Deception

By Paula Williamson, guest writer

I was the child of an explosive mother who parented through fear and intimidation. I grew up walking on eggshells, trying not to set her off. I viewed the world through fear and worry, believing it was my nature. Renewing my mind with the Word of God changed that view. I had to ask myself: if God did not create me that way, where did fear come from?

It Is Written

2 TIMOTHY 1:7 God has not given us a spirit of fear but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

Lies

Scripture says children are a blessing from the Lord, and we are created in His image. Worry and fear are not part of His nature at all! They should not be part of ours either! Fear does not come from God, nor were we born that way. Believing that and viewing the world through fear is a great deception spread by the father of lies. One definition of fear is “to conjure”: to bring something about by meditating on it. Why would we do such a thing?

Prayer

Lord, Your Word tells me to think about whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, or praiseworthy. That is the opposite of fear and worry. Help me to consciously take responsibility for what I choose to think, meditate on, speak, and act on. Fear is the opposite of faith and should have no place in my life!

Takeaway

God did not give me a spirit of fear!