4 On-Going Ways to Boot Fear Out of Your Heart and Mind

Fear.  It has become part of my wardrobe yet I keep trying to throw the thing out and send it to the local thrift store.  But for some reason, I can’t get rid of it.  I keep wearing this emotional villain like it’s my favorite pair of jeans.

But it’s not.

Fear strangles me.

Holds me back.

Causes me to feel unsure.

Timid.

Questioning.

All things that are quite unbecoming of a woman of faith.

So, I wrestle with the darn thing.

But, I’ve learned to recognize some triggers, things that set the Fear Monster off in my soul, and I seek to avoid them at all cost.

A woman of faith doesn’t need to dance with Fear because it will trip you up.

4 On-Going Ways to Boot Fear Out of Your Heart and Mind

But the other day I couldn’t avoid the trigger because it showed up in my church service.

I knew what was coming.  Harmful and destructive thoughts, (straight up lies,) that were going to have a negative impact on my soul.

As I waited for the guest speaker to come out, I quickly found myself becoming agitated.

Discouragement was lurking in the shadows waiting to pounce on me followed by being disheartened.

As the speaker continued, it only took a matter of minutes for me to become disappointed with myself.  And then the disappointment quickly turned to being disgusted with how I’ve let fear dictate certain areas of my life.

Looking back over that day’s event, it occurred to me that I heard more of the enemy’s voice than the guest speaker’s voice.

But God wasn’t far off from the whole situation.  He knew I’d be at church and He knew the guest speaker was going to be there too.  Of course, He made Himself known to me because I’m His daughter.  He knows my weaknesses, my anxieties, my thoughts.

The Holy Spirit’s quiet whispers started to trickle into my heart…

I’m with you.

With Me, all things are possible.

I’ve called you to do this hard thing.  Trust Me.

I have prepared you for such a time as this.

Is there anything too hard for Me, daughter?

Don’t let fear rule your heart.

Over and over again, I have to condition my heart and mind to fear God more than fearing failure, judgment, criticism, or rejection.

Friend, are you like me where you’re habitually wearing Fear?  Is this emotional villain a common thread in your life?

Maybe you’re fearful of the future?

Fearful of stepping out in faith?

Fearful your husband won’t…………………..fill-in-the-blank.

Fearful your husband will……………………..fill-in-the-blank.

Fearful you won’t ever marry?

Fearful you’ll marry the wrong guy?

Fearful your children will bring you shame or worse yet, walk away from the Lord?

Fearful you’ll lose your health?

Fearful you’ll lose your job, home, finances?

There are certain areas of my life I realize I’m a coward looking to run and hide, yet I long to do this life as a courageous woman; one who walks with The Lion of Judah who fights our battles.

So I ask myself the question….What kind of woman do I want to be?

I want to be a woman of giant faith, but the only way I’m going to get there is by giving Fear a boot because a woman of faith doesn’t have room in her mind to share it with Fear.

The following Wednesday I was back at church listening to a different guest speaker and he made a comment about the Psalmist David.  You know, the man of giant faith who killed a giant.  Yeah, that one.  Well, the pastor mentioned how David was so incredibly tossed to and fro when he wrote some of the Psalms.  One minute he is calling out to God due to fear and then in the following sentence he was full of faith.

I made a mental note of this truth wondering what I could glean from it because I knew at that moment God was trying to reach my heart.  Teach me something.  Show me a path, if you will, to finally come up with a game plan to punch Fear in the face and put it out of my mind.

And the plan He showed me was oh, so simple!

4 On-Going Ways to Boot Fear Out of Your Heart and Mind

  1. Cry out to God.  Tell the Lover of Soul what’s going on inside your soul. (Duh.)
  2. Seek out the Scriptures so you can apply Truth to your life.  You’ve got to read God’s Truth to know Truth.
  3. Make a mental and emotional choice to embrace God’s Truth instead of Satan’s lies.  Yes, it is a choice.
  4. Then walk by faith. Put your feet to faith. This one right here is where the rubber meets the road, girlfriend!

You and I can recognize our fears all day long.

In fact, we can even coddle and nurse them.

Make excuses for them.

Think on them day in and day out and eventually we succumb to the enemy of our souls.  His lies paralyze us from the plan God has for us and yet, we still listen to Satan.  In fact, when I’m coward-like, it’s because I’ve meditated more on Satan’s lies than on God’s truth.  Oh goodness, just typing out that sentence makes me want to vomit.  I know full well that Fear is not real.  Yet, for some reason, I’ll let the lies of Fear push me around to where I’m living in a false reality. Yes, sometimes I’m just ridiculous like that.  Especially since we have the power of the Living God residing in us.

Fear is not real, but Jesus is.

Which one am I going to trust?  More importantly, which one are you going to trust?

I sought the LORD, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. Psalm 34:4

In what area of your life is God calling you to trust Him and have faith?  Write it down.  Let it simmer in your heart so God can do a work in you and through you.  And then move forward in faith.  This is the key to unlocking the door where Fear has been residing.  You and I have to move in the power of the Holy Spirit to tell Fear to leave so we can be free from this bondage.

Let’s make the intentional choice today to be faith-girls, not fear-girls.

Live a poured out life for Christ,

Jolene Engle

#faithgirl

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18 Comments

  1. I am always afraid there is something wrong with me health wise. It’s amazing how easily your mind can make symptoms happen. I am going for a 24 hour holter monitor today because of on going issues that may just be stress & anxiety related.
    I know I need to focus more on God, but some times its just so hard.

    1. Yes, Heather, the key is focusing on God not the fears! This is much easier to type out than to live out.

      Turning to truth will always calm an anxious heart.

      Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9

  2. First I must say your site is quite inspiring and my faith gets nurtured and boosted every time I read your write ups.

    I can totally relate with the topic of discussion as I battle with fear all the time. Fear of failure, fear of what would happen when am married (presently engaged), fear of loss of job, sickness, death and whole lot.

    Despite reading and knowing the word of God yet I still have a lot of struggle within.

    So, it was such a great relieve reading your article as I hope to apply this and I await reading other people’s comment on how they overcome fear in their lives.

  3. I struggle with fear of comparison, fear of what others will think of me. I’ve been unfairly judged before and I always fear being judged by those same people for everything. My husband reminds me that it’s only what God thinks of me that matters, and that he and God both love me. That’s all I need to focus on, but I still find myself fearing those certain people and what they’ll think and do. It’s hard, and I’m still fighting these fears, but I know God is with me.

    1. Oh so true, Rachel. And it sounds like your husband is a very wise and loving man. Hiding God’s Word in my heart and daily fixing my mind on Him is the only remedy I have found. I have to rinse and repeat, day in and day out.

  4. Marriage fears, child rearing fears, health fears, public speaking fears, comparison fears, money fears, I’ve got them all! While listening to an Adventures in Odessey CD recently, an episode came on about a little girl who was afraid of everything and my oldest said “that sounds like mommy”. Niceeeee. Definitely an area I need to work on because I don’t want to pass on my fears to my children. This is such a great post. I need to write them out! Thanks Jolene!

    1. Oh goodness, Ana, it sounds like you’ve got yourself a battlefield going on in your mind! But it sounds like you’ve recognized your stumbling block! Glad to know what I’ve shared here will help you make some healthy and God-fearing changes! God is able!

  5. I have lived a life of fear, for as long as I can remember. I have no memory before the abuse started, or of not being afraid. I was recently abandoned by my husband of 20 years and I’m terrified of being alone. I want to trust God and go to him, however because of the way he has planned out my life to this point, I just cannot. I am struggling with why he has created me and this life of suffering (PTSD, anxiety disorder, depression) as a result of what others have inflicted. No one I have asked, is able to answer this question.

    2. Oh, PD, I I also have PTSD, depression, and probably more than one anxiety disorder as well, also due to being abused. It was difficult for me to trust God as well, something I still struggle with. I don’t know your exact circumstances (with the marriage aspect) but I do have experience with what you’re dealing with. Praying for you and sending hugs!

  6. Isaiah 41:10
    Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.

    Thank you Jolene for a great post and your ministry !

  7. I love the moments when it’s God who directly leads you somewhere. He lead me directly with to this website and man when you wrote what the Holy spirit was telling you at your church it was everything he was telling me. I don’t have a secret weapon because fear has consumed me inside out. And although I feel like I’m almost completely gone I can feel God saying not yet hold on trust me. He won’t let me be eaten alive but I am crying out for God to come get me because fear has sunken me down low and poured concrete all over so I can’t move thank you for your words Jolene they have been a real life encouragement to my bitter desperate soul

  8. I have been struggling with the enemy telling my lies. I am going through a lot right now. A divorce, 3 children and finances. A times I want to just give up. I live in fear right now. All I want is to know I and my three children will be okay. I want to be happy with the path that has been given to me. I struggle to be happy. I am always depressed and have the “why me” thought in my head. I need God so much right now..

  9. So Inspiring! I so needed this today. I’ve let FEAR control my Marriage and this is exactly what I needed to hear. 4 years ago I found my husband browsing through escort websites and because of Fear it took me about 3 months to confront him. During those 3 months I drove myself crazy looking through credit card bills, bank statements, phone bills etc! it go to the point where it was consuming me all day I did it at work at home, I wanted to find something.. I finally talked to my pastors wife and met up with her once a week to talk and pray and read scriptures this was healing. I finally confronted him and he was honest in what he had been browsing through and promised me it was only browsing and nothing ever came out of it. See, this was during a time when he was recovering from a back injury at home so between him having too much time to himself he found himself bored and depressed. Since I never found any evidence that he ever went through with anything, I forgave him but I still kept consuming my days checking web history, bank statements phone bills etc. I finally knelt down at the altar one day and cried out to Jesus to take this burden from me and I left it at the altar! What a relief! I since have been free of checking through things, the only thing that I’ve been really struggling with is FEAR! Every day I fear “what if” he went on a website or “what if” he did this or that and it’s been driving me crazy. See he works from home now and he has a lot of time to himself so it’s been a real struggle for me because Fear has been controlling my mind and my thoughts.. but thanks to this post in the name of Jesus I give Him my FEAR my negative thoughts and I know that He will take care of me! Thanks Jolene  If any wives have been through this similar struggle & have any suggestions please write back. xoxo

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