I'm certain we've all entertained a certain someone in our life – let’s call him the “unwelcome visitor”. I’ll admit, in the past I entertained him regularly.
He is a soul sucker - a joy killer. He chews you up and spits you out. He leaves you feeling exhausted and defeated, and some days, and in many ways, at your wits end.
He shows up at the most inopportune times and if we allow him, he takes up residency. He makes you feel like he owns you - he makes you feel like there is no one that can help you – no one can ever love you - like you'll never have peace and calm in your heart. He can make you feel like life isn't worth living.
In my past, we were on a first name basis – bed-fellows in fact. I acknowledged his presence and even though I hated him with a passion, I gave him ownership of my life.
Does he sound like anyone you know?
He is FEAR! As described in scripture, it is a spiritual being. Clearly, he's not one of the good guys. It's an entity that occupies and dominates this world in which our physical bodies temporarily, dwell. OCCUPY and DOMINATE – that is his goal! He is a liar and a dream killer. He gets his greatest joy when he causes one of God's called, to stumble or shrink back. Just imagine him – the accuser – standing in the corner of your mind – he’s pointing at you and laughing – he’s gained a foothold! He’s truly wicked!
For the believer, this being has no power to work in our lives - except that which we give him.
Hmm - let's park here for a minute and let that sink in. He has NO power, EXCEPT what WE GIVE him!
So, how do we give this unwelcome visitor – Fear - the power to wreak havoc in our life? Well, first, by making him welcome!! Kind of an oxy-moron, isn’t it!?! Yep, we tend to just open the door and stand aside as he sashays right in. I did that for many years! Swoosh! You can hear him, and feel him as he rushes in!! Makes your blood run cold, doesn’t it!?!
We do this by believing his lies. You're weak - you're ugly - you talk funny - you’re stupid - you're scatter brained.... This was just part of my list - just fill in the blanks with your own!
We do this by giving him place in our words, in our thoughts, & in our responses to difficulties.
I hear the phrase, "I am afraid" peppered throughout so many conversations. Some speak it as quickly and easily as saying their own name. However, the words "I am" is the name of our God. As stated by Rabbi Jonathon Cahn (Messianic pastor), "YHVH means 'I Am.' It's the Name of the Eternal, the Name of God. His Name is I Am - And you have always said it. It is woven into the fabric of existence that when you speak of yourself, you must say His Name”. So, anything that follows “I AM”, is an extension of God. I am Allison – I, Allison am an extension of God – made in HIS likeness.
So, when we tag the word, "afraid" on the end of the phrase, “I am”, we are aligning the creator of the universe with the spirit of Fear! Nada, my friend! The words, God and fear, don't belong in the same sentence, unless you're declaring the awesome power of God Himself – that is the awesome fear and wonder of His being! That's not the same "fear"...that is an adjective that describes God's awesomeness. The fear I'm talking about is a noun - a being - a spirit. By saying "I am afraid", we are essentially thumbing our nose at God - the sustainer of all life. A little unnerving right!?! Um, if you're not bothered by that, then I'm honestly concerned for you.
This visitor occupies and dominates the thought life of many, so much so, that a darkness seems to hover around them. I know it well - I lived like that for decades. He’s a familiar spirit that I finally allowed God to expel from my life. So now I recognize him when I see him operating in others. My heart breaks for the one who is consumed with this being. He just doesn't belong within them, but there he stays until that soul is willing to let God kick him out! The energy that should be spent on growing in faith is instead, used up in worry and discontentment in every area of life. A soul who is beset with this spirit, become exhausted and sadly – stagnant or even lifeless.
I see him through their behaviors. The one who lashes out in frustration with angry or biting words. The one who falls into self-pity when things don’t go their way. The one who chases after things, status, people, or all of the above, instead of chasing the heart of God. The one who has unmet expectations that don't line up with God's Word, or His will, and they act out in destructive ways. It could be gluttony, promiscuous behavior (not just physical but in fantasy as well), over-spending money or credit, adultery, fornication, drugs, and/or alcohol. It shows up in some who torture their bodies by pushing themselves to extremes for “fear” of getting fat or unattractive (um, that called vanity) - this includes extreme dieting (guilty in the past) and exercise that is damaging to the body (also guilty).
In a nutshell, it's anything taken to an extreme (ie. I would say that all of the above is quite extreme), or that diminishes God’s power in our minds and exalts itself above God. Wow! So this spirit of Fear becomes an idol! Yikes!
Instead of creating intimacy with God, a person who is consumed with fear, develops intimacy and unholy alliances with others and with activities that distract from facing the real problem. Like I did in the past, they become bed-fellows. Fear occupies and dominates! Fear exalts itself above God and becomes an idol! You see how he kind of just compounds the problem!?!
Once fear has gained entry, the only way to expel him is through prayer and the Word of God. Twenty-two year ago, with the Word of God in hand, I confronted this unholy being by declaring my faith in God and in the blood of Jesus Christ, who died for me. I asked God to forgive my lack of belief in Him. When I allowed God to begin to expel this unwanted/unwelcome visitor, I adopted a scripture (which has popped up repeatedly today – prompting this chain of thought).
Fear NOT! – NOR be afraid! For the LORD, THY GOD – HE it IS that doth go with thee! HE WILL NOT fail thee - HE WILL NOT forsake thee! Deuteronomy 31:6
Feel the power in those words! I quoted it and meditated on it - a dozen or more times a day – I fell asleep quoting it out loud and woke up in the morning, quoting it out loud - until the words in that verse replaced the lies that this enemy of my rest, had convinced me was true. As I tell others around me, you have to allow God’s Word to REWRITE THE SCRIPTS in your mind – replace the lies that have been fed to you – the lies you chose to believe – with God’s Word!
I encourage you to meditate on that verse – or find a favorite of your own. For me, it was a process – it took a lot of effort on my part, and trust and faith in God that He would break down the strongholds and expel this entity from my life! With the Word of God on my lips, the Holy Spirit rewrote the scripts in my mind!
My friend, don’t you think you’ve given this unwelcome visitor too much of your life already? It’s time to give him the boot!! Own the power that’s given to you in God’s Word - that Jesus DIED on the cross to give you! And when this unwelcome visitor rears his ugly head, remind him who wrote the final chapter - remind him that he's already lost!
Comments