Praise in the Face of Fear
What are you afraid of? Spiders? Snakes? Heights? A Bully at work?
We all are afraid of something. Fear is probably not a stranger to anyone. The dictionary says it is an unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous.
I think I would take it a step further and change the word unpleasant to debilitating.
Fear can actually cause a change in metabolic and organ function to ultimately change your behavior. I don’t want to talk about fear, the natural reaction to danger (flee, hide, freeze, scream). I want to talk about fear that the enemy uses.
The kind of fear that causes worry, dread, anxiety and terror. That behavior changing and debilitating fear that Satan uses to…
1. Decrease our hope
2. Limit our victories
In Judges 6 we find Gideon hiding from the enemy (the Midianites). I can just see him working. Looking over his shoulder with every swing of the sickle. Knots in his stomach with dread and worry. Terrified at what he might have to face. Panicked at who might show up. Someone did show up but it wasn’t the Midianites, it was God!
Gideon was plagued with fear throughout this story but his obedience to God’s voice brought victory for Israel. It was not only a victory but a witness to God’s mighty power cutting God’s army from 32,000 to just 300 men, with God, all things are possible!
What I find interesting is that God used the very thing that was plaguing Gideon to separate out who would join him in battle.
God told Gideon to say, Whosoever is fearful and afraid, let him return and depart early from mount Gilead, Judges 7:3.
Gideon was still fearful when it came time to fight, even though God had done many miraculous things for him in preparing this army. The night before the battle Gideon was allowed to hear an interpretation of a dream regarding Israel’s victory.
Judges 7:15, And it was so, when Gideon heard the telling of the dream, and the interpretation thereof, that he worshipped, and returned into the host of Israel and said, Arise; for the Lord hath delivered into your hand the host of Midian.
He worshipped. Worshipping God is an open invitation to His Presence. It is our Praise and God’s Presence that brings the miraculous! Today, we too must praise through our fears. Don’t let Satan decrease your hope or limit your victories.
Praise ye the Lord. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power. Praise him for his might acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness. Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp. Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs. Psalm 150
Pastor Julia Scott