I touched on fear when I shared about the peace that transcended our circumstances during the car collision that had left us in a state of shock. While it seems like a natural, warranted reaction to certain circumstances, specifically for many of us it being a fear of the unknown, fear is a very tricky feeling that must be tackled and shut down immediately.
I unfortunately will admit, that while I felt the peace that passes all understanding as I shared before, I did end up letting fear rise up and slowly try to choke out that initial feeling of peace. I was so confident that God had given me that peace and preserved my life, but what it took me a minute to realize was that just because the enemy didn’t get my life, it didn’t mean he’d stop there and not go for my mind, especially to keep me from sharing my testimony, knowing that my peace comes from the Lord.
Jesus says in John 10:10, “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy.” The stealing, killing, and destroying can be almost anything you let the thief, being the enemy of our souls, have-your peace, joy, mind, really whatever he knows you struggle with. However, the rest of this verse shuts that down! But then JESUS says, “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” Once you realize that in Jesus there is life and not just living, but abundant life, you will no longer let the enemy steal anything from you. There is no power over the name of Jesus. The only power fear has over you and your life is whatever power you give it.
This truth so loudly manifested itself in our circumstances after two days of me being out of the hospital. I was having full on panic attacks, throwing up from the severe anxiety, and feeling crippled by fear. I was afraid to get in a vehicle, afraid to be on the highway, afraid of being around people, afraid to go to sleep at night, you name it, and I was likely fearful of it. While finally praying as a family (we had been so dispersed that there was lots of praying separately) and being unified in standing on the promises of God, He gave me this verse to speak and reign over my fear; “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” (II Timothy 1:7 NKJV). I knew that the enemy didn’t succeeded in taking my life and he wasn’t going to have my mind either. I decided in that moment that we were going to stand against the fear consuming our circumstances.
It’s so important to understand how this spirit of fear works and knock it out before it rises up and takes flight in your mind. Among the whirlwind of pains, emotions, and times where we unfortunately, let the enemy steal moments from us, we had to remind ourselves that God is our refuge and strength, an ever present help in trouble. He has come that we may have abundant life. I am not only grateful to be alive but to have an ABUNDANT life ahead.
As I left the hospital and officially started the healing process, I had to come to the realization that it was not just physically for me, but mentally, and emotionally for all of us as well. I have had to stand on God’s promises, for me and my family that I know to be true, and refuse to walk in fear or believe that my children have to. When we finally got back home to Florida they specifically had a hard time sleeping at night. Because both of them were asleep at the time of the car collision, they couldn’t allow themselves to fall asleep in fear of awaking to such trauma and shock again. They spent many nights sleeping in our bedroom reciting Psalm 56:3 and waking up frequently through the night in a panic only for us to pray them back to sleep.
I thank God for His word that we can stand on and for the access we have to Him in empowering my family to overcome fear. It can still, almost a year now later, quickly creep up and rear its ugly head, but each day He continues to give us His strength to walk in power, love, and a sound mind.
