Fear

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As a child I was incredibly afraid of the dark. There wasn’t a thing you could say to me that would subside that fear. I can recount many nights where sleep was scarce, and the “night” time crawled by at a glacial pace. I dreaded bedtime because it also meant the unavoidable dark and that thought was bone-chilling.

One night my parents came into my room and had one of “those” talks. My dad sternly began with this question, “Do you think I would ever let anything happen to you?” I knew the answer was no but the fear I felt stood in protest. No matter how many nights went by I couldn’t seem to shake the lingering doubt in my father’s question.

One night, fear and I had a fight, and because I knew my mother to be a fiercely praying woman, my words were exactly this. I yelled at the top of my little boy lungs, “JESUS SAID YOU HAVE TO LEAVE ME ALONE!!”. Everyone in the house woke up and the lights revealed an emotionally stirred, tear drenched boy winning the internal struggle with fear.

May I propose to you that doubt and fear live in the dark. Like me, sometimes we question the validity of our Heavenly Father’s promises because of what we’ve experienced no matter what the situation may be. There is no question that we all have seasons of our lives that can be filled with confusion, doubt, fear, angst, anxiety, etc. Let me introduce you to doubting Thomas.

After being with Jesus as His disciple and making prolific statements to his loyalty and mission, Thomas experienced Jesus’ death and burial. Yet, somehow, he seemed to be absent when Jesus was back from the grave and visited the other disciples in miraculous form, according to John 20. The sun would set eight times before Thomas would have an encounter that propelled his faith in the man named Jesus. On the ninth day, Thomas experienced a reality that couldn’t be shaken.

Jesus invites us to experience the truth of who He says He is, like Thomas. His words are not empty, and He will certainly never leave you behind in the dark to struggle with doubt and fear. He will appear at just the right time to prove just how powerful He is. All you have to do is come out from under the covers and see the light and life that is Jesus. The faith filled victorious boy in me says you will win if you fight!

The bible describes Jesus as the complete fulfillment of the law and the embodiment of God’s redeeming plan for the earth. I want to challenge you to put God’s words to the test. Stop repeating mantras of fear that will keep you paralyzed and in states of unrest but instead declare the Word of the Lord over your life and circumstances.

Declare over your life, that your light has come.

No more living in darkness. YOUR LIGHT HAS COME

No more living in doubt and fear. YOUR LIGHT HAS COME.

No more anxiety and stress. YOUR LIGHT HAS COME.

As you declare the word of the Lord, you see the work of the Lord.

Bryant Stokes is currently the Manassas Campus Worship Director. Something he wouldn’t trade for the world. If there is one thing you should know about him. He loves Jesus and fresh baked chocolate chip cookies!

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