Devotion Written By Dianna Hobbs // Your Daily Cup of Inspiration

Growing up in a big family of meager means, we struggled sometimes. I remember, on a few occasions, our lights got shut off. Experiencing financial hardship as a child developed a scarcity mindset in me. Even after getting married and moving out, lack felt more familiar and natural than abundance.

I didn’t recognize it in my twenties, but I expected the worst to happen, pretty much all the time. I had to retrain my thinking, and I know I’m not the only one. Many of us have been through things that make it easier to believe in negative possibilities than positive ones.

Imagine you had a similar childhood experience as me and were used to lack. As an adult, if your mindset had not been renewed, if I told you that the light bill was due and because you didn’t have the money, the electric company was going to shut your lights off tomorrow, what would you think? Even though my prediction might not be true, it would probably be easy for you to accept that assertion as truth, because it plays upon your fears and fits your past experiences.

On the other hand, what if I told you that, despite not having the light bill money, the electric company was not going to shut your lights off, but they were going to be lenient instead? You might have a bit more trouble believing in that positive possibility without evidence, right?

But neither prediction in the above example was based on evidence. It’s just that when your fear is stronger than your faith and when your pessimism is greater than your optimism, you lean toward believing the bad and not the good.

In 1 Kings 19, the righteous prophet Elijah fell victim to his own fear and pessimism and believed the bad. Do you remember when he ran in terror from wicked Queen Jezebel after she threatened to kill him within 24 hours? Jezebel, who didn’t worship Yahweh, Israel’s God— the one true and living God—had a reputation for being ruthless. She routinely had the prophets of God killed (1 Kings 18:4), and they hid from her in caves, and Elijah knew this.

So when Jezebel threatened Elijah after he had embarrassed the false prophets of Baal and killed them (1 Kings 18:16-45), he panicked. Based on Jezebel’s track record, he didn’t see her threat as an empty one. There was weight behind her words, and they shook him to his core. But how could this great man of God fear Jezebel’s words and power, when he know that God’s word and His power were greater?

Fear will make you lose sight of the fact that the One who is for you is more powerful than anyone or anything that comes against you. Fear will make you stay awake at night worrying about how to make ends meet. Fear will make you fret over that negative doctor’s report and kill off your faith for recovery. Fear will make you shy away from an opportunity and make you believe you’re inadequate. Fear will have you running away when you should be standing firmly in faith.

Even though Jezebel never harmed Elijah physically, she tormented him mentally and emotionally, which is exactly what Satan wants to do to you. The tormentor desires to torment you. But God is sending this word to challenge you not to feed into the attack of the enemy.

He is saying, “fear not, for I am with you “ (Isaiah 41:10). God is restraining Satan from doing what he really wants to do in your health, finances, family, career, business, ministry, mind, and emotions. The Lord is protecting you and fighting for you.

So why fear or worry?

God is making ways for you and sending resources to you. He is healing your body and freeing you from every stronghold.  He is creating new inroads for you and giving you special favor. He is watering your dry place and causing your ground to become fertile and bear fruit.

Don’t be fearful of the threats of the enemy. The way you overcome fearfulness is by focusing on God’s faithfulness. Put your confidence in the One who never fails. Believe Him for the best, because the best is really yet to come.

To help you resist fear, I’m stirring Psalm 56:3 NLT into your cup of inspiration, which says, “But when I am afraid, I will put my trust in you.”

As you drink down the contents of your cup, internalize this word, and it will activate your faith in God’s power and help you resist fear.

Now let’s pray.

God, fear and worry have been trying to overtake me, but I rebuke them by Your authority. Thank You for reminding me that I have no need to fear, for You are with me, fighting for me, and securing the best possible outcomes for me. In the midst of intimidating circumstances, help me recall this word and confidently stand upon Your word. In Jesus’ name, Amen.