Too Much Fear

Isaiah 41:10 "Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness." 

Fear is an instinctual human emotion designed to keep us aware and safe, but too much fear can cause the loss of the very thing we feared losing in the first place.

More than anything else, we fear being rejected by others. This type of fear is widespread and debilitating. Why is this fear so deeply entrenched in us? In ancient times, being rejected from the safety of the community could have meant death. So it’s no wonder, really, that we want to be accepted by others. The fear of being alone for life is greater than we can imagine. This is especially true when it comes to fear of rejection. 

Childhood outcast experiences are often the root cause of obsessive, people-pleasing ways people face in  adulthood. They're always looking for signs of why others don’t like them. They do almost anything seeking assurance and acceptance from their peers. Fear of rejection motivates them to wonder what people really think of them.

Constantly seeking acceptance and reassurance from other people is a dead end journey. These things can only be found within you, not from others. Because any look, word, or reaction from someone else can be warped and misinterpreted. That's why we let the bullies win. 

Don't let the devil bully you around. Don't be afraid of rejection. God is a constant companion and you are never alone. You don't have to be afraid of what other think or say-just be you in Christ Jesus.

What Should I Put Up With

There’s a big difference between accepting that someone’s negative actions or behavior is born from a place of anxiety or insecurity versus excusing their behavior and therefore enabling it to continue wrecking your life. You don’t have to condone a person’s negative behavior toward you or others, even though you may be compassionate, loving and understanding of its origins.

Every person at some point has to be accountable for their own well-being.  And quite honestly, if someone decides to lash out at you again and again, you’re not obligated to be a punching bag. Jesus said to "Turn the other cheek" and to "love and forgive", but He did not command us to be constantly bombarded by people or situations that would ridicule or detain us from doing His work. Read the Book of Jude and find out how to deal with angry people. 

Keep in mind that differing opinions are a part of life and relationships. Yet, when you come across people who are intent on delivering harsh criticism because their opinions are different than yours, you just have to tell yourself that you may not be doing it perfectly in their eyes, but at least you’re stepping up and doing the best God has enabled you to do.  While they're just fussing, you’re getting up, showing up, and walking into the fire every day and doing the best you can. If you're trying your best and recognize that you're a work in progress remember God knows the path you are taking. One day redemption will come and the wind of the Spirit will drive the chaff away.

Rejection

1 Kings 18:21 "And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the Lord be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word." 

If you give too much power to the opinions of others, you become their prisoner. Everybody has one, good or bad, so don't let them stop you from being you. 

-Never let someone’s negative opinion alter your reality. 

-Never sacrifice who you are, or who you aspire to be, just because someone else has a problem with it. 

-Love who you are inside and out, and keep pushing forward. 

-No one else has the power to make you feel small unless you give them that power. 

-When someone rejects you, don’t feel it’s because you’re unworthy or unlovable. 

When one person rejects another, it reveals a lot more about the ‘rejecter’ than the ‘rejected.’ All you are really seeing is the often shortsighted opinion of one person. 

The Stone family has always enjoyed the entertainment Disney Parks has offered. If Walt Disney had quit too soon after his theme park concept was trashed by 300+ investors, there would be no Disney World. The early failures in Disney’s life didn’t dissuade him from moving forward. Of course, like anyone else, Disney’s failures were a blow to his ego. Anyone that has to suffer through the torment of failure and bankruptcy knows how this feels. However, it also laid the foundation for a successful career. When he formed the Walt Disney Company, all of his past failures helped to pave the way for a successful business. 

Disney and the Walt Disney Company have touched the lives of millions across the globe. From cartoons, to theme parks, and animated and live-action movies, both children and adults now enjoy the fruits of Disney’s labor. Had he given up, things would have been far different. But he persevered in spite of the doubts of others, bankruptcy, and personal failures. His rejections became the stepping stones for triumph.

Don't let man opinions control your destiny-be what God has destined you to be!

Sober

Peter warns us all of the dangers that Satan poses to God's people: 

1 Peter 5:8 "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour." 

The word "sober" (Greek nepho) is a verb found in the New Testament only in the figurative sense, implying "sober watchfulness." In addition, "vigilant" (Greek gregoreuo) means "to keep awake or watch (literally or figuratively)."

Combining "sober" and "vigilant" paints an interesting picture for us. When a person is heavily intoxicated, he wants nothing more than to sleep it off. So it is impossible for the sleeping drunkard to be vigilant about anything. The message for us is that we must be attentive to our physical and spiritual condition so that we do not become spiritually intoxicated. This type of person is exactly the kind whom Satan seeks. If we enter this state, then we make ourselves a prime target to be devoured by the "roaring lion."

Our Adversary is out there. He is lurking, prowling like a hungry lion for prey. Believing that he does not exist is just plain stupid. Probably even more so as believing that there are no lions on the savanna in Africa.

I have never been to Africa. I have not been through the territories itself, I would not want to go out on the savanna and think, "I wouldn't get hurt. There are no lions out here."

Have you ever seen the savanna? It is the same color as a lion. You cannot see lions very well on the savanna because they hide, they are camouflaged, and they can sneak up and be right there at your throat in a moment.

That is the way that Satan is. The darkness is his world and he is hidden and camouflaged by it. The best thing he could do for his cause is to get people to believe that he does not exist, because they will then ignore him, and be open and susceptible to his temptations, his spirit, and fall victim to his attacks.

So, what do we do? Peter's advice  to us is very simple: 

-Be humble. 

-Trust in God to take care of you. 

-Be sober-minded, or self-controlled. 

-Do not let yourself get caught up in the latest religious fads. 

-Get a hold of yourself and know what you are getting into before you are led astray. 

-Be aware of signs of Satan's presence and keep yourself unspotted from the world.

Breach Repair

Isaiah 58:12 "And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in."

Fear thrives on “It won't happen to me "thinking. In other words, our emotions convince us that an undesirable outcome results in defeat, embarrassment, or spiritual and personal annihilation when are faith is breached by a real situation that causes us to stumble and fall.

We ask these questions if and when it overwhelms us:

-Why did if God let this happen and reject me?

-What's going to happen to me in the future because of my failure now?

-Will I ever recover what I have lost? 

Although these are difficult questions to find answers for, none of these things will result in an “end of the world” scenario that you allow them to become. If fear convinces you that they will, you irrationally fear the outcomes and give your fears control over you. As a mere mortal you're inefficient at predicting how current or future mishaps will make you feel. In reality, you avoid consciously thinking about it all together, which only perpetuates your subconscious fears and let's your imagination run wild.

Ask yourself this question: 

“If a disaster or calamity should strike what are the most constructive ways I could cope with it and move forward with my life?” 

Remember, how you feel after a personal setback or loss is important in your recovery. Allow yourself to be upset for a short while, and then begin the process of growing from the experience and moving on. Just doing this will help you feel less fear about the possibility of the fallout from your failure. God is the restorer and He can return what has been stolen from you.

Creating A Situation

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."

A self-fulfilling prophecy is a false belief about a situation that motivates the person with the belief to take actions that cause the belief to come true. This kind of thinking often kills opportunities and tears relationships apart. In other words, you might wrongly believe that a group of people will reject you, so you become defensive, anxious, and even hostile toward them. 

It's your behavior or thought pattern that brings about your greatest fears, which weren’t there to begin with. And then your fears or thoughts justify what you were thinking right from the very beginning. You create a situation that doesn't even exist before you even realize it.

Do you see how this works? 

Look carefully at your own tendencies. 

How do your fears and beliefs about possible rejection influence your behavior toward others? 

Take a stand. Instead of letting false ideas show you what might be wrong in your relationships, start looking for signs of what might be right.