While I was an emcee at a conference in November, the Holy Spirit revealed to me the level of fear that people were dealing with in the room.  They were all strong believers in the Lord and people you would believe to be very strong Christians. Yet, their level of fear was palpable. Why?

Why is it that all of us, universally, have to deal with this issue at one time or another? Some of us have to face fear head on and deal with it. The rest of us tend to avoid anything where fear is felt. This is not wise and, in fact, spiritually dangerous.

Spiritual Warfare

Satan is real and he is playing for keeps. He has done something so subtle that most don’t recognize it. He has convinced many that feelings equate to truth.  This is a profound lie but many believe this as truth and act on it. Why?

At the conference, the Spirit showed me how at a young age a spirit (demon) of fear comes along side of us during a difficult/painful/traumatic time. He speaks words of comfort and fear to us with the hope that we will eventually come to see them as “advisors” who want only to help us avoid the pain of the past.

St. Ignatius teaches us in his “Spiritual Exercises” that demons have the ability to insert thoughts and emotions into us and make them appear to be our own. If this is true, then we have been duped a million times plus.  

So what do we do?

Live the truth that God reveals!!!!!

This is the kind of darkness for which we have no light to overcome. We are at the mercy of demons if we can’t define which feelings are real and which are not. We need help to know what is true and what is not. This is why Jesus revealed Himself as the light of the world. God made us to exist in truth because He is the truth (John 14:6).

So we are called to live according to the truth that God reveals. But the enemy, wanting to keep control of our souls, instills fear in following God so that the Father’s desire to be reunited with his children might be thwarted.

The job of the disciple of Jesus Christ is to learn the ways of God and LIVE according to them. Most often, God wants to grow our faith in Him and His word. This is why He calls us to take the “leap of faith” that is required to live according to His word. He not only wants us to live by His Truth but also grow to trust Him even more.

How do we practice this?

Every time we enter into a fearful situation, we need to ask ourselves what the truth is from God about our current situation, and then push through the fear into His truth.

Example: “I am afraid of moving away from home.”  Why? “Because I feel like I will be alone.”

What is the truth?

“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always, the Spirit of truth, which the world cannot accept, because it neither sees nor knows it. But you know it, because it remains with you, and will be in you.”   John 14:16-17 NABre

When was the last time you referred to God’s word to determine what to do in a situation? Let us do so as a normal practice!!