Psalm 27:1 “The Lord is my light and the one who saves me. So why should I fear anyone? The Lord protects my life. So why should I be afraid?”

According to Noah Webster’s 1828 American dictionary, the word fear is defined as:

FEAR n. A painful emotion or passion excited by an expectation of evil, or the apprehension of impending danger. Fear is an uneasiness of mind, upon the thought of future evil likely to befall us.

I think Mr. Webster got it right. Fear is “a painful emotion” and can imprison us within ourselves. Once inside those dark walls, “fear” can renders us completely helpless. Have you ever been there at one time or another in your life? I have and it…FEAR…has left me paralyzed for days, even years.

Have you ever had the fear of being rejected or misunderstood? What about the fear of being overcome with a sickness that would not allow you to provide for your family? Or the fear of dying or losing your job in this down turned economy?

The list of “fears” is endless. But there is hope…and his name is JESUS! It was only by keeping my eyes firmly fixed on Jesus and His plan for my life that I was able to “shake” the grip fear had on me for so many years…. yes I said years!

God met me more than halfway, he freed me from my anxious fears. (Psalm 34:4 MSG)

Jesus surrounded me with an amazing circle of friends that loved me and encouraged me to “get out of my pit” and walk the path Christ had laid out for me.

If you are sitting in a “fear pit” you are right where Satan wants you…doing absolutely nothing for JESUS.

Is fear holding you captive today? Dispel fear’s darkness by calling on the LIGHT (Psalm 27:1) to save you and then focus on what is true (Philippians 4:8).

Additional scriptures on fear: Psalm 34:4, 1 Peter 5:7, Isaiah 41:10, Psalm 91:4, Matthew 6:26-34