Fear comes after us aggressively and violently. Because fear is aggressive, we cannot defeat it passively. We must use the power available to us as Christians—aggressive Christianity—against an aggressive devil.
Little children, you are of God [you belong to Him] and have [already] defeated and overcome them [the agents of the antichrist], because He Who lives in you is greater (mightier) than he who is in the world.
(1 John 4:4)
The King James Version words this verse, greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. But if we do not draw on the Greater One in us to come against “he that is in the world” then “he that is in the world” will prevail.
Your flesh—the natural, carnal “you”—won’t want to confront the devil. It wants to go by feelings. It wants to wish the problem away.
It says, “I wish I didn’t have to pick up the kids from school”; “I wish I didn’t have to go outside when it’s so hot—I don’t want to be hot”; “I wish I didn’t have to do this”; “I wish I didn’t have to do that.”
The flesh will keep you defeated and deflated on the inside all the time. Passively letting negative feelings, thoughts—little fears—come on you will put your “wishbone” into operation.
Saying things like, “I wish I didn’t have these problems with my mind,” will not stop the devil from stealing your peace and joy. Aggressively dealing with him will!
And we, as believers in Jesus Christ, have the “backbone” to do what it takes to confront him—the Spirit of the living God inside us.
Don’t put up with those feelings and thoughts! Use the power of God available to you!
Seize The Kingdom!
And from the days of John the Baptist until the present time, the kingdom of heaven has endured violent assault, and violent men seize it by force [as a precious prize—a share in the heavenly kingdom is sought with most ardent zeal and intense exertion].
(Matt. 11:12)
We need to become violent Christians, not with people, but with the devil! Be aggressive!
Watch yourself—if your peace starts draining out of you, if you start feeling worried or anxious, or if you become judgmental or critical toward people, as soon as you sense or recognize what is happening, aggressively confront the devil—pray!
For example, if you realize you are being judgmental or critical of another person, speak out against those thoughts. Say:
I will not be critical or judgmental. The love of God is shed abroad in me by the Holy Ghost according to Romans 5:5, and I will walk in love. I will not walk in judgment and criticism. I will not have a bad attitude toward people. I have problems of my own and, therefore, have no right to judge anyone else. God, forgive me for being critical of that person, and help me now to walk in love. In Jesus’ name.
If you have a vague feeling something is wrong and don’t know what it is, ask God, “What is going on here?” He will show you.
You may realize the problem is worry, or that you did something wrong and have not repented, or that you mistreated someone then acted as if it didn’t matter.
God will show you why you do not have peace or joy. So many times if I felt something was wrong but couldn’t identify it and asked the Lord, “What is the matter?” He has answered, “Fear.” And, sure enough, I realized I was fearing something.
You will be amazed at how quickly you are delivered from those hidden attacks of the devil as you watch and pray!
“No Fear in Love”
First John 4:18, KJV, says There is no fear in love. The Amplified Version says:
There is no fear in love [dread does not exist], but full-grown (complete, perfect) love turns fear out of doors and expels every trace of terror!
(1 John 4:18)
You may know God loves you, but still have fear. If so, you need to continue growing in your understanding of God’s love for you because when you know how much God loves you, fear disappears: dread does not exist!
God loves you and wants to bless you more than you can possibly imagine. He wants to give you victory in every area: over sin, in your health and finances, socially, and He wants to give you joy.
He wants you to receive His love moment by moment in every situation by walking in faith and trusting Him for everything.
Perfect love casteth out fear (1 John 4:18 KJV), and God is that perfect love. Once you have a revelation of how perfect that love is toward you, nothing will cause you to fear.
Excerpt permission granted by Harrison House Publishers
Joyce Meyer is one of the world's leading practical Bible teachers. A New York Times bestselling author, her books have helped millions of people find hope and restoration through Jesus Christ. Through Joyce Meyer Ministries, she teaches on a number of topics with a particular focus on the mind, mouth, moods and attitudes. Her candid communication style allows her to share openly and practically about her experiences so others can apply what she has learned to their lives.
Joyce hosts a TV and radio show, Enjoying Everyday Life, which broadcasts worldwide to a potential audience of 4.5 billion people. She has authored 100 books, which have been translated into more than 100 languages. More than 12 million of her books have been distributed free of charge around the world, and each year millions of copies are sold.
Joyce conducts close to a dozen domestic and international conferences every year, teaching people to enjoy their everyday lives. For 30 years, her annual women's conference has attracted more than 200,000 women from all over the world to St. Louis for specifically themed teachings by her and guest speakers.
Through her teachings, God has provided opportunities to meet the needs of the suffering and bring the Gospel in a practical way. Joyce's passion to help hurting people every day is foundational to the vision of Hand of Hope, the missions arm of Joyce Meyer Ministries. These outreaches around the globe include feeding programs, medical care, homes for orphans, and programs combatting human trafficking. In her hometown of St. Louis, Joyce and Dave, her husband, founded the St. Louis Dream Center (SLDC) in 2000. The SLDC serves the inner city through hands-on programs targeted at reaching the lost and hurting with the love of Christ.
Over the years, God has provided Joyce with many opportunities to share her testimony and the life-changing message of the Gospel. Having suffered sexual abuse throughout her childhood, as well as just dealing with the struggles of everyday life, Joyce discovered the freedom to live victoriously by applying God's Word to her life and in turn desires to help others do the same.
Joyce is and continues to be an incredible testimony of the dynamic, redeeming work of Jesus Christ.