our own strength?
00:38:09.644 --> 00:38:10.946
You know, isaiah, it says, a lot of things, but isaiah says,
00:38:10.946 --> 00:38:15.884
"do you not know?
00:38:15.884 --> 00:38:16.551
Have you not heard?
00:38:16.551 --> 00:38:18.620
The lord is the everlasting god, the creator of the ends of the
00:38:18.620 --> 00:38:20.422
Earth.
00:38:20.422 --> 00:38:21.623
He will not grow tired, weary in his understanding,
00:38:21.623 --> 00:38:24.126
No one can fathom.
00:38:24.126 --> 00:38:26.027
He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the
00:38:26.027 --> 00:38:27.963
Weak.
00:38:27.963 --> 00:38:29.798
And youth grow tired and wearied,
00:38:29.798 --> 00:38:31.299
And young men stumble and fall.
00:38:31.299 --> 00:38:32.901
But those who trust in the lord will renew their strength.
00:38:32.901 --> 00:38:35.937
They will soar on wings like eagles.
00:38:35.937 --> 00:38:37.539
They'll walk and not be weary, and they will run and not be
00:38:37.539 --> 00:38:41.443
Faint."
00:38:41.443 --> 00:38:42.511
And that has actually given me so much hope,
00:38:42.511 --> 00:38:44.513
And i think you need to sit in these truths of passages to
00:38:44.513 --> 00:38:48.517
Remember that fear and isolation does not put you in what's
00:38:48.517 --> 00:38:56.158
Actually freedom in the soaring
00:38:56.158 --> 00:39:00.028
Of wings and, and the walking and not being
00:39:00.028 --> 00:39:02.364
Tired and running and not being faint, like god has got you,
00:39:02.364 --> 00:39:06.368
You gotta release it, open up your hands, give up control.
00:39:06.368 --> 00:39:10.071
>> studies show that um for the first, i don't know,
00:39:11.173 --> 00:39:14.543
I'm going to be butchering the timeline here,
00:39:14.543 --> 00:39:16.378
But i think around 4 to 5 years of a child's life,
00:39:16.378 --> 00:39:20.215
They do this thing called synchronization with their
00:39:20.215 --> 00:39:22.551
Parents, um, which is basically they look to their parents to
00:39:22.551 --> 00:39:28.023
Help them interpret everything.
00:39:28.023 --> 00:39:30.492
So when kids, or at least young kids when they fall,
00:39:30.492 --> 00:39:34.095
They don't cry first, they look for a mom and dad
00:39:34.095 --> 00:39:38.467
And look for their facial expression.
00:39:38.467 --> 00:39:40.836
And if a mom is like, you know, then, then they start to cry,
00:39:40.836 --> 00:39:44.706
Right?
00:39:44.706 --> 00:39:46.007
And then a parent that's aware of synchronization would often
00:39:46.007 --> 00:39:48.710
Be like, it's all right.
00:39:48.710 --> 00:39:49.544
You know, it's ok.
00:39:49.544 --> 00:39:51.680
It may hurt, but you're going to get up and, you know,
00:39:51.680 --> 00:39:54.449
And you help them synchronize and figure out how to interpret
00:39:54.449 --> 00:40:00.021
A situation.
00:40:00.021 --> 00:40:01.056
You know, when i think about how jesus,
00:40:01.056 --> 00:40:04.192
In just his wild and persistent love for us,
00:40:04.192 --> 00:40:10.098
He could have been just a distant deity.
00:40:10.098 --> 00:40:13.301
He could have just been some some god that created us in the
00:40:13.301 --> 00:40:19.441
Universe, but he wanted to be emmanuel, god with us,
00:40:19.441 --> 00:40:24.813
Face to face, right?
00:40:24.813 --> 00:40:27.148
So intimately involved.
00:40:27.148 --> 00:40:29.251
Like, yes, god is everywhere.
00:40:29.251 --> 00:40:30.352
He is transcendent, but he's also somewhere.
00:40:30.352 --> 00:40:33.788
He's imminent.
00:40:33.788 --> 00:40:34.923
He's so-- which is why we call him the presence of
00:40:34.923 --> 00:40:38.226
God and jesus, emmanuel, god with us.
00:40:38.226 --> 00:40:40.996
It gives us this hope like we could synchronize with god,
00:40:40.996 --> 00:40:46.434
You know, we could, we could synchronize and ask him, ok,
00:40:46.434 --> 00:40:49.137
God, this feels like a really big deal for me,
00:40:49.137 --> 00:40:52.340
But i'm going to seek your face and i want you to tell me.
00:40:52.340 --> 00:40:57.012
How to interpret this problem, how to interpret the situation.
00:40:57.012 --> 00:41:00.782
And oftentimes it's never, i mean, not oftentimes,
00:41:00.782 --> 00:41:04.753
All the time, it's never panic.
00:41:04.753 --> 00:41:07.122
It's never fear.
00:41:07.122 --> 00:41:09.457
>> and the longer you walk with the lord,
00:41:09.457 --> 00:41:10.525
I think the more that your faith grows in that.
00:41:10.525 --> 00:41:13.695
And so i was telling sheila, i was at this event the other day
00:41:13.695 --> 00:41:16.197
And it was all older people, and it was so powerful.
00:41:16.197 --> 00:41:19.668
I mean, it was just, i loved, i'm like,
00:41:19.668 --> 00:41:21.403
I can't believe i get to be in this room with all of these
00:41:21.403 --> 00:41:23.872
Stories of god's faithfulness and um,
00:41:23.872 --> 00:41:26.508
There was this lady that looked at me and she said, you know,
00:41:26.508 --> 00:41:29.678
When you've walked with the lord as long as i have,
00:41:29.678 --> 00:41:32.080
There is absolutely nothing i fear.
00:41:32.080 --> 00:41:34.482
She said, there's nothing i could lose.
00:41:34.482 --> 00:41:36.818
There's nothing i could gain.
00:41:36.818 --> 00:41:37.586
Everything is in the lord's hand,
00:41:37.586 --> 00:41:40.288
And i completely trust him.
00:41:40.288 --> 00:41:41.556
And she said, i walked through cancer, brittany,
00:41:41.556 --> 00:41:43.725
And i almost died.
00:41:43.725 --> 00:41:44.459
And she said, i gain either way.
00:41:44.459 --> 00:41:46.561
I get to see jesus, or i'm going to be with my family?
00:41:46.561 --> 00:41:48.763
And she said, i had no fear.
00:41:48.763 --> 00:41:51.266
If that would have happened 30 years before,
00:41:51.266 --> 00:41:53.301
When i hadn't walked with the lord, she said,
00:41:53.301 --> 00:41:55.103
I would have been consumed by it.
00:41:55.103 --> 00:41:57.038
And she said, but because of god's nearness,
00:41:57.038 --> 00:41:59.608
His goodness and his faithfulness all these years,
00:41:59.608 --> 00:42:01.743
We have nothing to fear.
00:42:01.743 --> 00:42:03.578
Can't lose.
00:42:03.578 --> 00:42:06.348
You know, fear is an opportunity to trust god more deeply.
00:42:07.515 --> 00:42:11.052
It does not have to define your life.
00:42:11.052 --> 00:42:12.387
It doesn't have to be this thing that you just look down on so
00:42:12.387 --> 00:42:16.791
Much.
00:42:16.791 --> 00:42:18.059
It can be the very thing that propels you towards god in a
00:42:18.059 --> 00:42:19.828
Deeper way.
00:42:19.828 --> 00:42:20.929
I know as i have struggled with fear in my life,
00:42:20.929 --> 00:42:23.098
It is been the thing that brought me to my knees,
00:42:23.098 --> 00:42:25.400
Asking god to make a way in my life to free me from it,
00:42:25.400 --> 00:42:28.503
And he can do it and he will do it.
00:42:28.503 --> 00:42:31.640
So i want to encourage you, if you're walking through a season
00:42:31.640 --> 00:42:34.342
Of fear that you would run to god and you would see what the
00:42:34.342 --> 00:42:36.945
Lord can do as we give it all up to him.
00:42:36.945 --> 00:42:39.614
>> you have to realize that everything we've been talking
00:42:40.849 --> 00:42:42.951
This week is we're growing in our faith that's what this is
00:42:42.951 --> 00:42:47.555
That's what the struggle is about that's what the overcoming
00:42:47.555 --> 00:42:51.960
Is about it's growing it's maturing in our faith and that's
00:42:51.960 --> 00:42:55.864
How we grow life is hard but god is good, you know,
00:42:55.864 --> 00:43:01.302
And all these things and keeping our eyes fixed on jesus who is
00:43:01.302 --> 00:43:05.240
The author and the finisher of our faith who
00:43:05.240 --> 00:43:08.777
Holds everybody's tomorrow in his hand who loves us more than
00:43:08.777 --> 00:43:14.416
We could ever dream possible that that will never fail us
00:43:14.416 --> 00:43:19.821
Because of the character of who he is god is love there is no
00:43:19.821 --> 00:43:24.059
Way we cannot be loved because that's who god is god is love
00:43:24.059 --> 00:43:30.965
God is peace.
00:43:30.965 --> 00:43:32.233
God is joy all the facets of god are great and he's in
00:43:32.233 --> 00:43:36.071
Control he is in control of every believer's life and so we
00:43:36.071 --> 00:43:41.710
Can rest in that and so this is all growing our faith all week
00:43:41.710 --> 00:43:47.015
All these beautiful stories and the testimonies of god wants to
00:43:47.015 --> 00:43:50.618
Do it again you know these testimonies we overcome by the
00:43:50.618 --> 00:43:54.489
Blood of the lamb and the by the word of our testimony means god
00:43:54.489 --> 00:43:57.025
Wants to do it again in someone else's life as we share that's
00:43:57.025 --> 00:44:01.730
Why you can be our age and not fear because you
00:44:01.730 --> 00:44:06.301
Can't lose, you can't--
00:44:06.301 --> 00:44:10.138
There's god.
00:44:10.138 --> 00:44:11.706
Everything belongs to the lord, the earth and the and everything
00:44:11.706 --> 00:44:15.910
In it belongs to god.
00:44:15.910 --> 00:44:17.011
There's no time lost in the kingdom of god.
00:44:17.011 --> 00:44:18.713
There's nothing lost in the kingdom of god.
00:44:18.713 --> 00:44:22.517
He's not giving us the spirit of fear but of power,
00:44:22.517 --> 00:44:25.386
So there's no power in fear.
00:44:25.386 --> 00:44:28.156
>> hold on, you didn't say that again.
00:44:29.057 --> 00:44:30.091
That was good right there.
00:44:30.091 --> 00:44:31.626
>> so he says, i have not given you the spirit of fear.
00:44:31.726 --> 00:44:34.896
But of power, so that means fear doesn't have power.
00:44:34.896 --> 00:44:40.068
God has power, spirit of power, love,
00:44:40.068 --> 00:44:43.471
And a sound mind and that's what we have and so when things
00:44:43.471 --> 00:44:48.610
Bombard our thinking and our mind where the battlefield is,
00:44:48.610 --> 00:44:53.815
We can overcome by just saying what the word of god says.
00:44:53.815 --> 00:44:58.386
I have one particular story in our life that, um,
00:44:59.487 --> 00:45:02.824
We felt god had asked us to do something and it was going to
00:45:02.824 --> 00:45:06.728
Take great faith.
00:45:06.728 --> 00:45:08.630
And talked to some people around us and they said,
00:45:08.630 --> 00:45:14.202
You can't do it.
00:45:14.202 --> 00:45:15.403
And i was like, oh wait, but god, but god,
00:45:15.403 --> 00:45:20.375
I think has told us to do this and they said,
00:45:20.375 --> 00:45:23.411
There's no way you can do it.
00:45:23.411 --> 00:45:25.947
And i remember praying about it and just crying out to god,
00:45:26.047 --> 00:45:30.585
Going, god, you've got to show us another sign.
00:45:30.585 --> 00:45:32.587
You've got to give us, give me a word, you know, on this.
00:45:32.587 --> 00:45:36.457
Another word, yet another word.
00:45:36.457 --> 00:45:39.360
And i'll never forget my fear flipped,
00:45:39.460 --> 00:45:43.631
And it was like fear of failing, the fear of man,
00:45:43.631 --> 00:45:47.602
All of that flipped.
00:45:47.602 --> 00:45:50.071
And matt walked in the door and i said, my fear has flipped.
00:45:50.071 --> 00:45:54.776
I said, i was afraid to do what god said to do.
00:45:54.776 --> 00:45:58.813
And i said, and now i have the fear of god.
00:45:58.813 --> 00:46:01.583
And i said, i'm afraid that if we don't do it,
00:46:01.583 --> 00:46:05.153
God will never speak to us again.
00:46:05.153 --> 00:46:08.323
And i said, we can just sit here and not do that.
00:46:08.423 --> 00:46:13.828
What we feel god has called us to.
00:46:13.928 --> 00:46:16.464
And i said, i don't think we'll ever do something significant
00:46:16.464 --> 00:46:19.767
Again.
00:46:19.767 --> 00:46:21.469
And i just remember that the fear of the lord is the
00:46:21.569 --> 00:46:25.573
Beginning of wisdom and knowledge and, and--
00:46:25.573 --> 00:46:29.811
And i don't have to fear things.
00:46:29.811 --> 00:46:32.647
If god has called you to do something,
00:46:32.647 --> 00:46:34.682
Don't be afraid to do that.
00:46:34.682 --> 00:46:36.718
Don't be afraid to step out.
00:46:36.718 --> 00:46:38.620
A lot of people say, step out afraid,
00:46:38.620 --> 00:46:40.054
Go ahead and do it afraid, but i think god can take that fear and
00:46:40.054 --> 00:46:45.393
Turn it into the fear of the lord where i'm not going to
00:46:45.393 --> 00:46:48.029
Disappoint god.
00:46:48.029 --> 00:46:49.230
I am going to be obedient to what i feel.
00:46:49.230 --> 00:46:51.065
God has told me to do and no man can stop that and i am not gonna
00:46:51.065 --> 00:46:55.436
Be afraid.
00:46:55.436 --> 00:46:57.538
I'm gonna step out in confidence that god is on the inside of us,
00:46:57.538 --> 00:47:00.108
That god is making the way god is directing my path,
00:47:00.108 --> 00:47:06.214
And i'm going to step out in the fear of the lord,
00:47:06.214 --> 00:47:09.918
Knowing that he is the answer.
00:47:09.918 --> 00:47:12.787
He is guiding our steps and that he will take care of things
00:47:12.787 --> 00:47:16.758
Because he is in control.
00:47:16.758 --> 00:47:18.493
>> i think that was the key, sound mind.
00:47:19.427 --> 00:47:21.996
>> sound mind.
00:47:21.996 --> 00:47:23.364
>> especially in this day and age, i feel like, you know,
00:47:23.364 --> 00:47:25.633
It's interesting because, you know, in ephesians, it says,
00:47:25.633 --> 00:47:28.303
Do not be drunk on wine, but be filled with the holy spirit.
00:47:28.303 --> 00:47:30.905
And, you know, i think that analogy is appropriate because
00:47:30.905 --> 00:47:35.543
When you're drunk, you kind of lose
00:47:35.543 --> 00:47:37.712
Your ability to choose properly, you know,
00:47:37.712 --> 00:47:41.282
And you kind of give up your, your will to what you are
00:47:41.282 --> 00:47:45.987
Drinking and to the effects of it, right?
00:47:45.987 --> 00:47:47.155
But in some sense, and although this is not the same,
00:47:47.155 --> 00:47:50.091
But it's similar, when we just kind of brain rot,
00:47:50.091 --> 00:47:54.062
That's what the young generation calls it these days, you know,
00:47:54.062 --> 00:47:58.266
Which is just basically you're just scrolling, watching,
00:47:58.266 --> 00:48:00.201
You're just nonsense.
00:48:00.201 --> 00:48:03.271
We kind of give up our facilities in that same sense.
00:48:03.271 --> 00:48:06.941
We just kind of give up our right to choose what we think we
00:48:06.941 --> 00:48:12.580
Let the algorithm decide what we think,
00:48:12.580 --> 00:48:15.883
We let television decide what we think
00:48:15.883 --> 00:48:18.286
We let commercials decide what we think we let the world and
00:48:18.286 --> 00:48:22.623
The news to help us tell us to decide what we think when you
00:48:22.623 --> 00:48:27.295
Know i think that that's the key for a lot of people it's a sound
00:48:27.295 --> 00:48:29.897
Mind we have to be very intentional about cultivating
00:48:29.897 --> 00:48:33.935
That sound mind.
00:48:33.935 --> 00:48:35.169
And choose the diet of our thoughts, right?
00:48:35.169 --> 00:48:38.439
That choose the diet of our sight, right?
00:48:38.439 --> 00:48:41.109
Like if we're careful about what we eat,
00:48:41.109 --> 00:48:43.511
Shouldn't we be careful about what our soul eats, right?
00:48:43.511 --> 00:48:46.314
Based on what we see and hear.
00:48:47.015 --> 00:48:48.216
>> absolutely.
00:48:48.216 --> 00:48:49.117
I love that.
00:48:49.117 --> 00:48:50.385
Well, man, so many good things on all this.
00:48:50.385 --> 00:48:51.719
I would love to pray for everyone out there.
00:48:51.719 --> 00:48:56.424
Jesus, god, thank you so much that you have not given us a
00:48:56.524 --> 00:48:58.960
Spirit of fear, but you have given us a spirit of power.
00:48:58.960 --> 00:49:02.530
God, we thank you that you have all authority over everything.
00:49:02.530 --> 00:49:06.100
God, that fear does not win, that you do.
00:49:06.100 --> 00:49:09.604
So god, i just ask in the name in the blood of jesus for
00:49:09.604 --> 00:49:12.206
Everyone out there that is struggling with fear right now,
00:49:12.206 --> 00:49:13.941
And i pray that you would just give them victory in the name of
00:49:13.941 --> 00:49:17.545
Jesus, that you would give them hope,
00:49:17.545 --> 00:49:19.080
That you would fill their mind with truth,
00:49:19.080 --> 00:49:20.715
That the word of god would be their bread, god,
00:49:20.715 --> 00:49:23.151
That you would remind them of the promises that you
00:49:23.151 --> 00:49:25.753
Will never leave them, that you will never forsake them,
00:49:25.753 --> 00:49:28.389
That you have good plans for them,
00:49:28.389 --> 00:49:29.590
And that you will restore and redeem all that's lost.
00:49:29.590 --> 00:49:31.726
God, thank you that you are the hope of glory,
00:49:31.726 --> 00:49:34.629
That you are the living hope among the dead, god,
00:49:34.629 --> 00:49:37.165
That you can do exceedingly and abundantly,
00:49:37.165 --> 00:49:39.333
More than we could ever ask for imagine.
00:49:39.333 --> 00:49:41.436
So god, we just ask that right now that you would do that in
00:49:41.436 --> 00:49:43.871
All the lives of all the precious people watching and in
00:49:43.871 --> 00:49:46.808
Our lives right now, god, for your glory and for your kingdom,
00:49:46.808 --> 00:49:49.911
In the name of jesus, we pray.
00:49:49.911 --> 00:49:51.579
Amen.
00:49:51.579 --> 00:49:51.979
>> amen.
00:49:51.979 --> 00:49:53.414
>> connect with us on social media and let us know how our
00:49:54.649 --> 00:49:57.151
Team can pray for you.
00:49:57.151 --> 00:49:59.353
>> one of the verses in scripture that's interesting is
00:50:00.555 --> 00:50:02.557
Where it says that perfect love casts out fear.
00:50:02.557 --> 00:50:06.127
It made me ask some questions, you know,
00:50:06.127 --> 00:50:07.662
What is perfect love and how does it cast out fear?
00:50:07.662 --> 00:50:11.399
And honestly, the only perfect love is from god because even
00:50:11.399 --> 00:50:14.268
Though i love my husband, we've been married for 31 years,
00:50:14.268 --> 00:50:17.238
And i love my son who's about to turn 29, i fall down,
00:50:17.238 --> 00:50:21.242
It is not perfect, but god's love is perfect,
00:50:21.242 --> 00:50:25.213
And i think what he wants to do is replace the fear
00:50:25.213 --> 00:50:28.449
That would grip our hearts with his love, to let us know, hey,
00:50:28.449 --> 00:50:32.019
I'm with you, i'm good, i'm in control,
00:50:32.019 --> 00:50:35.423
And when you realize that you're not left alone in any situation,
00:50:35.423 --> 00:50:38.092
That god is with you right at this moment,
00:50:38.092 --> 00:50:40.027
No matter what it is you're going through right at this
00:50:40.027 --> 00:50:43.464
Moment, the lord is with you, you don't have to be afraid.
00:50:43.464 --> 00:50:47.502
>> watch better together on the go.
00:50:48.369 --> 00:50:49.971
Download the free tbn plus app to stream all of your favorite
00:50:49.971 --> 00:50:53.875
Conversations.
00:50:53.875 --> 00:50:53.875

Will God Deliver Me from Fear? | Better Together Episode 1149

March 5, 2026 | S8 E1149 | 50:59

Closed captions

Share