God's Power Defeats Fear

“God is strong, and he wants you strong. So take everything the Master has set out for you, well-made weapons of the best materials. And put them to use so you will be able to stand up to everything the Devil throws your way. This is no afternoon athletic contest that we’ll walk away from and forget about in a couple of hours. This is for keeps, a life-or-death fight to the finish against the Devil and all his angels. Be prepared. You’re up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it’s all over but the shouting you’ll still be on your feet. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You’ll need them throughout your life. God’s Word is an indispensable weapon. In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other’s spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out” (Ephesians 6:10-18, The Message).

Two days ago we looked at how God's love perfected in your life casts out fear. Another weapon found in 2 Timothy 1:7 to fight the spirit of fear is God's power. Fighting the lies of the enemy takes every weapon that God has at your disposal. You put all these weapons together, and you have His power active and strong in your life. You discover these weapons in God's Word which is your “indispensable weapon”. Without these weapons you will fail. Learn them, and apply them in your life.

God's truth is the foundation of your belief in Jesus Christ. Without it you have no structure to your life. Without God's truth, you live a life based on emotional response to situations. The Word reveals how to live a righteous life with His response to whatever you face. Without a life of righteousness and holiness you cannot experience the peace that comes through the knowledge of the Word. Living God's truth brings a righteous life, and that righteousness brings the peace of the Holy Spirit. His peace is the anchor which holds you secure when Satan attacks. His peace is alive because of the faith you exhibit in giving your problems to the Lord and trusting Him to handle them. That faith is your shield against the enemy. All these weapons of truth, righteousness, peace, and faith exist because of the salvation you have received. Your salvation is your greatest threat to the enemy. You have been won by God, and Satan has lost you. Hold on to that ultimate weapon, and allow God's truth to grow in your life. Stand firm, and apply God's weapons. Always remember that He is your power, and whatever you face has already been defeated.

Prayer is essential to overcome fear. Prayer is your communication with the Lord who saved you. It is the link that should never be broken. It is your open door to receive all He has for you to stand strong and fight. His power is yours in prayer. He is yours in prayer. With His strength on your side, nothing that comes against you will prevail. When you pray God does sometime intervene. But life will not stop just because you have prayed. Times of trials and hardship shall still come. Nothing will prevail against you means that you will be able to handle life. You will not react to life's problems with fear. You will have His peace because you believe that the One who gave His life for you will take care of everything.

Take all the weapons God has given, and stand firm and strong. No circumstance...no trial...no weapon of the enemy has the power to overcome who you are in Christ.