We each have two important groups of mindsets: positive faith-based emotions and negative fear-based emotions. Faith and fear are not just emotions, but spiritual forces with chemical and electrical representation that move from the brain throughout the body. They directly impact bodily function. However, there is a difference between the emotion of fear and the spirit of fear. Emotional fear is God-given. Spiritual fear is from Satan.
Positive fear keeps you alive. It motivates you to buy home insurance (fear of fire), to follow the law (fear of prison), or to obey (fear of discipline). We fear God: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge” (Prov. 1:7). To fear the Lord means we hold him in reverence with respect and in awe. Scripture says, “God is greatly feared; he is more awesome than all who surround him” (Ps. 89:7).
Negative emotions evolve out of fear and are from the enemy. Fear stands for: False Evidence Appearing Real. Our greatest crises come from a spirit of fear. We’re afraid of failing, afraid of being alone or rejected, afraid of running out of money, afraid someone will let us down,; afraid that we won’t find a husband or a job.
When you live in a constant state of anxiety or fear, most of life passes you by because you are physically, emotionally, relationally, and spiritually unable to focus on anything else. You lose all ability to concentrate and, therefore, are unable to ingest truth. The truth about fear is it is rooted in the belief that God’s Word won’t work.
Spiritual fear is an awful motivator. It’s like a vicious dog chasing us until we are either too exhausted to go on or we get stuck up a tree. Fear attacks your mind: You are not pleasing to God, Your mom won’t love you if you fail, If you don’t do this[…] then you will be punished. Worst of all, fear misdirects our thinking to ourselves rather than toward Jesus. It can destroy you.
Nothing should cause you to fear. There is nothing so deeply imbedded in your heart or mind that God’s grace cannot reach down and remove it. One woman said God never answered the whys of her fear. He pointed her to his personal Word, that he, “did not give us a spirit of timidity [of cowardice and fear], but [has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self-control” (2 Tim. 1:7, AMP). We are from God, and therefore have overcome any demonic spirits because Jesus, who is in us, is greater than Satan (1 John 4:4). We remind the devil of what God says and stand firm.
Faith, on the other hand, is like a cool breeze on a hot day, refreshing us and giving us the strength to continue on our journey. “Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see” (Heb. 11:1). It’s a gift from God and the essence of our soul. Faith shouts back to fear, using God’s Word.
God says, "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine” (Isa. 43:1). Faith shouts back to Satan, “I am not going to […] because I’m God’s daughter!” There is no area in your life so painful, no offense so heinous, that God’s love cannot enable you to break down mindholds of fear, anxiety, or worry.
Reflect: Consider God’s track record. God has done all that he has promised.
The writer of Hebrews wrote, “God can't break his word. And because his word cannot change, the promise is likewise unchangeable. We who have run for our very lives to God have every reason to grab the promised hope with both hands and never let go. It's an unbreakable spiritual lifeline (Heb. 6:18-19, Msg.)
Fear leaves when you can rely on something that can’t fail. There are over one thousand predictions or prophecies in the Bible. None of these promises have failed. Read 1 Kings 8:56 and ask yourself: Do I fear change? Am I willing to allow God do what ever is necessary in order to free me?
[This is an excerpt from Breaking the Cover Girl Mask by Kimberly Davidson]
Friday, March 18, 2011
Friday, March 11, 2011
I'm Beautiful! I Can See It!
One of the greatest joys of ministry is hearing from you and from the women who read my books. Every communication and testimony inspires me and I know will inspire you, especially if you struggling with an eating disorder and don't know what the next step should be. I received this email from Jen who just began I'm Beautiful? Why Can't I See It? This is not a promotion for the book, but rather a testimony to God's love, goodness and redemptive healing power working through other people.
Here is Jen's story...as of today!
I have received your book now and have read through Day 1 and 2 with my husband. He is very willing to work through this with me becuz I don't want to do it alone. I actually felt the eating disorder behavior "urges" come up stronger just by getting the book out of the mailbox! Of course, the enemy, satan, doesn't want me to dive into anything helpful or beneficial to my life!! Letting the anxiety go, I started reading and I'm so glad I did!!
I also have just found a therapist who is going to be working on the "root causes" of the eating disorder with me and Erin (my husband). They go way back to my childhood. After 2 appts w/ her, as scared as I am to go "deep" into myself, this is a right decision for me.
I know I am heading down a good path with you and your book, along with my new therapist! God has shown me that this is where I need to go into now, and the one big thing I am finding out, is that God does love me and has a great plan for me!
I have always believed in God and Jesus, altho growing up, we did not talk about the Bible to often nor did we ever pray outloud or together. So now today, in my adulthood, I am learning like a child in Sunday School, about the love of Christ and the relationship that He desires to have with me!
I am learning today that God has designed me in a creative way to be "me" and I am working hard to accept that His design for my body and my life IS the way I will be. I cannot "force or manipulate" myself into something other than what God intends me to be!
This week, I have learned to ASK God for things and not just "expect" Him to be there supplying me strength when I get tired and weak. When I ask for things, God WILL answer, it may not be right away or on my time frame, but he will respond to me!
Thinking and acknowledging that God KNOWS ALL about me, is kind of scary becuz I haven't really ever liked myself to well and it brings up feelings of shame inside of me for things that have happened to me and for trying to "hide" from Him. The things I try to hide, is my fear about knowing all about my body and loving it for what it is. I try to hide some of the disorder behaviors I use each day, and try to slide them off as "it's just me" when I am consumed by exercise or scared to eat something out of the "safe" list. The other thing I try to hide, is the fact that I need a relationship with my myself, my husband, kids and friends! I am apprehensive about getting to close to others, even my own wonderful family!
Now, having said those few things, I honestly can say for the first time in this healing process, that I want a relationship with Jesus & God!!! As much fear as I have to trust God and my support, I am going to work through this!
Here is Jen's story...as of today!
I have received your book now and have read through Day 1 and 2 with my husband. He is very willing to work through this with me becuz I don't want to do it alone. I actually felt the eating disorder behavior "urges" come up stronger just by getting the book out of the mailbox! Of course, the enemy, satan, doesn't want me to dive into anything helpful or beneficial to my life!! Letting the anxiety go, I started reading and I'm so glad I did!!
I also have just found a therapist who is going to be working on the "root causes" of the eating disorder with me and Erin (my husband). They go way back to my childhood. After 2 appts w/ her, as scared as I am to go "deep" into myself, this is a right decision for me.
I know I am heading down a good path with you and your book, along with my new therapist! God has shown me that this is where I need to go into now, and the one big thing I am finding out, is that God does love me and has a great plan for me!
I have always believed in God and Jesus, altho growing up, we did not talk about the Bible to often nor did we ever pray outloud or together. So now today, in my adulthood, I am learning like a child in Sunday School, about the love of Christ and the relationship that He desires to have with me!
I am learning today that God has designed me in a creative way to be "me" and I am working hard to accept that His design for my body and my life IS the way I will be. I cannot "force or manipulate" myself into something other than what God intends me to be!
This week, I have learned to ASK God for things and not just "expect" Him to be there supplying me strength when I get tired and weak. When I ask for things, God WILL answer, it may not be right away or on my time frame, but he will respond to me!
Thinking and acknowledging that God KNOWS ALL about me, is kind of scary becuz I haven't really ever liked myself to well and it brings up feelings of shame inside of me for things that have happened to me and for trying to "hide" from Him. The things I try to hide, is my fear about knowing all about my body and loving it for what it is. I try to hide some of the disorder behaviors I use each day, and try to slide them off as "it's just me" when I am consumed by exercise or scared to eat something out of the "safe" list. The other thing I try to hide, is the fact that I need a relationship with my myself, my husband, kids and friends! I am apprehensive about getting to close to others, even my own wonderful family!
Now, having said those few things, I honestly can say for the first time in this healing process, that I want a relationship with Jesus & God!!! As much fear as I have to trust God and my support, I am going to work through this!
Saturday, March 5, 2011
The Living Glove
It sounds like an impossible task—to imitate the Jesus Christ, whether you are an adult or a teen. It is unattainable in our own strength. It is only possible when we receive God’s grace. God can do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20). The best artist isn’t discouraged. She may not be a Van Gogh—and knows she’s not a Van Gogh—but she does her very best to paint a picture of excellence. Nothing is impossible with God (Luke 1:37).
Like a hand fit into a glove, believers are supposed to be the glove. Jesus is the hand. People see us. They see our fingers and hand move. They observe our impact. When they shake our gloved hands, they feel the warmth of the hand, of Jesus. The only way they can see Jesus is through the glove.
Through the work and example of Jesus Christ, God gives us what we need to be extraordinary in our particular areas of life. He promises to instruct, counsel and teach us, all the while watching over us (Psalm 32:8). The purpose of getting to know Jesus intimately is not merely to model his behaviors. We want to experience Jesus—his love, his touch, his joy—and then release it! Then we live life freely and fully—authentically.
If we claim to be a Christian to the rest of the world, we are in their eyes expected to be a striking likeness and picture of Jesus Christ. Unfortunately, most of us who claim to be Christians are not living a life that imitates Jesus very well. Many disciples believe they are above the Master. One well-respected pastor said that if we Christians are indistinguishable from non-Christians, then we are useless.
Like a hand fit into a glove, believers are supposed to be the glove. Jesus is the hand. People see us. They see our fingers and hand move. They observe our impact. When they shake our gloved hands, they feel the warmth of the hand, of Jesus. The only way they can see Jesus is through the glove.
Through the work and example of Jesus Christ, God gives us what we need to be extraordinary in our particular areas of life. He promises to instruct, counsel and teach us, all the while watching over us (Psalm 32:8). The purpose of getting to know Jesus intimately is not merely to model his behaviors. We want to experience Jesus—his love, his touch, his joy—and then release it! Then we live life freely and fully—authentically.
If we claim to be a Christian to the rest of the world, we are in their eyes expected to be a striking likeness and picture of Jesus Christ. Unfortunately, most of us who claim to be Christians are not living a life that imitates Jesus very well. Many disciples believe they are above the Master. One well-respected pastor said that if we Christians are indistinguishable from non-Christians, then we are useless.
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