How to break through the barrier of Fear
Anxieties, worries, self-doubt, self accusations... they are all rooted in the family of ungodly fear. This fear tends to build the walls that paralyzes us from becoming the person God intends us to
be--someone who we know that deep down inside, we are meant to be greater and more amazing than the person we perceive ourselves to be. This fear is not from God.
Perfect love casts out all fear, but it's not enough just to know this.
Perfect love must be experienced. God is love. He is perfect love! God must be experienced.
When you experience God in His love, fear melts away. A peace settles, revelation sets in because not only is your mind aware of who God is, but your soul and spirit are in agreement in this type of encounter. These are amazing experiences that are limitless offers from Him. It's a relationship.
But as amazing as these encounters with God are, transformation is not guaranteed in the place of that encounter. As soon as you step away from this encounter, it doesn't mean you haven't broken away from fear or old habits of thinking. In that place of perfect love, a couple things must need to take place. One being that His love must also be received-- not that we ever think that we are rejecting God's love out of rebellion, but many times we reject God's love out of false humility.
When we receive God's love, His Love has the power to transform us, shape us, give us courage, hope: hope of becoming who God says we are and how he has made us to be like Jesus. In this place of receiving, we are agreeing that our mindsets have been "off" and we are discarding our ways and ideas connected to those anxieties and fears for God's love that is connected to His purpose and His ways. We are saying, 'What we have is not working and Your way is better. I'm sorry for trying it my way instead of listening to you. It is not working! I choose Your way. I choose You. I receive Your love and I deserve it only because Jesus paid for it all! Because You want to give it to me. Only because who You are and who You say I am. Only because You love me and You fully want to love me. I receive!'
Now, this may sound like it is almost on the edge of boasting and pride, but think about it this way... to criticize and judge God's creation also implies that we are criticizing and judging the Creator as well (or offering offense to Him). Not that we take credit from our own ability for anything that God has freely given us, but to know that, although we may not deserve all the great riches and favor of God's hand, Jesus forgives our wrongful acts when we turn away from those wrongs and that He remembers them no more. And on top of that, we are excited that our God is so loving and giving and gracious to share with us His heart, His plans, His inheritance, His ways! It gives us reason to rejoice and be thankful!
If we are able to receive God's love in the place of encounter, then things start unlocking. The chains of those fears and anxieties start to fall off, because our eyes are focused on our Great God, rather than telling our God how great our problems are.
On the other hand, if we reject His love, we let fear (self pity, false humility or pride) take over. False humility/self pity is one side of the coin of fear (and the other being pride) because we are constantly looking to others (or even ourselves) for approval with a high and false standard. In this we do not give permission for God to transform us through His perfect love because with each of these standards that we build, blocks/denies His ways to transform us. At the same time we are rejecting God and his intention for His creation (ourselves) telling Him that we know better than He does in who we are and what we are supposed to be like.
Who are we to reject what God wants and wills for us? Who are we to deny His hand in how He wants to show us His love? Well, that's what free-will is about. Choosing to love Him and His ways or choosing another way...
But going back to the place of encountering God, receiving His love, those chains are being released... There is a third and very important element to full transformation. Walking it out. (Wait..what? Can't God just zap me and I won't have any more trouble? Well, it doesn't always work out that way.)
That place of encounter, that place of God's GREAT love and fullness...that's the place where God is encouraging you. He is placing courage IN you to walk it out. This is a place where God gets to speak over you and say, 'You are not that person anymore. I declare this and now you either believe that my love is enough or you will go back to the place of habit. This is the place where you get to prove that you are not tied to fears anymore. This is a place where you will advance, but fear not, I am with you in this! You are no longer a slave to anxiety or fear. You are not going to support the enemy's plans no longer. Why? Because you are so loved by Me!'
Those encounters you just had with God filled are constructed for you to encounter and be filled with God's love that you will want to get free as fast as you can! Because you know who you are and whose you are! There, a new found courage was given and the strength to overcome. Since your mind and heart had already started transforming, now comes the part where you get your flesh to agree. You have the command and all the support of God to do this. What's even more great is that you get to encounter God as much as you want to be in His presence. It's not a one shot deal for a limited period of time. God wants to spend time with you as you get to know Him. He wants to be your shield, your comforter, your strength, your encourager, your guide, your protector, your provider, your God. How awesome is that!?
Don't be discouraged when you see similar instances from the past pop up. This is a time now to show off whose you are and how powerfully you are loved. This is a time to show the enemy that he no longer has the upper hand. Our God is greater and OH how He loves us! He is for us and not against us!
Perfect love casts out all fear, but it's not enough just to know this.
Perfect love must be experienced. God is love. He is perfect love! God must be experienced.
When you experience God in His love, fear melts away. A peace settles, revelation sets in because not only is your mind aware of who God is, but your soul and spirit are in agreement in this type of encounter. These are amazing experiences that are limitless offers from Him. It's a relationship.
But as amazing as these encounters with God are, transformation is not guaranteed in the place of that encounter. As soon as you step away from this encounter, it doesn't mean you haven't broken away from fear or old habits of thinking. In that place of perfect love, a couple things must need to take place. One being that His love must also be received-- not that we ever think that we are rejecting God's love out of rebellion, but many times we reject God's love out of false humility.
When we receive God's love, His Love has the power to transform us, shape us, give us courage, hope: hope of becoming who God says we are and how he has made us to be like Jesus. In this place of receiving, we are agreeing that our mindsets have been "off" and we are discarding our ways and ideas connected to those anxieties and fears for God's love that is connected to His purpose and His ways. We are saying, 'What we have is not working and Your way is better. I'm sorry for trying it my way instead of listening to you. It is not working! I choose Your way. I choose You. I receive Your love and I deserve it only because Jesus paid for it all! Because You want to give it to me. Only because who You are and who You say I am. Only because You love me and You fully want to love me. I receive!'
Now, this may sound like it is almost on the edge of boasting and pride, but think about it this way... to criticize and judge God's creation also implies that we are criticizing and judging the Creator as well (or offering offense to Him). Not that we take credit from our own ability for anything that God has freely given us, but to know that, although we may not deserve all the great riches and favor of God's hand, Jesus forgives our wrongful acts when we turn away from those wrongs and that He remembers them no more. And on top of that, we are excited that our God is so loving and giving and gracious to share with us His heart, His plans, His inheritance, His ways! It gives us reason to rejoice and be thankful!
If we are able to receive God's love in the place of encounter, then things start unlocking. The chains of those fears and anxieties start to fall off, because our eyes are focused on our Great God, rather than telling our God how great our problems are.
On the other hand, if we reject His love, we let fear (self pity, false humility or pride) take over. False humility/self pity is one side of the coin of fear (and the other being pride) because we are constantly looking to others (or even ourselves) for approval with a high and false standard. In this we do not give permission for God to transform us through His perfect love because with each of these standards that we build, blocks/denies His ways to transform us. At the same time we are rejecting God and his intention for His creation (ourselves) telling Him that we know better than He does in who we are and what we are supposed to be like.
Who are we to reject what God wants and wills for us? Who are we to deny His hand in how He wants to show us His love? Well, that's what free-will is about. Choosing to love Him and His ways or choosing another way...
But going back to the place of encountering God, receiving His love, those chains are being released... There is a third and very important element to full transformation. Walking it out. (Wait..what? Can't God just zap me and I won't have any more trouble? Well, it doesn't always work out that way.)
That place of encounter, that place of God's GREAT love and fullness...that's the place where God is encouraging you. He is placing courage IN you to walk it out. This is a place where God gets to speak over you and say, 'You are not that person anymore. I declare this and now you either believe that my love is enough or you will go back to the place of habit. This is the place where you get to prove that you are not tied to fears anymore. This is a place where you will advance, but fear not, I am with you in this! You are no longer a slave to anxiety or fear. You are not going to support the enemy's plans no longer. Why? Because you are so loved by Me!'
Those encounters you just had with God filled are constructed for you to encounter and be filled with God's love that you will want to get free as fast as you can! Because you know who you are and whose you are! There, a new found courage was given and the strength to overcome. Since your mind and heart had already started transforming, now comes the part where you get your flesh to agree. You have the command and all the support of God to do this. What's even more great is that you get to encounter God as much as you want to be in His presence. It's not a one shot deal for a limited period of time. God wants to spend time with you as you get to know Him. He wants to be your shield, your comforter, your strength, your encourager, your guide, your protector, your provider, your God. How awesome is that!?
Don't be discouraged when you see similar instances from the past pop up. This is a time now to show off whose you are and how powerfully you are loved. This is a time to show the enemy that he no longer has the upper hand. Our God is greater and OH how He loves us! He is for us and not against us!
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