I started my own business this year. It is a real estate appraisal company that relies on work provided by clients or banks. There are some things I can do to help obtain work but most of the flow of work is driven by the ups and downs of the crazy real estate market. When the market is booming, work is good and vice versa. I always joke that God was crazy to put me in this career because he must have forgotten that I am a self diagnosed worrier as this job comes with a lot of wondering where that next job is going to come from. This worry then turns into fear when works slows down and takes full control of my thoughts and most days even my emotions. Sadly, this crippling fear, the fear that takes over everything, is exactly where the enemy wants me stuck because when I am consumed with this fear, I am no longer consumed with the joy that God so amazingly wants to pour out over me. And just like that, Satan is winning.
"When I am consumed with this fear, I am no longer consumed with the joy"
There is one very big truth I know in my career. I know without any hesitation that God put me in this career. This career paved the way for Jason and I to sell our home and move to Bayville to eventually plant Wellspring Church. God strategically placed me right where I was to make that happen and I truly believe he filled me with his supernatural strength in order to accomplish everything I needed to in order to get where I am. That was NOT ME. Knowing that truth should then make it easier to know God is in control and everything will always be ok, because He’s got this...Right??? If only it were that easy.
The Bible says that we have an enemy waiting for us, to consume us with things not of God, “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” 1 Peter 5:8. This same enemy waits for us and wants to do anything and everything he can to get us on a path where we question our faith and everything we know about truth. By doing this, the enemy can get us into a place where fear and anxiety consume us, getting us stuck in our thoughts and emotions, where we then lose the joy that God brings to us.
John 10:10 says “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” Fear stops us from believing truth and and leads us to simply believe the lies that are not from God. God, through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ gave us LIFE. A life that is so good and the enemy will do anything he can to steal that from you, to steal your God given joy away from you.
Getting through this fear only comes when we are able to fully rely in the God we trust. The God we trust to speak truth to us and then fully know it. 1 John 4:18A “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear.” Truly knowing love is truly knowing the God who wants to consume you with His love. His love and truth gives us the confidence we need to remove those fears and emotions. They get in and overwhelm us to the point where we forget whose we are and who, when we let Him, has always had complete control over every situation in our life. When we fully trust God with that control, it is then that we can live in the joy that He gives to you. The truth we know is that the JOY OF THE LORD is our strength. The strength needed to accomplish whatever He wants us to do. In my life, it was the strength to quit my job, drop everything to start a new career, sell our home, and walk in trust into His plan of church planting. For you it might be the strength to get a second job to pay your bills, the strength to love your spouse despite an affair, the strength to trust Him through a tough medical diagnosis. The JOY OF THE LORD is our strength and that strength will sustain you because He is with you..
"Where you feel like the fear is crashing in on you and stealing every good thing from you, beg Him for the joy, beg Him to overwhelm you, beg Him to consume you..."
In the midst of those moments where you feel like the fear is crashing in on you and stealing every good thing from you, beg Him for the joy, beg Him to overwhelm you, beg Him to consume you, and beg Him to allow you to feel Him like never before. My husband came home with a framed sign for me one day that says, “Pray more, worry less.” because he knows me oh so well. When I am consumed with these fears, I need to pray. When these fears have totally taken over my thoughts and emotions, I need to pray. Pray to God to take total control over every emotion and beg Him to take away all of the thoughts that are bringing you anything but joy. And then beg Him to work through and walk with you through the situations that you are fearful over. He will because He is good and He loves you so perfectly.
Written by Ava Coache,
Guest Experiene Volunteer at Wellspring Church
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