Daily Devotional ~ Free of Fear

❤ Worship: If you'd like to play a song before you begin or while you read, may we recommend "Peace Be Still" by Hope Darst. Why not try asking alexa, siri, or google to play it for you?!

💙 Daily Verse: I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me. He freed me from all my fears.
☆ Psalms 34:4 NLT

💜 Let's Talk About It: Have you ever struggled with fear? Maybe you haven't, but I have fought fear for as long as I can remember. Before I knew Jesus, I thought it was a good thing. It kept me out of trouble and dangerous places.

However, sweet Jesus has shown me that my fears have kept me from much. I have phobias, many of which are bugs, rodents, reptiles, and amphibians. So, the outdoors, while beautifully inviting to my spirit, scare me. Everytime I go outside, something buzzes right by me, or a frog is giving me a stink eye, or a lizard is gawking at me. All of which make me want to go back inside where no creepy crawlies live.

I have missed so much of life because I am afraid to be out in nature where we can experience all God has made. My fears have isolated me, and that isolation then became comfortable. Then, I became happier isolated and alone because at least then I didn't have to explain my quirks. But you know what else came with the isolation? Increased fear, paranoia, and attacks on my mind from the enemy.

Again, maybe you don't have a problem with fear, dear friend, but maybe you're like me and are so accustomed to the fear that you don't even see it as fear anymore but as security. Did you catch that...we can become so comfortable in fear that we stop even seeing fear for what it is, making it more powerful than it should be.

THIS, this is why we are to take every thought captive. It's why we need to pray. It's why we need Jesus. Without Him, I would have never experienced freedom. While I am still scared to death to venture deep into the woods, I am willing and do it because I know Jesus is with me. His Holy Spirit never leaves me nor forsakes me, and the sooner I let go of the fear and cling to the hem of His garment, the sooner I am set free from the bondage of fear.

💛 Additional Verse: In my distress I prayed to the Lord , and the Lord answered me and set me free. The Lord is for me, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?
☆ Psalms 118:5‭-‬6 NLT

🧡 Prayer: Dear God, thank you for this beautiful day. Thank you for never giving up on me. Thank you Lord, for being my shield and protector. There is none greater than you, God. Father, I thank you for freedom from fear in Jesus name. I thank you for strength and boldness to face fears, and I thank you for making me an overcomer. Lord, I pray that you would guide my steps today, and help me to love people like you love, see them how you see them, and treat them as you would treat them. May Your will be done, Father. I love you Jesus and in your name I pray, amen.