Post by MIRIAM JACOB on Nov 16, 2006 13:45:06 GMT -5
Are You Fearful or Faithful?
By Martha Matthews
God created women with emotions. Used in the right way, emotions are a great thing. We can use them to comfort others, have compassion on those in need, but if we let our emotions run our lives then we are prisoners of our emotions and not the righteous women that God intended for us to be.
Romans 6:16 says Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey- whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness?"
It's not the emotion itself that is the problem; it is how we choose to react to the emotion. When we react in an ungodly way we damage our relationships with others and with God. We push people away from us. Who wants to be around a person who is volatile? You never know what might set them off. It's scary!
When we give into our emotions, we feel guilty. Then we try to hide from God by not praying or reading His word. We can also ignore our sin all together by justifying what we do. We can have an "It's not my fault" attitude. It's my husband's fault... My kids, My boss or co-workers My situation...
What is the real cause? It's fear.
Fear seems to be the emotion that take women out spiritually. We get fearful when things don't seem to be going the way we think they should. We don't trust God, our husbands or anyone else. We only trust ourselves. See Proverbs 3:5-8.
Let's take a look at two women in the Bible who were fearful and whether they handled it in a righteous or unrighteous way.
Vashti
Esther Chapter 1
Queen Vashti did not obey the king's command to appear before him, his nobles and officials. She may have feared the drunken state of her husband and what he might have wanted from her or she could have desired to continue having a good time at her own banquet. Her fear was that she would not be in control so she chose to sin by not to obeying her husband the king.
The consequence of Vashti's sin was that she lost her position as queen. Many times we think that if we seize control of a situation that it will turn out the way we think it should. Just the opposite is true. When we trust God and obey Him, our husbands, leaders, bosses, or whoever is in authority over us, God blesses our obedience in a situation that may not appear to be going well. Let's take a look at how Esther handled her fear.
Esther
Esther Chapters 2-9
Esther was taken away from her family to live in the king's harem. Any dreams she had for her life were changed. Because God had a plan for her life, she was selected as the new queen. Trouble came her way when Hamon, the king's right hand man, deceived the king and talked him into signing a decree to annihilate the Jews.
When Ester's cousin Mordecai asks her to go before the King to plead for the lives of her people, she is at first unwilling (Esther chapter 4). She was afraid that if she appeared before the king without him summoning her that she would be put to death. Mordecai points out that maybe the reason she became queen was to save her people. Esther 4:14b, "And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this". Esther puts her fear for herself aside and does what she knows is right. She fasts and prays, petitioning God for help. Her righteous reaction in the face of her fears brings about God's blessing as he provides a way out for her and her people.
God has plans for us in every situation. We need to trust God and obey Him no matter what our feelings are. When we do this God blesses our obedience. He expects us to trust him and do what is right in spite of our fears. We need to fear God not man. Our ways never yield the results we want when we go against God's ways. If we really believe that God is in control, we will not turn to our own ways.
What is the outcome of giving into our fears? Here are just a few examples of how giving into fear leads to sin.
Manipulation: Pushing hard to get your way and not being completely honest because it would not yield the outcome you want.
Anger: Yelling, screaming, harsh words, cursing (out loud or in your mind). Slamming things around and breaking things. (Proverbs 29:11). Walking out of the room during a disagreement with your husband. Being the quiet storm waiting to explode. Giving people the silent treatment because you are seething with anger.
Impatience: Disciplining your children in frustration rather than in love. Speaking in an ungodly tone or with ungodly words to your husband.
Anxiousness: Jumping to conclusions before you have all the facts. Trying to take control from your husband because you don't believe that he will take care of things. Being critical of others. (Numbers 12:1-15).
How to overcome fear
Here are some scriptures that will help prepare you go to God and not give way to fear.
Philippians 4:4-7.. Take everything to God in prayer. God wants us to go to him with everything that bothers us. That is how we can have peace in our hearts regardless of what is happening around us. True peace can only come from God, not from our own devices.
1 John 4:18. Perfect love drives out fear. When we give into our fear and sin we are telling God that we don't love Him because we don't trust Him. God's love for us is perfect. He always knows what is best for us.
Philippians 4:11-13. Be content no matter what the circumstances. Look to God for strength.
Ephesians 6:10-18. A daily relationship with God is crucial. We cannot fight Satan without the tools God has given us. If you aren't in prayer about things and in His word daily then you will be spiritual "dead meat". You need the full armor of God every day and all day.
Proverbs 21: 2. "All a man's ways seem right to him but the Lord weighs the heart." Who do you trust: God or yourself? You'll know by whom you go to first in times of trouble.
Take a lesson from Esther. Go to God for help and don't give into fear. Proverbs 29:25 "Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe".
About the author
Martha Matthews is the Executive Director of Christian-Homemaking.com. She helps Christian homemakers organize and manage their home. She also has a popular free monthly newsletter. To subscribe visit www.christian-homemaking.com
© 2002 Christian-Homemaking.com
All rights reserved.
By Martha Matthews
God created women with emotions. Used in the right way, emotions are a great thing. We can use them to comfort others, have compassion on those in need, but if we let our emotions run our lives then we are prisoners of our emotions and not the righteous women that God intended for us to be.
Romans 6:16 says Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey- whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness?"
It's not the emotion itself that is the problem; it is how we choose to react to the emotion. When we react in an ungodly way we damage our relationships with others and with God. We push people away from us. Who wants to be around a person who is volatile? You never know what might set them off. It's scary!
When we give into our emotions, we feel guilty. Then we try to hide from God by not praying or reading His word. We can also ignore our sin all together by justifying what we do. We can have an "It's not my fault" attitude. It's my husband's fault... My kids, My boss or co-workers My situation...
What is the real cause? It's fear.
Fear seems to be the emotion that take women out spiritually. We get fearful when things don't seem to be going the way we think they should. We don't trust God, our husbands or anyone else. We only trust ourselves. See Proverbs 3:5-8.
Let's take a look at two women in the Bible who were fearful and whether they handled it in a righteous or unrighteous way.
Vashti
Esther Chapter 1
Queen Vashti did not obey the king's command to appear before him, his nobles and officials. She may have feared the drunken state of her husband and what he might have wanted from her or she could have desired to continue having a good time at her own banquet. Her fear was that she would not be in control so she chose to sin by not to obeying her husband the king.
The consequence of Vashti's sin was that she lost her position as queen. Many times we think that if we seize control of a situation that it will turn out the way we think it should. Just the opposite is true. When we trust God and obey Him, our husbands, leaders, bosses, or whoever is in authority over us, God blesses our obedience in a situation that may not appear to be going well. Let's take a look at how Esther handled her fear.
Esther
Esther Chapters 2-9
Esther was taken away from her family to live in the king's harem. Any dreams she had for her life were changed. Because God had a plan for her life, she was selected as the new queen. Trouble came her way when Hamon, the king's right hand man, deceived the king and talked him into signing a decree to annihilate the Jews.
When Ester's cousin Mordecai asks her to go before the King to plead for the lives of her people, she is at first unwilling (Esther chapter 4). She was afraid that if she appeared before the king without him summoning her that she would be put to death. Mordecai points out that maybe the reason she became queen was to save her people. Esther 4:14b, "And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this". Esther puts her fear for herself aside and does what she knows is right. She fasts and prays, petitioning God for help. Her righteous reaction in the face of her fears brings about God's blessing as he provides a way out for her and her people.
God has plans for us in every situation. We need to trust God and obey Him no matter what our feelings are. When we do this God blesses our obedience. He expects us to trust him and do what is right in spite of our fears. We need to fear God not man. Our ways never yield the results we want when we go against God's ways. If we really believe that God is in control, we will not turn to our own ways.
What is the outcome of giving into our fears? Here are just a few examples of how giving into fear leads to sin.
Manipulation: Pushing hard to get your way and not being completely honest because it would not yield the outcome you want.
Anger: Yelling, screaming, harsh words, cursing (out loud or in your mind). Slamming things around and breaking things. (Proverbs 29:11). Walking out of the room during a disagreement with your husband. Being the quiet storm waiting to explode. Giving people the silent treatment because you are seething with anger.
Impatience: Disciplining your children in frustration rather than in love. Speaking in an ungodly tone or with ungodly words to your husband.
Anxiousness: Jumping to conclusions before you have all the facts. Trying to take control from your husband because you don't believe that he will take care of things. Being critical of others. (Numbers 12:1-15).
How to overcome fear
Here are some scriptures that will help prepare you go to God and not give way to fear.
Philippians 4:4-7.. Take everything to God in prayer. God wants us to go to him with everything that bothers us. That is how we can have peace in our hearts regardless of what is happening around us. True peace can only come from God, not from our own devices.
1 John 4:18. Perfect love drives out fear. When we give into our fear and sin we are telling God that we don't love Him because we don't trust Him. God's love for us is perfect. He always knows what is best for us.
Philippians 4:11-13. Be content no matter what the circumstances. Look to God for strength.
Ephesians 6:10-18. A daily relationship with God is crucial. We cannot fight Satan without the tools God has given us. If you aren't in prayer about things and in His word daily then you will be spiritual "dead meat". You need the full armor of God every day and all day.
Proverbs 21: 2. "All a man's ways seem right to him but the Lord weighs the heart." Who do you trust: God or yourself? You'll know by whom you go to first in times of trouble.
Take a lesson from Esther. Go to God for help and don't give into fear. Proverbs 29:25 "Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe".
About the author
Martha Matthews is the Executive Director of Christian-Homemaking.com. She helps Christian homemakers organize and manage their home. She also has a popular free monthly newsletter. To subscribe visit www.christian-homemaking.com
© 2002 Christian-Homemaking.com
All rights reserved.