COUNTER FEAR WITH FAITH | DEBBY BUKOLA OWOLABI

The Bible says "faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" (Romans 10:17). Which also implies, "fear comes by hearing and hearing words other than God's word". What you hear, eventually settles down into your spirit and has a way of acting out later; that is why you need to guard your heart with all diligence for out of it flow the issues of life (Proverbs 4:23).

What we see and hear through our eye and ear gates, have a way of affecting us. So, you need to constantly counter words which do not align with God's Word anytime they come your way. You speak God's word to counter thoughts, words and imaginations that oppose what God says (2 Corinthians 10:5).

God has not given us the Spirit of fear but of love, power and a sound mind. (2 Timothy 1:7). Therefore, anytime you hear a news or information that brings fear to your heart, it's a signal. Fear is not from God, thus that word can't be from Him. So, what do you do? Speak the word of faith! Speak what God says back at that voice because every situation speaks to us.

Your life goes in the direction of your dominant thoughts (Proverbs 23:7). Hence, we cannot over emphasize the importance of renewing your mind (which is expected to be the mind of Christ). Fill yourself with words of faith and words that bring hope. Truth is, words are life; they are spirits. They don't die and these words have a way of forming your thought patterns. So why not form a great thought pattern that is Word-based?

This is not to deny the fact that wickedness and evil pervades our world. However, you’ve got God's Word - a more superior way of thinking that will help you pull down strongholds. Therefore, don't weaken your faith by allowing the evil around us to be your reality and experience. Agreed, evil abounds but you have a more potent force working in you. He that is in you is greater than he that is in the world (1 John 4:4).

Don't attach meaning to everything. Personally, I don't like cats. I grew up with the mindset that they are evil because I was made to believe so but I understand better now that they are only animals that are susceptible to being used by evil spirits. So, that a cat, bird, goat, monkey, frog or lizard was used by an evil spirit does not make that animal evil. Balaam's donkey spoke as the occasion demanded but it would be fallible to conclude that "all donkeys can speak" (well, perhaps excluding Shrek’s donkey). The Holy Spirit descended on Jesus in the form of a dove but it doesn't make the Holy Spirit a dove nor does it make a dove on the street the Holy Spirit. Don't generalize based on an occurrence or build a doctrine around a particular experience.

News and entertainment media are prone to pumping negativity into your heart with stories like how a pregnant woman was buried alive, how a marriage failed, how a 2-year-old was raped, how 50 people died in a communal clash and so on. Don’t permit such negativity to settle in your heart; these things will always happen because the world is evil. Be deliberate in choosing what you listen to. I call that "Selective Hearing Method".  In a case where you get to hear a news that wants to drain your faith, counter them with words of faith:

"I shall not die but live to declare the works of the Lord! Hallelujah!”

" That evil is NOT my portion"

"The Blood of Jesus Christ speaks life over my household therefore my children will not be victims of evil".

" My marriage is working"

" With long life, God will satisfy me and show me His salvation".

Now, this is what it means when the Scripture says "... And every tongue that rises against you, you shall condemn. " (Isaiah 54:17). When these negative voices rise up against you, silence them with God's word.

Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious —the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. 

Philippians 4:8 (MSG)

Stay in Faith.

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Debby Bukola Owolabi | @debbybukkyOwo1