In the midst of Fear and Faith

So...I have committed to this "blog thing" right? And I must say, I am thankful that I am certain it was the Lord's direction or honestly...I would have quit after the first post! What a rush of emotions that follow when you decide to step out in faith and "put yourself out there" (I use quotation marks a lot...and the 3 dots thing too).

Anyway, there is a line in a song, "Who am I that YOU would ever use me?" that comes to mind and that seems to be the most fitting explanation of how this feels. Anyone can do this, anyone can start a blog God, and so as God nudged me I began to say "I am already "putting myself out there" starting a "new" ministry in counseling, so let me work that out first"!

I haven't spoken of this before, but I was challenged to "write" many years back by my best cheerleader of a husband and some family members too. It was a sweet compliment and I cherished it in my heart as they say. I had a secret DESIRE that God was going to do something with it but was fearful to wish that! Crazy. So He kept sending me "the Word" in big and small ways and I kept thinking, "one day".

To most of the umm, "younger generation", a blog is a blog, everyone has one and so what?...but to me this is a precious privilege, a challenge set before me by the Most High God, and a ministry to anyone that stops by. It is such a PRIVILEGE that I have difficulty putting words to that. So with that said, and I suppose this should have been my FIRST post, I continue.

I was in a great book "Victory Over the Darkness", by Neil Anderson this week. I had awakened to a state of ANXIETY. You know what that is...the opposite of ABIDING and resting. I have what we call a "fear-based" nature vs an "anger-based" nature. I suppose that's why the call to truly understand and experience the Peace and Promise of Abiding in the Spirit has become my greatest and sweetest challenge. I have found that many people, even anger-based people are bound up in the stronghold of fear. Because anger...is just a secondary emotion to fear! So...I think the topic of Fear and Faith fits right nicely into a blog about remaining "In the Vine".

Anderson was sharing about the soul of the regenerated man and how his mind has been renewed and transformed. How his emotions are characterized by "peace and joy instead of turmoil". So when I awakened to my anxious state I had to take inventory of my "emotions". I pray dear reader that this process will become your habit also, for it is straight from scripture. I believe in resting in Christ. I experience resting most of the time. So when I am not feeling His Presence and Power I know it is time to go before Him and let Him teach me and have full access to all parts of me. I turn to 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 where it instructs about spiritual warfare. "For though we walk in the flesh we do not WAR according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh (awesome), but DIVINELY powerful for the destruction of FORTRESSES (can anyone say stronghold of fear here?). WE are destroying SPECULATIONS (thoughts) and PRETENSIONS (lies which come from Satan's accusations in our thoughts) that sets itself up against the truth of what Christ says, and we are TAKING EVERY THOUGHT CAPTIVE to the obedience of Christ".

As I sat on this porch, God reached right in, He took my pen and my paper and He asked me "what is your fear hear gal"..what's going on with this and that and as I wrote it all out He exposed TRUTH. (The take every thought captive to the obedience of the truth of Christ moments). My time in Anderson was also "for me" that day, because He took my habit of taking thoughts captive to a new level that day. He said God has a part and man has a part. God promises His Presence, His Purpose, His Preparation, and Protection (he called this the P Plan), and then he said remember the "God Statements": GOD IS HERE...GOD KNOWS IT...GOD CAN DO IT.

I recall a dear friend telling me once, "Praise Prompts Peace". Why? Because it reminds us "God's got this". If you are not experienced in examining your emotions and your thoughts its the beginning of victory, for what we feel is fleeting but it affects what we are believing and that affects what we choose to DO. I am praying for you and remember to always..."Be Gods" (rich mullens).