Overcoming Fear!

“Fear and intimidation is a trap that holds you back. But when you place your confidence in the Lord, you will be  seated in the high place.” -Proverbs 29:25 (TPT)

Benaiah is one of my favorite ancient warriors. He was known as the lion chaser because he chased a lion into a pit on a snowy day (2 Samuel 23:20-22). I don’t know what Benaiah was thinking when he saw the lion, but he might have thought, “If David can kill a lion, why not me?” So, he decided to chase after the lion and defeat it.

Imagine, if you were Benaiah, what would you do? Run away or face your fear and chase it down as he did? Do you know what happened to Benaiah after killing the lion? That victory opened the path to his destiny. Eventually, he was promoted to David’s chief bodyguard (2 Samuel 23:23). Later, he was appointed commander-in-chief of Israel’s army under King Solomon (1 Kings 2:35; 4:4). 

Can you see how one brave action could potentially change the trajectory of your life? We shouldn’t live running away from the things we’re afraid of. Living in fear is dangerous; fear is a professional thief. It will steal your future and opportunities. I can testify to that because I used to yield to fear and let it have the last word in my life. However, I decided not to let fear dictate my decisions any longer. I refuse to settle for the status quo or surrender my God-given dreams on the altar of fear. 

Facing fear usually starts with identifying the type of fear and the excuses we have like, “I’m not qualified, I don’t have enough experience, or I’m too old.” For me, my excuse was, “I am not good at writing, let alone writing in English.” However, I realized that this was not about whether I was good or not; it was about fear of criticism, and once I could recognize the root of my excuse, it helped me to face it. I chose not to let the spirit of fear manipulate my life. So here I am, facing my “lion” like Benaiah.  And you know what? I killed him; Woo-hoo!

Proverbs 29:25 says that fear is a trap with one agenda—to hold us back and keep us from stepping into our remarkable lives. Therefore, don’t listen to the voice of fear; instead, face it head-on. Pick up your sword—the Sword of the Spirit, the word of His promises—look straight in the face of your fear, then swing. 

Friend, it’s time to cross over and do what God has been prompting in your heart. Don’t wait until you are more qualified to step out. If you wait, you may be waiting for the rest of your life. Trust Him and obey. Don’t worry about what people will think. Just do yourself a favor and go for it. Even though you may not see what’s ahead, God says, “I know what’s ahead, and I will go with you” (Isaiah 41:10). “Fear not, be strong and courageous” (Joshua 1:9). “My presence is here to lead you; I am on your side.”