If you take counsel with your fears, fear will be your guide. If you allow your imagination to run wild, you will find your emotions riding a roller coaster. If you place unbiblical labels on people, you may also look upon them in an unbiblical manner. The way some choose to look at people and circumstances can cause them much trouble and stress. As long as a person avoids renewing the mind and decides to keep destructive thought patterns, he will continue to trouble himself unnecessarily.
Apart from the fight or flight mechanism that is designed to protect us from harm, fear is something people learn. How often have we read in the Bible where God says, “Fear not”? That means we have the capacity to not fear. As we yield to the Holy Spirit, we can walk in peace as it is part of the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22). Fear is attached to the future. It does not exist in the past, and is usually connected to a “what if” phrase. I remember learning this principle when I was considering some “possible” outcomes related to a set of circumstances. Out of the blue, the Lord spoke to my heart, “There is no such thing as “what if!” Immediately, the anxiety that was starting to grip my heart left. This ties in with the rest of the sentence quoted earlier: “for I am with you.” We don’t know everything about our future, but God does. When we place our faith in Him, we are able to trust Him with it. One might ask, isn’t there such a thing as a spirit of fear? Sure, but Jesus already defeated it, and all the power of the enemy. By His grace, we do not have to obey fear; we can tell it leave.
In a sense, you have to grant yourself permission to allow peace to rule in your heart. This is especially true for those who have accepted fear as of a way of life. For them, it is the norm; however, God has empowered us to unlearn fear.
As long as people make life about themselves, every negative thing that happens to them will turn them into victims. In their mind, everything another human being does that in someway inconveniences them, is the result of some sort of plot. “They did that to spite me!” It’s an attitude that makes no room for any other plausible explanation for what happened. Basically, they view people with suspicion, even if they don’t actually know them. Some even look at God suspiciously. Of course, they “just know” what others are thinking. When their imagination takes over, there is a tendency to misinterpret the actions of another. For example, George says, “Fred must be mad at me. He didn’t say hello to me in the hallway.” Reality: Fred was preoccupied with something at home, and didn’t notice George was even there. Fred was “gone.” It had absolutely nothing to do with George. As long as a person remains self-centered, it will be difficult for him to see beyond himself. As long as he refuses to glorify God, “all eyes are on him.” How does glorifying God relate to a self-centered attitude? When we glorify God, we are placing in Him in the highest esteem possible. Our focus will completely change, as will our outlook on life. If we are going to get life right, we need stay centered on Him!
One thing the devil does is attack people’s identity, so they can never see themselves as the children of God. One of the weapons he employs is ungodly labeling. If a person identifies with such a label, he or she will become that label. To further drive it home, he attempts to get believers to agree with the label or classification.
Thus, instead of seeing him or her as a future heir of the Kingdom, they view him or her with disdain. They distance themselves from those who embrace ungodly identities, instead of seeking to rescue them from their bondage. What some believers don’t realize is that these are tortured souls who are desperate to be set free. They are starved for love. They may put up a front and look proud; but deep down, they’re hurting. It is important to understand what length the enemy goes to install a false identity. Some people have suffered hardships no one should ever endure. Many of which were so attacked at a very young age, when they were the most vulnerable. Jesus moved with compassion for the lost sheep without a shepherd. He reached out to them. He still reaches out them, and uses His disciples in the process. A true disciple of Jesus Christ is compassionate. We cannot afford to agree with labels He does not place on people. We mus align ourselves with His point of view. That means some need to change the way they choose to think about others. It is called repentance. When people fail to extend mercy to those who need it, they trouble themselves. Withholding mercy keeps peace from ruling in the heart. Matthew 5:7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. Jude 1:21-23 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life. 22. And of some have compassion, making a difference: 23. And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.
