Small groups. Connection Groups. Time to eat, read God's Word, laugh, cry, share, pray, be transparent, encourage, poke fun at each other a bit. I am once again incredibly grateful for the fellowship God provides with other believers in Christ. Really great night of connecting tonight and sharing what our fears are based from Hebrews 2: 5-18. So glad God didn't intend for us to be alone but instead to walk through life together.
God said that He sent His Son to walk in human flesh, to be tested, to die and rise again for us so that the power that Satan has over us, the power of not only death but also the power to make us fearful and therefore ineffective, is demolished. He said that we don't even have to fear death. If we don't have to fear the granddaddy of all fears, the ultimate fear--DEATH, then we don't have to fear anything less than death either. We don't have to fear because once we place our faith in Jesus as our Savior, we know we have eternal life in Him. We also know that He gives us His Holy Spirit to live in us so we don't have to fear events in this life either. That's not to say living for the Lord is easy or trouble-free. It is often just the opposite. But God promises to walk before, with, beside, and behind us. It is His strength and the fact that we can trust in Him that gives us the choice to not live in fear.
Hebrews 2:14-15 "Because God’s children are human beings—made of flesh and blood—the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death. Only in this way could he set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying."
As our small group shared what our fears are this evening, I observed that Satan seems to attack us with fears in the areas that we are called to serve in and in the areas that are precious to us (which tells us that God intends for us to be powerful and do His Kingdom work in these areas, and Satan is trying to disable God's work). I also observed that the areas that each person mentioned that they struggle with fear in are the areas that others see such strength of God's character in. For example, some of the men said that they fear providing for their families. And I know these men are amazing providers. Some fear public speaking; these are the very ones who I see as having the ability to be precise, gracious, and convicting with their words. Some verbalized a fear that they wouldn't be strong under trials or that they wouldn't succeed. Their character is the epitome of strength.
Satan tries to disable our abilities, passions, gifts, callings by making us fearful so that we aren't as effective. We are free and don't have to be slaves of fear.
God has been speaking to me lately about trusting Him more--especially in those areas that we hold on to so dearly because they are so precious to us. He is able to guide and provide and give us wisdom and ability to be successful in the callings He has given. We are reminded to trust Him. My job is to release, keep my eyes on Him, obey, follow. It's His job to show me the way.
If you died today, are you absolutely certain that you would go to heaven? You can be! TRUST JESUS NOW
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