Fear or Praise? Part 2

Fear or Praise?  As a young mother and wife, I could still strongly sense there were dark spiritual forces, even though I had totally given my life to Jesus Christ.  I also had renounced anything to do with the occult, including horoscopes, and I had claimed the blood of our risen Lord over these things.  Some people may think I am being over the top here, but even though I had not dabbled in anything overtly occult like witchcraft,  I had played, like so many unaware teens, with a Ouija Board and Horoscopes.  I know many people disagree about reading their horoscope.  However, I have not been comfortable with these things in my life.

Whether there is fear in one's life caused by illness, worries, world events, personal circumstances, etc., there are many verses in the Bible that show us we do not have to be afraid.  I was reading Colossians 3:16 a couple of days ago, and I knew I had to share how God banished my fears as a young woman and any that might come my way.  It was not with some of the scriptures I have seen listed to combat fear, but with specific scriptures God showed me in my quiet time...


Two scriptures that calmed my fearful heart were 1 John 4:4 and Psalm 22: 35.
1 John 4:4 says, Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world (KJV). 

If you are a Christian, the Holy Spirit dwells within you, and He is stronger than Satan or any evil sent by him.  Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord 9 (KJV, Colossians 3:61).  Soak your mind and heart with scripture.  If you have trouble memorizing, because of illness, write it on an index card or a post-it note and stick it to the mirror or refrigerator.

Another scripture that made a radical change in my life was Psalm 22:3-5.  But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.

Our fathers trusted in thee: they trusted, and thou didst deliver them.

They cried unto thee, and were delivered: they trusted in thee, and were not confounded (KJV). That means they were not confused or disappointed .  

My application to this scripture was to think about every time I praise God.   Some people disagree that God inhabiting the praises of His people in Psalm 22:3 has anything to do with praise songs, as in worship.  But if Jesus is enthroned and you are a Christian, He inhabits your heart, then, it makes sense He is there when you praise Him.  When I am praising Him, I am concentrating on Him. I know from experience He inhabits my praises, so there is no room for fear.  Even my children knew that.  I remember hiding in a closet during a tornado.  We prayed before (at the suggestion of my son) and sang praise songs during it, while baseball sized hailstones rained on our house. 

When my husband was on a trip, and I was alone with the children, if I became afraid, I would praise Him.  If I woke up during the middle of the night.  I would speak praises, sing praises, and quote scripture.  My God is the God of all, the creator, the God of the Universe.  He is all-powerful:  there is none like Him.  And His Word is powerful.  When I praised Him, it left no room for fear, whether I quoted scripture or sang scripture songs.  Hallelujah!  Ye are of God, little children, and have  overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world  (KJV, 1 John 4:4).