Fear Not – Satan’s Lies
There are many people who don’t realise that fear is the enemy. Fear sucks the spirit out of one’s fighting, takes the nerve out of one’s courage and robs vim and zest from one’s action. But this is always a false fear, because it tells us the enemy is stronger than we are. That is not true! We know that Jesus is Victor, and a fear that tells us otherwise is false. Corrie ten Boom
Every day, our minds are infiltrated with information from various sources that can negatively impact our well-being. We watch videos on social media platforms that talk about the chaos in the world. The divisive discussions we hear or participate in reiterate the polarisation prevalent in our world today. The negative words spoken into our lives in the spaces we move in leave us bewildered and hurt. The high standards social media influencers tell us we need to meet to fit in cause anxiety. The mockery we face because of our belief system causes us to feel rejected and isolated. All of these words, thoughts and images infiltrate our minds, causing us to fear. We fear economic instability will negatively impact our finances. We fear civil unrest. We fear people. What will they think about us? What will they say or do to us?
Fear can lead to a skewed view of the world and a distorted view of who we are. Fear tells us we cannot survive in a turbulent world where hatred is prevalent. It tells us we are not good enough and will never amount to anything. Fear tells us there is no hope. But these are lies that originate from the enemy of our souls, Satan. The Bible calls Satan the father of lies (John 8:44). The NIV version says it this way, “When he lies, he speaks his native language.” The Word cautions us to be alert and aware of the wiles of Satan. 1 Peter 5:8 (NLT) says,
“Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.”
Battle For Our Minds
We need to be alert to the fact that there is a battle for our minds. But we need not fear this battle. God has given us the weapons in His Word to fight the negative thoughts that cause fear to enter our hearts and our minds. We can declare His Word over us and dispel our fears.
When the chaos in the world and in our environment causes us to fear, we know that the Lord of heaven’s armies is with us and He is in control (Psalm 46).
When we feel that we are not good enough, we can praise Him because we are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14) and His plans for us are good (Jeremiah 29:11).
When we are afraid and discouraged, the Lord is there to hold us up with His victorious right hand (Isaiah 41:10).
When all hope seems lost, we can hope in our God who hears us and will save us (Micah 7:7).
The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us; the God of Israel is our fortress. Psalm 46:7
Reflection
Take time to think about the negative thoughts that are causing your heart to fear. How about declaring the verses of scripture in this devotional over your life to cast out your fears?
Prayer
Dear heavenly Father, thank You that You know all the fears that I am facing. Lord. I release my fears and anxiety to You. Help me, Lord, to recognise the deception of Satan so that I will not succumb to his lies. Help me to stand on Your Word and counteract the negative thoughts that enter my mind. Thank You, Lord, that You hear me and will save me. In Jesus’ name, amen.
