In Part One, I gave you the basis for becoming fearless: You have God’s plans and dreams in your heart and the expansion of the kingdom waits for you.  In this part, I’ll share the action steps you can follow to practically apply the word to your life.

Five Steps to Becoming Fearless:

Get connected. One of the biggest tactics of the enemy is to keep you disconnected from God, others, and your true self.  When you are alone it is easy to pick you off.  If you feel that the weight of the world is on your shoulders it gives more room for fear to move.  Getting connected is a powerful action step. The benefits of proper connections can propel you into your destiny. It also brings you comfort and companionship. “Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labor.” Ecclesiastes 4:9

Get confirmation.  You will never be the only one who sees the vision. God will confirm his word, his work, and his plan. Confirmation gives you the confidence to move ahead; even if you don’t know every single detail of the plan.  One caveat here: the word of God is the highest authority and provides the surest confirmation in every situation. Be sure that you maintain respect for the word of God. Be cautious of confirmation that comes out of familiarity.  God sent Gideon to the enemy’s camp to get confirmation seems ironic but it gives us an important point. Be sure what you accept as confirmation comes from a truly spiritual occurrence.  Here’s the caveat: Sometimes those closest to you confirm things because they’re close, not because the Holy Spirit is leading. You must learn to tell the difference and obey God’s truth.  Trust God to bring confirmation in ways that leave no doubt about His power and plan.  “So then Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God.” Romans 10:17

Get in action.  God gives you power to move.  Fear can be paralyzing.  It can stop you in your tracks, but you must remember God has given you power to do something.  Ask yourself this question, “What can I do in this situation?”  Don’t allow the word, “nothing,” to be an acceptable response. You always have a choice. (You can choose to do things differently or you can choose not to respond. You can choose to change your attitude or perspective about a situation.)  You always have a choice; making a choice is the execution of power. 2 Timothy 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

Trust in God’s love.  God is love and we can trust His love for us.  When fear presents itself it is often because we are afraid of being unloved, disliked, or misunderstood.  These thoughts will keep you stuck. In the face of fear, remember that God loves you.  His love for you is so fierce that He gave his only begotten Son that you would have a right to a relationship with Him and become a powerful reflection of Him on earth.  What matters most is that God is pleased with you.  Remember, when a man’s ways please the Lord, he will cause his enemies to be a peace with him. You must move out trusting in the love of God. 1 John 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment.  He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

Exercise Self Discipline.  Although 2 Timothy 1:7 uses the word “sound mind,” self-discipline is perhaps a better word choice.  God has given you self-discipline: the ability to train and control yourself (more specifically your mind). When fear attacks your mind and you hear, “You can’t,” you must rely on self-discipline to speak God truth. “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.”  When fear says, “You are not good enough,” or “You don’t have enough,” you must remind yourself—“Greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world.” Whatever emotions or anxious actions develop from the presence of fear can be destroyed by the exercise of self-discipline. Someone once said, “FEAR is false evidence appearing real.”  Self-discipline gives you the ability to assault the false, replace it with God’s truth, and stand. God has given you the power to prevail. You must exercise self discipline when fear arises. 2 Timothy 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

Your Spiritual Development Plan
What goals has the Lord placed in your heart to achieve? Is there a radical idea or action that you’ve brushed off as unbelievable or impossible? Maybe you are simply delaying what needs to be done. Today, determine to follow the action plan above to achieve your goals. 

Remember that ultimately, they are God’s goals for you. They have Kingdom importance.  You can accomplish all He ordained for you, just become fearless!

“And it came to pass the same night that the Lord said unto him, Arise get thee down unto the host; for I have delivered it into thine hand.  But if thou fear to go down, go thou with Phurah thy servant down to the host:” Judges 7:9-10

It’s quite possible no one has ever told you this, but God does know you will encounter fear. You must conquer it.
 
Why am I talking about fear at the beginning of a new year? Well, I believe God has placed goals, visions, and dreams in your heart to accomplish and fear stands in direct opposition to your success. It is important to realize that God placing desires in your heart makes you different from many people who start the year making and breaking resolutions. The accomplishment of your God given goals has Kingdom importance. The Kingdom is waiting on you to fulfill them. You must diligently pursue them. You cannot let fear derail you.
 

God has already counted you successful, now you must overcome fear. He knows the things he has placed in your heart seem incredible. He wants you to rely on Him for the fulfillment of your success.

Whether He has spoken miraculous healing, financial recovery, restored relationships, improved physical fitness, or establishing a new career as goals for your life this year, God knows that you might be afraid to step out on faith and pursue the vision. It can all seem so overwhelming.

His aim is to build your faith and trust in Him.  He has a plan. Before I tell you the plan, let me tell you what it’s not.

God’s plan for conquering fear is not trying to psych yourself out of it with hypnotic repetitions of 1 Timothy 1:7 (“God has not given us the spirit of fear but of power, of love, and of a sound mind”).  His plan involves understanding the life giving principle found in the truth of those words plus your obedient action.

Gideon is a great example of the plan in action. God took Gideon through a process that caused him to become fearless. Let’s take a quick look at it.

Gideon had an encounter with God and was told of his extraordinary destiny. Essentially he received a Kingdom assignment.  Gideon’s assignment came at a time when resources were low and conditions were not optimal. In fact, God continually diminished his resources. Sound familiar?

You have a vision or goal but looking at the available resources makes you fearful? It makes you wonder if you can get it done. It makes you question the vision.  You must determine that nothing will hold you back from doing what the Lord desires.  Sometimes you even have to allow the Holy Spirit to lead you out of “the box.”  God has commissioned you for spiritual work, therefore its accomplishment must be Spirit led.

God is never concerned about the quantity of your resources. He is the supplier of all your need. He wants you to trust Him more than you trust in things. Your power is not found in the things around you, but in the word the Lord has spoken.  Trust God and pursue the vision.

This year, commit to becoming fearless. It’s the key to your extraordinary destiny.

In part two, I ‘ll share the action steps that lead you to becoming fearless.

“And it came to pass the same night that the Lord said unto him, Arise get thee down unto the host; for I have delivered it into thine hand.  But if thou fear to go down, go thou with Phurah thy servant down to the host:” Judges 7:9-10

     Many go about doing works, even “good” works, but where is the man who will take up the spiritual work of the Lord?
     A spiritual work is that which is initiated by and fulfilled through the Holy Spirit. As the body of Christ, we must realize that any effort to fulfill or accomplish something apart from the Spirit (in the flesh) is really a lost effort. It does not lead to kingdom results though it may outwardly appear to be successful.  This is a huge problem in the body of Christ today since most measure success by standards other than those established by the Lord.  God does not have an issue with success, wealth, or material possessions; nevertheless, the truly successful life is the one governed and led by the Holy Spirit. 
     The man or woman governed by the Holy Spirit will accomplish spiritual work. The spiritual man or woman obeys the guidance of the Holy Spirit. He is sensitive to when he is leading and when he has stopped.  This sensitivity and spirit of obedience are not so much reflected in what is done, but in the ability of the work (God working through you) to touch the spirit of another.  When the spiritual work you do touches the spirit of another it will cause an increased consciousness of the reality of God. This raised awareness brings people to the dynamic power of salvation and the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
     Many in the world today are in need of the power, presence, and ministry of the Holy Spirit. The church is now being prepared (purified and restored), called upon (taken out of obscurity), and sent (not by man or organization but by divine commission) to respond to that need: the need for reconciliation with God as well as restoration of the joy of salvation among believers.
     I hear him ask, who will go?  Who will be crucified with Christ to that extent that only the life of the Spirit is released?  Beloved of God, commit to living a life surrendered to the Holy Spirit so that you can truly be a co-laborer with the Lord.   Let all your work be spiritual.
Blessings to you!
MC

Your life is designed by God and it flows according to his timetable. 

You must remember, respect, and receive it.

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  Although most would answer the question with a resounding yes, the real proof is evidenced in the tone and tenor of your life. Your true level of respect for the Lord is revealed through your attitude, your words, and your actions.  Respecting God is a critical step in living a powerful, faith-filled life.  
  Respect for the Lord is more than sentiment or philosophical concept; it is a deep regard and reverence that leads to trust and obedience. The Bible uses the phrase, “the fear of the Lord,” to convey the deep meaning of the respect that is required for successful spiritual living.  
   Job 28:28 declares that the fear of the Lord is wisdom. So then, in this case fear should be considered synonymous with respect. Respect or reverence for the Lord produces biblical wisdom. This wisdom serves as the catalyst for you to live a successful spiritual life as well as reproduce it in others. So, I ask again, “Do you really respect God?”

  Respecting the Lord produces true wisdom which, in turn, creates the momentum for living a life that continually glorifies God. You will live an authentic life consistently and purposefully using your gifts, talents, and abilities to positively impact the kingdom. Ultimately, you live the life God designed for you, full of fellowship with him and accomplishing purpose. Your respect for God should be more than mere verbal sentiment but should be clearly and consistently revealed in your life. Take a moment and consider your answers the following questions:

1.  Does your attitude reveal respect and faith? Respect for God is a heart issue and the issues of your heart are revealed in your attitude.  Your attitude is the position of your mind on a situation based on fact or circumstance. It is the decision you make on how you will think, act, or feel about something and the actions that result from that decision. As Christians, we are to base our attitudes on the facts of faith and not temporary nature of circumstances.  When your mind truly agrees with the facts of faith and the word of God, you will maintain a proper attitude.  You will not live as someone who has no hope, feel defeated or alone even when the circumstances of life seem to reflect that.  Your attitudes must be based on the sovereignty of God. You have confidence that God is aware of your situation. You are certain that the good work He started in you He is faithful to complete. You have confidence in the fulfillment of the promise or vision even if it is delayed. Poor attitudes reflect a lack of respect for God and typically result in diminished faith, confidence, and overall victory. You can see this best when things aren’t going according to your plan or there is delay or in the face of dwindling resources. Again, I remind you that God is not surprised by any circumstance or situation you face. He wants you to learn to keep a faith-filled attitude no matter what.  Remember that your attitude in any situation should be based on the truth of what God has declared, not in your circumstances. When you do this, your attitude will always reflect that your hope is in God.
2.  Are your words consistently full of reverence and respect for him? How and what you speak as important as life and death.  Consider, Proverbs 18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.  God has given you the power and ability to speak. Your words shape your life because your words reveal what you really think and believe. Your words even have the power to block the move of God in your life.   For example, consider the person who will not say that they are in some type of pain because they think it might be a negative confession. This is faulty thinking. Having pain is not problematic for God.  He is our healer. Denying pain is equivalent to lying which opens up a multitude of problems.  One of the problems of lying is that you can not see, let alone experience, the kingdom of God. Acknowledging a situation or having a challenge is not the problem. God knows this will occur in your life. Refusing to submit the situation to the authority of God is a problem. Let’s continue with the same example.  You go to a doctor’s office in pain but say nothing about this pain when asked what’s wrong. The doctor then finds no abnormalities and sends you home. You can not complain that the doctor did not treat you for pain. You didn’t tell him specifically what you needed. In the same manner, failing to declare truth in the presence of God does not open you up to the magnificent power available to you. To deny the truth locks out the power of God to move. Your words are the evidence of the persuasion of your mind. They reveal the faith that lies within you. They show that you believe and respect God. As you increase in this area of respect, be sure your words are full of faith and reverence for him as you walk according to his will.

3.  How much respect for God is revealed through your actions?  Actions are the final frontier because those things that are revealed through the body are really only a demonstration of what we have already believed and spoken.  Action does not occur independent of belief. When you respect God your actions are not contrary to the word or the will of God.  When you respect God your actions are in line with what He has commanded. You should consider the fact that actions that are not motivated by the Holy Spirit, however good or well-intentioned do not please God. God always examined the heart and motives that precede the action. A lack of respect for God can be shown in actions as simple as looking for a job when He has told you to stay home and focus on your children or as complex as failing to maintain a prayerful life while making every possible excuse for your prayerlessness.  Your actions truly reveal how much you respect God. If there is incongruity between what you say you believe and what you actually do, you should check the source of your unbelief, repent and allow the Holy Spirit to refocus you. Make a commitment to keep your actions in line with the motivation and agenda that comes from the Father.
  Finally, remember respect or reverence for the Lord is found in how you honor and give proper place to his authority in your life. It is revealed in your attitudes, words, and actions. Increase your respect for God and you will have good success.
Spiritual Development Plan:   Set aside 5 days to really contemplate the concept of respect. 

Day 1 Read Job 28, Psalm 111:10, Proverbs 4:5-7.
Day 2 Review point 1; journal your answer to the following questions: Describe your attitude in these situations: work, home, church, relationships.  How can my attitude reflect my reverence for God more consistently in these areas?
Day 3 Review point 2; journal your answer to the following question: What can I do to ensure my words demonstrate faith and not frustration? Write down 3 promises from God that might help tame your tongue. 
Day 4 Review point 3; Imagine your life being secretly recorded for 24 hours then journal your answer to the following question:  What would a Jesus say about your level of respect upon viewing the tape? 
Day 5 Spend an additional 15 minutes in prayer. Focus on your attitude, words, and actions truly and consistently demonstrating the level of respect you have for God in your daily life.

“And unto man he said, Behold the fear of the Lord is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.” Job 28:28

I hear a clear call for the church to “be” more spiritual. The call is not to be spooky or increasingly strange but more spiritual. This is not spirituality from the world’s perspective but a call to experiencing life led by the Holy Spirit.  A more spiritual church is a powerful, power-filled, excellent, effective, joyous church. And you, beloved of God, are the church.  So then as a believer the call is for you to be consistently led by the Holy Spirit. You are to surrender to the work of the Holy Spirit in your life which enables you to freely release the life of God on Earth.  To be led by the Holy Spirit is to stop heeding your own guidance and the world’s way of thinking and acting. It means to accept the Lord’s way and follow it.  Being led by the Holy Spirit is not a matter of emotion, feelings, or even supernatural manifestations.  It is a complete surrender to the will of God. It is recognizing that God’s way is perfect. It involves embracing it, loving it, and following it. Galatians 2:20, “I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”  This is one the greatest principles for your spiritual living. Each day you must remember and completely identify with the fact that the old man is dead (2 Cor 5:17).  He has met the cross. The cross is the instrument of death. Yet, the amazing life of God survived the cross.  It is in you.  In order to experience God’s plan for spiritual living you must be willing to die to carnality and walk according the Spirit of God. God gives you power for a purpose—fulfilling His purpose.  Today, commit to ensuring that all He gives you is not wasted but completely used to expand the Kingdom.  This topic is rich and I’ll share on it over the next few posts. I invite you to walk with me as I do and even share your thoughts, comments, and questions.  I look forward to great conversations on spiritual living.

Blessings to you!
MC

You’ve probably heard it said before, “Life happens.” Perhaps you’ve expressed the same sentiment.  I know I have.  Now, don’t misunderstand I am not a fatalistic thinker, nor do I pass the buck when it comes to accepting responsibility for decisions; yet it remains a truth of life, things happen.  Some good, some bad, and many times things seem to happen one right after another often before you’ve had a chance to completely recover from the first thing.

Since it is a universal truth, it’s important to understand that when life gets a little haywire there is a principle that comes in handy; a principle that when applied to the situation will earn you some heavenly credit.  And in times like these, divine credit seems to be the only thing that hasn’t lost its power. The principle is worship. 

When the stresses of life seem to be hitting you from every angle—you must worship.  By worship I do not mean putting on your favorite slow tempo CD–worship is more than that.  I don’t even mean throwing your hands up in the middle of a worship service or allowing tears to stream down your face– worship is still so much more than that. Worship in this instance is a life of complete obedience fueled by uncompromising faith.  When life happens, it’s time to steady your emotions and obey the word of the Lord.

A few years ago Fred Hammond released a song; “I Will Find A Way,” which comes to mind as I consider this topic. In all honesty, when I first heard the song, it wasn’t one of my immediate favorites of the CD but that all changed one morning as I was working out. As I listened to the song again, it hit me—no matter what is going on around you there is an opportunity to worship the Lord.  You just have to find it.  If chaos is present there is an opportunity to bring order.  If sadness is present there is an opportunity to release praise.  When there is confusion there is an opportunity to receive and follow directions. When offense occurs there is an opportunity to offer forgiveness.  There are also endless opportunities to demonstrate love and faith.  No matter what life seems to present there are opportunities to actively and positively demonstrate the authenticity of your faith through your worship of God.  Perhaps when it all seems just a bit overwhelming you should simply stop and ask the question, “What opportunity to worship God is present in all this?”

On this beautiful day the Lord has made, I encourage you to honor God with your whole life, commit to finding opportunities to completely obey (worship) Him even when life is chaotic, difficult, or challenging and even more so when it’s better than you could have ever imagined. 

Blessings to you!
MC
This article was adapted from the message, “When Life Happens,” click here to order the complete message.

“If my people which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I  hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14

Whenever I read this scripture it reminds me that God has made a promise to pay attention to the prayers of His people.  Sometimes, we wonder whether or not God is paying attention to what we are saying to Him, especially when we feel that we have not been as “good” as we think we should have been. Yet, God’s promise to Solomon illustrates the certainty of God’s attentiveness to your prayers when the conditions of true repentance are met. 

You see Solomon, the wise king, realized that sometimes the children would fall short in faith, experience, and discipline.  He also knew that they would eventually come to their senses and turn toward God.  As he dedicated the temple, Solomon asked God to pay attention to them and forgive them when they had a change of mind.  God agreed.  How awesome is that! 

Yet beyond that, God gives us the same promise.  We, His children may sometimes miss the mark in faith, experience, and discipline but when we have a change of mind and take action to seek God, He will forgive and heal.

How do you connect Solomon’s temple prayer, God’s response, and your today?

Well, 1 Corinthians 3:16 reminds that you are the temple of the living God and the Spirit of God dwells in you and in 1 Chronicles 7:14, God declared that whenever prayer is made in His temple with a spirit of humility, honest communication, diligent seeking of His will, and real turn towards righteousness, He will pay attention to that prayer and release forgiveness and healing.

On day two of our 30/30 journey, I encourage you to pray in God’s holy temple with the knowledge that God is paying attention to you. Know that there is more for you to experience in Him.  Trust God and believe that His plan for you is bigger than anything you could imagine.

Blessings,

MC