Contributed by Latoya Reid
Scripture: But now thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.
Isaiah 43:1 KJV
Fear has a crippling effect on its victims, but throughout scriptures, we are commanded to fear not. The Lord told Israel not to fear because he has redeemed them and called them by His name. God’s name is love. There is no fear in Love. When our relationship with God is perfected it eliminates the crippling effect of fear. Ruth Gendler says, “Fear has a large shadow, but he himself is small” .
In 2013, Aika Yoshida (an orthopedic physical therapist) suffered an incomplete spinal cord injury that initially left her paralyzed with an uncertain future. Aika’s remarkable recovery led her to walk yes, walk – a portion of Indianapolis Monumental Marathon with Team NeuroHope. An athlete. A fighter. A motivator.
You may ask the question what does being Commanded to fear not means. What does God being love and being physically paralysed has to do with the title? Fear is a state of mind when we have more of God’s love in our lives it dilutes the strength of fear until it dissolves to nothingness. Fear has no power unless we believe it’s lies. Jesus told a lame man to take up his mat and walk.(Matthew 9:1-8)
He was paralyzed ,but he had no fear. His attitude to fear made him rise up and walk and not be a victim of fear. This man may not have been crippled by fear, but He overcame paralysis by not fearing.
The side effects of fear is that it gets you nowhere. You will never overcome fear by speaking to it. Fear can only be conquered by facing and doing whatever you need to do afraid. If you can not understand it or get pass it, just go through it and you will realize fear starts to shrink and you find yourself not being paralyzed again. The world is waiting on you on the other side of your fears.
Life Application: Make a list of all the things you fear happening in your life. Then identify everything you can accomplish if you have no fear.
Prayer: Father we thank that in you we can stand. Father today we no longer fall victims to fear and we take up our mats to walk. Father consume us with your love and increase your might and power in and through us today. In Jesus name, amen.
