by Eric Ball
EDITOR'S NOTE: This guest column was republished with permission from Eric Ball, the author of the article. He directs and facilitates E3 Ministries. He is also a great friend and mentor to Mick Schatz and a friend of Bambi Lake.
What a crazy year! Jokingly someone commented, "The most useless purchase this year is a 2020 planner." At least it sure feels that way since most of what was life's routine has disappeared.
One thing that hasn't changed however, is our need to choose which voices will occupy our attention. Our life is akin to a house made up of many rooms. In the home of our life we have our thinking room, our feeling room, our work room, our relationship room...you get the picture. One of the most sobering issues surfacing during this crazy year is just how much fear is actively seeking to take up residence in the rooms of our lives. The message "be afraid' scream at us from every channel and on every page of social media. Fear is relentlessly looking to rent the rooms of our lives. If we allow it access, like a deadbeat tenant, it soon begins to destroy everything in the house. But the truth is we can say NO!
While we were not designed to operate in fear, to be honest, most of us have rented rooms to fear much too long. We must stop giving fear access. Here are a couple of things I am finding helpful in dealing with fear:
Jude 20, 21 - But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life.
Keep yourself in the love of God. Visit and revisit the love of God for you.
Write them down & meditate upon the loving promises of God and the sacrifice of Christ that was just for you.
Personalize each promise by putting your name in the promise. Promises like Psalms 1, Romans 8:32, Romans 8:14-17, John 17:23 and so many others.
Romans 15:13 - Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Peace comes in believing: Believing what? Believing what you see on the news? No! Peace and hope come from believing what is true.
Power comes with believing: When we choose to not rent to fear but instead believe God's truth that choice is accompanied with the power of Holy Spirit that enables us to abound in hope.
Remember, hopelessness is always tied to a lie while truth always leads to hope.
If you've rented rooms to fear, evict it. Tell it there's no room in your house and actively choose to fill up each room by focusing on God's truth until one of two things happen. Either you believe His truth to the core of your being or you die moving in that direction! Regardless, fear has no place in you.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Eric Ball is the founder of E-3 ministries, a ministry to students. Eric travels the country and the world to share a dynamic message of Truth that students of today desperately need to understand. Eric and his wife, Linda have four beautiful daughters. Eric has authored several books: The Heart 2 Heart Journal – a devotional for students seeking to develop an intimate walk with the Father. A Personal Survival Guide – a follow up manual designed to be used by students, parents, and leaders to disciple new believers by addressing their “felt needs”. Mission Trip Training Manual – a step-by-step manual for Youth leaders preparing their group for short-term missions.