Kick Fear to the Curb!

Who are you when no one else is looking? The answer will determine your character. Answer this question - Are you someone that is easily tempted, or can you look temptation in the face and turn away? 

James 1:13-14(NLT), “And remember, when you are being tempted, do not say, “God is tempting me.” God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else. Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away.”

Many Christians have faced challenging decisions in their lives. Some chose to give in to temptation and have regretted this decision more than they’d care to admit. One of the defining characteristics of temptation is that it can only lead to chaos, pain, and confusion. 1Corinithians 14:33 tells us that God is not the author of confusion. Therefore, we can be certain that temptation doesn’t come from Him. It comes from the devil, and we need only look at Adam and Eve to see that satan has been using temptation to trick God’s people from the very beginning.  

There are many of us that operate out of a spirit of fear and not the love of God. We may not realize we’re doing this because we were never taught the difference between the two. James 1:13-14 tells us very straightforwardly that God does not tempt His people. He doesn’t play games just to see how we respond. He knows everything there is to know about us already. He knows our past, present, and our future. He knows our strengths, and He knows our weaknesses. He is not going to find out anything new about our lives that He doesn’t already know. So Heavenly Father is too loving, too intelligent, and too powerful to tempt His people. To think that He would do this is to think outside of His love. 

God tells us in Ephesians 4:23 to be renewed in the spirit of our minds. This means we must change the way we think so that our thoughts line up with the thoughts of Jesus Christ. We can’t realign our thoughts to the mind of Christ if we think outside of God’s love. Thinking outside of God’s love means that instead of thinking about Him as a God that is full of goodness, mercy, and grace, many of us think of Him as a God who punishes and harms. This causes us to operate in fear instead of love. It is a train of thinking that allows fear to slip through the door. Without realizing it, we might begin to think that God doesn’t want the best for us or that He withholds blessings from us. 

1John 4:18(NLT) says, “Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love.” This verse tells us very clearly that love and fear cannot dwell in the same place. One of them will have the rule of the house, and we decide which one that will be. We should always choose God’s love, and to believe wholeheartedly in His love, care, grace, and mercy. 

Fear is the quicksand of life—once you give in to it, it will change the trajectory of your life. You can spiral downward very quickly when you allow fear to be the driving force behind your decisions. In the record of Joseph in the Old Testament, we can see an example of the fortitude necessary to recognize and resist temptation when it rears its ugly head. 

The favor of God was upon Joseph’s life. Even though he also endured some harsh circumstances, God’s favor caused him to be very successful, and folks took notice of this. One of those folks was Potiphar, a member of the powerpack during that time; he was Pharaoh’s captain of the guard. Joseph was a very handsome and well-built young man, and Potiphar’s wife wanted him for herself. She didn’t hold back her advances towards Joseph and tried to seduce and pressure him to sleep with her. Joseph could have been easily taken in by her advances and given in to temptation. He might have gotten away with giving in without Potiphar ever finding out. Or Joseph could have let fear rule his decision and been afraid to turn her away. But the truth is that he would not concede to fear or pleasure. Joseph knew it wasn’t the right thing to do. He did everything to stay out of her way and never gave in to temptation.  

Heavenly Father tells us to trust in Him with all our hearts, and to know that He will never leave us or forsake us. If we trust Him, He will direct our paths. We don’t ever have to fear that we might miss out on something good when we follow the Lord’s way. Hebrews 11:6 tells us that He is a Rewarder of those that diligently seek Him. 

James 1:14 reminds us that temptation comes from our own desires. If we are being honest with ourselves, we sometimes want the thing that is not good for us. We are afraid to do without them. And when we give in to these temptations, we are giving in to fear. This is a decision that leads to our lives spiraling downward and things becoming out of control. God’s goal for us is to live the example of Jesus Christ so that we can receive all the blessings God has stored up for us. We must have a made-up mind and a heart that is eager to do what is right. No matter the cost, kick fear to the curb! Let’s resist temptations and stop fear from ruling our choices and decisions. If we do this, Heavenly Father will reward us because we will have chosen to honor Him above all else. ■

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

“Kick Fear to the Curb!”, written by Kim for https://rescuefromdomesticviolence.blogspot.com© 2020. All rights reserved. All praise and honor to God through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.