Walking in fear is debilitating. Fear to me is like walking down a corridor in the center of a prison. Each cell is locked and closed. There is no way any inmate will escape or get free. With the guards accompanying me, I am completely safe and at liberty.
Yet all the inmates are shouting at me. They accuse, ridicule and laugh at me. They say vile things, threaten and taunt. They scream hateful threats and make obscene gestures. Each step I take the voices get louder… and louder… and they know my name. They personalize their horrifying statements.
Even though I am completely safe and walk in freedom, I yield to fear. I tremble and worry, becoming anxious from all the threats. I create pictures in my mind of seeing them carrying out their words. And my fear turns to terror.
What about you?
Although we are the ones who are free, we become imprisoned. Because we listen and let their destructive words seep in and believe them, we become prisoners.
When we let those that are bound, place bars around us when we listen to their lies such as:
- You are less than.
- You are a hypocrite.
- You are fat and ugly.
- God doesn’t love YOU!
- Everyone is talking about you.
- You are a joke!
- Your writing is stupid!
- Nobody likes you.
- You call yourself a Christian?
We allow them to slam shut the lock on those bars when we start believing them.
Yet, God, the voice of truth says a different story. He says:
- You are more than a conqueror.
- You are the real deal.
- You are beautiful.
- I love you!
- The enemy is a liar.
- I am delighted in you!
- You are gifted and creative.
- I love you with everlasting love.
- You were chosen and called by me.
The choice is ours. Listen to the fear which in an acronym says, FALSE EVIDENCE APPEARING REAL. Living your life as if at any moment something could happen that most likely NEVER will.
We make the decision to either let a liar dictate our life or listen to the voice of truth.
What do you choose?