Fear: an unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous, likely to cause pain, or a threat.
Claustrophobia: Fear of being in constricted, confined spaces.
Musophobia: Fear of mice
Arachnophobia: Fear of spiders
Aerophobia: Fear of flying
Aquaphobia: Fear of water
Acrophobia: Fear of heights
Coulrophobia: Fear of clowns
Escalaphobia: Fear of escalators
Emetophobia: Fear of vomiting
Chronomentrophobia: Fear of clocks
Omniphobia: Fear of everything
Fears can kill your confidence if you let them.
Judges 6-8 / GIDEON
When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.” “Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our ancestors told us about when they said, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up out of Egypt?’ But now the Lord has abandoned us and given us into the hand of Midian.” The Lord turned to him and said,
“Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?” “Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.” The Lord answered, “I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites, leaving none alive.”
Judges 6:12-16 New International Version (NIV)
Judges 7 / Gideon defeats the Midianite army…
…under the authority of God
Gideon exchanged his fear for faith
“Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God.”
Luke 1:30
“Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.”
Matthew 1:20
But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.”
Luke 2:10-11
Be merciful to me, my God, for my enemies are in hot pursuit; all day long they press their attack. My adversaries pursue me all day long; in their pride many are attacking me. When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise – in God I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?
Psalm 56:1-4 (NIV)
Fear, by it’s very nature, brings division, tears us apart, and makes us doubt the goodness of God.
- Fr. Bill Peckman, relevantradio.com
What are you afraid of? What is it that’s got you unsettled & uncertain?
Today is the day! Accept the gift!