*Credit: Getty/by JGI/Jamie Grill/Illustration by EEW Magazine*

Editor’s Note: This devotion was written by Dianna Hobbs and used by permission from her ‘Your Daily Cup of Inspiration’ blog. To read more encouragement like this, visit YourDailyCupOfInspiration.com.

*To listen to the audio of this devotion, press play above.

There is an anointing on you. There are significant things God has uniquely called and equipped you to do, be, and have. But the enemy is hoping he can use fear to hinder and rob you of your divine destiny.

But today, I am on assignment to stir up your faith and awaken the sleeping giant lying dormant within. God is calling you forth to boldly walk by faith, build His Kingdom, and experience the fullness of what He has in store.

Yet, the enemy has a diabolical plan to stop that from happening and will try to shut you down at every turn.

You better believe the adversary started early with me.

I was six when trauma rocked me and introduced fear into my life. I have openly discussed many times how a neighbor, the father of one of my school friends, sexually molested me on my way to school.

I was left confused, angry, ashamed, and wrestling with conflicting emotions.

That experience changed me. I was no longer carefree, confident, and outgoing. I became fearful, panicky, and closed off. I no longer wanted to sing and speak before crowds. I didn’t like when anyone looked at me. I wanted to hide and disappear.

By the grace of God, a combination of spiritual and practical strategies gradually helped me get to a healthy, happy, functional place. Though the traumatic experience took a mental, emotional, and spiritual toll, I fought my hardest against fear.

Fear is a thief, and it’s one of Satan’s favorite tools. When he plants seeds of fear that germinate and blossom, they choke out our faith and kill off destiny.

This truth is illuminated in Matthew 25:14-30, where Jesus shares a parable about the Kingdom of Heaven.

Once, a man went on a long trip. Before leaving, he gave his three servants varying amounts of money—one five bags of silver, another two, and the other one.

He allotted the amounts in proportion to their abilities.

The master expected his servants to produce returns on his investments by the time he got back—something two of the three accomplished.

Unfortunately, the third servant that had been given one bag of silver told the master why he had not produced anything: “I was afraid I would lose your money, so I hid it in the earth” (v. 25).

I was afraid I would lose, so I hid.

Whew! That struck me and sat heavily in my spirit.

“Say no to fear and yes to faith, and watch miracles break forth in your life!”

— Dianna Hobbs

That word afraid used by the third servant is a Greek word, phobeō (pronounced fob-eh'-o) which has several meanings: to be in awe of or to revere; to be scared away; to flee; to be startled; or to hesitate to do something for fear of harm.

So then, the third servant told the master, he had so much reverence and respect for the treasure he had been given that he was scared to mess up or do something wrong. Therefore, he hid what God gave him instead of exposing it and increasing it.

Friend, God has not given us what 2 Timothy 1:7 calls a spirit of fear which causes us to retreat, shrink back, hide, and cower.

We have power!

Power to do God’s will. Power to accomplish His purpose. Power to be all He has called us to be. Power to withstand the storm. Power to bounce back after a setback and come back for the glory of His name.

But if we focus on our fear of losing, we forfeit the opportunity to take full advantage of the victory Christ won for us at Calvary.

Listen, you already have the favor, the approval, the assignment, and the anointing. You have divinely bestowed treasures. What are you doing with them?

I can’t do the work and the will of God and be scared to lose. No. I must take what God has given me—every available gift, talent, and resource I have—to build His Kingdom.

And you have to do the same thing.

When you do that, you will see increase, favor, blessings, and greater returns. Most importantly, you will please the Lord.

Now, the purpose of this parable is to distinguish between true and false servants of Christ. When the Lord returns, those who have faithfully worked in the vineyard to reap a harvest of souls will be rewarded and hear, “Well done.”

And that’s what we all want to hear in the great hereafter. Therefore, there is something you must do now.

You’ve got to walk by faith now. Resist fear now. Believe the word of God now. Put yourself out there now. Stop worrying about your pride and humble yourself enough to be obedient now. Stop hesitating and start acting on what you believe now.

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen,” according to Hebrews 11:1.

Have you chosen faith or fear?

Fear shackles you, while faith liberates you. Fear holds you back, while faith propels you forward. Fear diminishes your abilities, while faith empowers you to do all things.

Listen, God has His hand on you. There are breakthroughs and blessings with your name on them. There are assignments and doors of opportunity waiting for you. These doors, however, can only be unlocked by faith.

Faith is the key. The key to overcoming adversity. The key to loosing shackles. The key to walking in purpose. The key to experiencing miracles. The key to beating the odds. The key to receiving increase. The key to pleasing the Lord.

The first portion of Hebrews 11:6 NLT—which is what I’m stirring into your cup of inspiration—says, “And it is impossible to please God without faith.”

As you drink down the contents of your cup, refuse to be a scared servant. Instead, be bold. Be confident. Be relentless. Be tenacious. And be sure that God will favor the works of your hands, bless the fruit of your labor, and reward you with a great harvest reserved only for those that believe.

Now, let’s pray.

God, it is my desire to serve You wholeheartedly and produce a harvest that is pleasing in Your sight. So, please help me to resist fear and choose faith that unlocks the door to every breakthrough and blessing, and yields great returns that bring souls to Your Kingdom and glory to Your great name. In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.

Dianna Hobbs is founder of EEW Magazine Online and CEO of Empowering Everyday Women Ministries — a 501c3 nonprofit organization that shares the gospel and provides humanitarian aid to the hurting. She is also the writer of Your Daily Cup of Inspiration and executive producer of the companion podcast. Follow Dianna on social media: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube. Sign up for her free ministry newsletter here.