Overcoming Fear

I have some super exciting news to share today about fear!!

 

We are a homeschooling family and apart of Classical Conversations on Thusday mornings. If you are not sure what "CC" is, you can visit their website for more information. You will be amazed by all they do and the kids learn. I am so much smarter than I was 12 weeks ago! 

 

One of the many aspects of CC that I love is that they give the children opportunities each week to get up in front of their peers and do "show and tell." Of course, this is the beginning of bigger presentations as they get older.

 

I know many of you reading this blog do not know me, but I LOVE to speak to groups of people. The bigger the group the better. It has always been my dream to speak to thousands of people at a time. I know that sounds crazy, but I LOVE it! I do not know why I do, but I do. My first experience speaking in front of a larger group was in second grade. I had to memorize a poem for the PTA meeting. That room was full, I was nervous, but way excited. After I finished that night, I knew this would be a part of who I was and could not wait for the next chance to speak in front of a group of people! Funny, huh!

 

But my daughter is the opposite.

 

At CC, we first meet in the church sanctuary for opening. All the kids are there with their moms. Each week a different family opens up. Of course, I chose after Christmas because I knew we would have to work up to that. So the first week we walk in and AG immediatley bust into tears. She thought her show and tell was in front of this group of people. Probably around 40 to 50 people. I had to explain it was in her class with 8 kids, a tutor and 5 moms.

 

So, when we get to class and it's time for show and tell, she has a complete meltdown. She would not get off of me and refused to open her mouth to speak. So, I ended up introducing her for the first class. The second week she sat on my lap at the back of the room and said very little. I had to coach her along. Then, slowly we moved to the front of the room with me beside her and each week, I would move further away and say less and less.

 

This week, for the first time, she did her presentation all by herself in front of the classroom without my help. I got to actually video her!!!

 

How awesome is that?!? We had lots of discussions on fear during these 12 weeks. She did so well today, but I know that God was helping her 100% today.

 

"For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline."  2 Timothy 1:7

 

1. God did not give us a spirit of fear.

 

This "spirit of fear" is from the enemy. It puts us in bondage and chains. It paralyzes us. The enemy does not want us to fulfill the plan God has for us, so he attempts to put fear on us so that we will be paralyzed and not walk in freedom proclaiming Jesus.

 

2. God gives us "spirit of power, of love and self-discipline."

 

These are available to us because the Holy Spirit lives in us. He gives us power over the enemy and gives us a spirit of love.

 

Discipline means control by enforcing obedience or order. Self discipline means we have to enforce obedience to God and do what He wants us to do no matter what. We may have to pray our way through a situation and memorize scripture to get through it, but we can; because we have the Holy Spirit working through us.

 

As AG finished her presentation today, I was thinking over the last 12 weeks. At first I held her in my arms to talk to the class, then by my side, then we moved to the front of the room. It was a gradual shift. God is so much that way. He never leaves us nor forsakes us, but He is right there holding us in His arms and guiding us step by step moving us through the process of what we are to be doing.

 

I do not know what area you are experiencing fear in today, but know it is not from God. The enemy is trying to keep you walking in fear, so that you can not truely function as God desires you to function. Trust in an All-knowing God today to take away your fear.