From Fear to Freedom

Last Updated on March 20, 2018

Note: Recently, Karen was a guest on FamilyLife Today. In a 2 part series called From Fear to Freedom she shares about being filled with fear even though she and her pastor husband were empty nesters, she had a successful book, a thriving church community, and four happy well adjusted children.

Listen to the broadcast and read the post below to find out how Karen’s “fear buddies” almost stole her joy, and how she came back from the brink of despair and found victory over fear.

When the last of my four children left for college, I thought I had prepared myself for everything.  But, I will never forget October 19^th.  I sat down to have my quiet time, and I just began to sob uncontrollably.  It was as though someone had turned a faucet on, and I couldn’t turn it off.

Fear had come to me, and brought its ten Fear Buddies.  Here are those Ten Fear Buddies:

1. Fear Distorts the Truth
2. Fear Always Victimizes
3. Fear Puts Stress on the Body
4. Fear Alienates the Truth that We Know
5. Fear Immobilizes, Cripples
6. Fear Replaces Faith
7. Fear Disappoints
8. Fear is Afraid of Success
9. Fear Fills the Heart with Despair
10. Fear Destroys, Steals Joy and Blessings

There were times I didn’t even want to get out of bed.  I didn’t want to tell Crawford about it, because I wanted to be the one and only guest of honor at my pity party.  If I had told Crawford, he would have wanted to fix it, to help me out of my emotional meltdown.

Fear robs your memory.  But, I finally did remember some Scripture verses, and I want to share those with you now.

Philippians  4:6  “Do not anxious for anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”Isaiah 41:10 “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you and help you; I will strengthen you and help you; surely I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. “

Exodus 14: – The Lord will fight for you, be still and stand still.

So, I resolved three things:

1. Lord, I will not embarrass You.

2. Lord, I will not embarrass my husband.  I had made a vow that I would love, honor and obey that man, Lord, help me to do that.

3. Lord, I will not embarrass myself.  At the age of 10, I was practically raising my two brothers, all three of us from different fathers, I tried to commit suicide, but I was afraid to swallow the pills, but I found the Lord.  When I heard a man read John 3:16, and he asked who wanted to know the Lord, this man was telling me that the God of History had come down to die for this skinny black girl in Philadelphia, I knew, that’s the power of God.

Instead of me listening to myself, I started to talk to myself.  I looked into the mirror and I said, “God, if you can raise a dead Jesus, part the Red Sea, then you can take any problems that I have and make me walk out.  The top thing is, I’m not going to embarrass You.”

I want the spiritual health and well-being of my marriage to be a good reflection of God.

James 4:7-10

Six Imperatives:

1. Submit, therefore, to God
2. Resist the devil – Take your stand against the devil.
3. Draw near to God.
4. Cleanse your hands and purify your hearts.
5. Deal with your sins and get rid of bitterness and anger in your heart.
6. Humble yourselves; get rid of your pride.

Wimpy theology makes you a wimpy woman!  There is nothing our God can’t do!  As God told Joshua, in Joshua 1:10  “Be strong and very courageous.  Don’t tremble, don’t be afraid.  Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Do you ever struggle with ‘fear buddies’ in your life?