Journey from fear to faith

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Journey from fear to faith 



 
But when I am afraid, I will put my trust in you. I praise God for what he has promised. I trust in God, so why should I be afraid? What can mere mortals do to me? You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book. My enemies will retreat when I call to you for help. This I know: God is on my side! I will fulfill my vows to you, O God, and will offer a sacrifice of thanks for your help. For you have rescued me from death; you have kept my feet from slipping. So now I can walk in your presence, O God, in your life-giving light.
Psalms 56:3‭-‬4‭, ‬8‭-‬9‭, ‬12‭-‬13

David the king , God's anointed was fearful . How can be the one who walks so closely with God can be fearful? But he is fearful. He comes before God confessing that I'm afraid . He states before God his weakness . He comes before God as He is . There is no pretense but only confession of a true state before God.

Yes as the flesh and the Spirit resides in the same body so faith and fear can reside at the same time. But the point is who is dominating ?
Very often we are crippled by fear - fear of loosing our dear ones , fear of sickness, fear of falling into sin. How was David able to journey  from fear to faith ? He says -

When I'm afraid I will trust in You.
Psalms 56:3
He  willfully puts his trust in God.

When fear started to dominate 

1. David reminded himself of who God is ?

A. God knows
You keep track of all my sorrows
Psalms 56:8
He knows all about me . He knows my substance. He knows what I am made of . He knows my weaknesses , my sorrows, my fears . He knows what I can bear and what I need to become like Him. Knowing all He loves me . He knows!! 

 B. God cares 
You have collected all my tears in your bottle
Psalms 56:8
My tears are never seen by anyone . But He looks
Intently at my eyes and collects all my tears. My  hair's are numbered and my name is engraved in His palm. How valuable I'm for Him that He didn't think twice to die for me.  I'm cared , loved  and cherished by Him. He cares !!

C. God hears
He hears my cry . He hears even the very sigh of my heart . He hears the words which could never make their way out of my mouth. He is close to the broken hearted . He hears !! 

2 . David reminded himself of God's promises

When I cry out to  You, Then my enemies will turn back; This I know, because God is for me. In God (I will praise His word), In the Lord (I will praise His word)
Psalms 56:9‭-‬10

My tears and sorrows are not because God is against me . Even amidst all these God is on my side. David clings on to God's promise of protecting him . Even if we remain faithless God remains faithful to His words. God does what He says !!

3. David reminded himself of God faithfulness in the past

For you have rescued me from death; you have kept my feet from slipping
Psalms 56:13

Yes Lord You have led me so far in this life . I have seen Your faithfulness in the past and I trust You for my future. David turns back the pages of his life and praises God for all His deliverance and protection . He delivers !! 

As David remined himself of these truths he prayed, he trusted , he praised , he gave thanks , he fulfilled his vows and fear started to disappear and he walked ahead from the place of fear to the place of faith in the life giving light of God. 

O Lord help me with my weakness . Have mercy on me.

Antidote for fear is faith .

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