Jesus taught us to trust God in the timing of the trials of our lives. We don’t need to be afraid, controlling, or steer the outcome elsewhere. All we really need to do is trust God and follow his plan/ways. Do you live in fear? I once had an acquaintance state how she saw how I lived in fear. I can look back and realize she was also living in a lot of fear. Do your fears cripple you to where you try and control the outcomes or stop you from doing something? Fears can be a stronghold in our lives. When something in our life surrounds us and closes in on us, this is called a stronghold. Many of us are trapped by a stronghold. We need the power of God’s truth to tear down those strongholds.
Today let’s take a look at some scriptures that will help us with letting go of fear. Read Jeremiah 29:11, Matthew 6:34, Psalm 46:1, and 1 Peter 5:7. The Israelites use their fear for their children as an excuse to disobey God. Read Numbers 13. These illustrations of the stronghold of fear with the 12 spies sent into the Promised Land. The 10 spies came back and talked about out the giants would defeat the Israelites. The other two spies, Joshua and Caleb, reminded the others of God’s faithfulness and promises. However, fear took over the people, and they listened to the 10 spies. What was the fear for the people? What did Joshua and Caleb tell the people? How did tey people respond?
God put up a lot with the Israelites. Yet, He took care of them, provided for them, showed that He is always with them, prepared a new home for them, and rejected it using their families’ excuse. The result for the Israelites was wandering in the wilderness for forty years. No one over the age of 20 saw the promised land. The Israelites faced ongoing battles to trust that God would take care of them. We, too, face that battle. The game-changer for each of us is when we realized that God’s love is for us. Read 1 John 4:18. What is not a part of love? What is the reason or cause behind fear?
Now read 2 Corinthians 10:3-5. What kind of weapons do we have to demolish strongholds? How do we destroy those strongholds? What does it mean to make our thoughts obedient to Christ?
Is there a place where you can surrender your stronghold to Jesus?
Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you for making it possible to break strongholds in our lives.
In Jesus Name
Amen
