10 Ways to Kick the Devil’s Butt in Your Everyday Life – #8

Hey, guys! Happy Monday!

This week I am attending a Ministers and Leaders’ Conference so I won’t be as active online — there are 2 long meetings a day for eight days in a row. Whew! Because of how long the services go and how little sleep we obtain I get to have unlimited caffeine, which is nice. ?

This week’s Monday with Madi post is the eighth way to kick the devil’s butt in your everyday life — dealing with fear!

What is fear?

New Oxford American Dictionary

Fear

“an unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous, likely to cause pain, or a threat”

Synonyms of fear include terror, fright, panic, dread, anxiety, worry, and unease.

Many people do not understand that fear is actually a spirit. 2 Timothy 1:7 says,

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

Where does fear come from?

Fear is a spirit… but not from God! God never causes you to be afraid! Look at all of those synonyms — terror, fright, panic, dread, anxiety, worry, unease… God does not give that to His children. He’s a good God. 1 Corinthians 14:33a says “God is not the Author of confusion but of peace.”

God does not give you fear as an opportunity to draw closer to Him. Sometimes we read in the Bible where it says to “fear the Lord” — but that means to honor, respect, and reverence Him.

Fear comes from the devil to try to keep you living in that fear and afraid to do what God has called you to do or live the victorious life that God has for you.

What God has to say about fear:

Isaiah 43:2

When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you.

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John 14:27

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

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Isaiah 41:10

Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.

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1 Chronicles 28:20

“Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Don’t be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you…

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Deuteronomy 31:8

Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; He will neither fail you nor abandon you.

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Joshua 1:9

This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.

Why we don’t have to be afraid:

Jesus has already overcome the world. There is not one thing we could ever be afraid of in this life that Jesus hasn’t already whooped!

John 16:33

These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.

I never lie in my bed at night and stay awake being worried that someone is going to break into my house. I’ve made a decision that I do not live in fear. If God is for me, what can stand against me? Why would I waste a second of my life in anxiety and worry if I’ve got the King of kings and Lord of lords on my side? He’s already won and overcome!

I’m not afraid of death because I know where I’m going when I die — Heaven. If you’re not 100% completely sure beyond a shadow of a doubt, you need to make sure. No one can kill me until I’ve finished what I’ve been put to do on this earth. In the words of Jim Elliot, “I’m immortal until my time is done!”

When we go through difficult things, we don’t have to fear because God is with us. (Isaiah 43:2)

There is not one thing we could ever be afraid of in this life that Jesus hasn’t already whooped!

What to do when we’re afraid:

James 4:7 says, “Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” If fear is a spirit from the devil, we need to speak God’s Word to our fears and command them to go.

Remind your fears of what God’s Word has to say and watch your fears run for the hills!

On Saturday, there was a big rainstorm approaching. My brother and I laughed as we watched the cats and squirrels on our neighborhood dash for cover before the storm hit. We both cheered, “Run for the hiiiiiills!” It reminds me of what our fears have to do when we remind them of what God’s Word has to say!

Some AMAZING Scriptures to remind your fears of…

Psalm 56:11

In God I have put my trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?

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Proverbs 3:25-26

Do not be afraid of sudden terror, nor of trouble from the wicked when it comes; for the Lord will be your confidence, and will keep your foot from being caught.

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Psalm 27: 1, 3

The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

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And my personal favorite:
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Hebrews 13:6

So we may boldly say: “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”

*drops the mic* Bam. Take that, fear!

RUN FOR THE HIIIIILLS!

Do you know how epic it is to watch your fears run for the hills?