Are you fighting for the kingdom or hiding behind your fear?

Fear is the enemies favorite and most effective tool. When he plants the tiniest "seed" of fear into our minds-- so many of allow that seed to take over our lives to the extent that Satan doesn't even need to do anything more with us. He plants that fear and his job is done. We let it hold us back from any great works, any great ideas, any great deeds in our lives. Because we're too SCARED to try anything---even those things that God calls us to. Many of us are so scared, so afraid, so full of fear....that we can't even HEAR Gods voice because we don't ever allow Him the opportunity to be with us.

My awesome pastor, Ken Landis; said this so well today! I never it, bit once he pointed this out it was so blaringly obvious that I'm embarrassed I never realized it before. Here it is:

God steps in when you NEED Him.

It's that simple. He steps in, He takes over... when you need Him. If you allow your fears to keep you in your comfort zone and never step outside it; you won't ever need God. And He won't step into your life. So you won't feel His presence. And you will wonder where God is.
He is HERE...but if you have everything "under control", under your control, He won't take over. He won't MOVE in your life. You won't feel Him.

As Christians, we are promised Salvation. But God wants us to live while we are here on Earth, too. He has a plan for each and every one of us. We make it so easy for Satan to keep us from Gods plan for our life when we listen to the fear he plants. And what are most of us afraid of?

Fear of embarrassment.
Fear of being hurt (emotionally)
Fear of failure.
Fear of losing friends.
Fear people won't understand our decisions (will think we're nuts)
Fear we won't be "happy" with our choices
Fear of rejection
Fear we're not qualifed/not good enough
Fear. Fear. Fear.

Have ANY of those fears killed anybody?
Have any of them caused any bodily harm?

God called us to be warriors. Not sissies.
Our Biblical heroes faced huge life or death battles in Gods name.....and we aren't willing to grow in our own faith....why?
Because we're afraid of what? Embarrassment? Failure? Rejection?
How highly we must think of ourselves; that our own emotions are so important. So important, really, that we will not risk those precious emotions of ours so that we can allow God to take over our lives and MOVE us...and by moving in us...move those around us.

I never realized how closely connected fear is with self-importance.
When you allow fear to keep you from following through on God's plan for you--you are absolutely putting yourself first instead of God. There is no act more selfish than that.