LET'S GROW IN FAITH TOGETHER AND LIVE IN VICTORY

Here at Women of Faith, we want YOU to rise up!  We want to lock arms with YOU and support YOU. We want you to elevate your spiritual strength, help you build real relationships and enhance your life leadership.  You are able to Live a Life in Victory!  We are passionate about encouraging and equipping women of all ages, backgrounds and stories to live the life you were created for. As you develop a deeper relationship with Jesus, we believe you will fulfill His purposes in ways that may be beyond your imagination, and will never be beyond His.

Looking forward to the continuing journey...

Alita Reynolds | President, Women of Faith

Life is Full of Challenges and There is Hope.  You are able to Live in Victory.

God desires to give you hope as you face life challenges, problems and difficult trials.  The good news for us, God specializes in redemption and transformation. He takes that which was lost and restores it. He takes that which was dead and gives it life. He takes that which had no hope and rewrites its story. This is our God!  As you pray today, ask God boldly to transform the thing inside you that you want to see changed forever!  

The truth is, we can all learn skills to better help those in need.  Each of the Women of Faith Keys for Living Resources, Classes, Shows, Quick Study Guides, E-Books and Books present God’s heart on the respective life challenges, while revealing ways to walk in spiritual victory.  With a simple step-by-step and easy-to-understand process.

Start living in victory today!

Are you often overwhelmed with feelings of foreboding…even when things are going well?

Do you frequently find the muscles in your neck tightening and your stomach churning when in unfamiliar situations or places?

Fear is like a chain around your heart—it paralyzes, entraps, and enslaves. In these

God desires to give you hope as you face life challenges, problems and diffi ult trials. The good news for us, God specializes in redemption and transformation.  He takes that which was lost and restores it. He takes that which was dead and gives it life. He takes that which had no hope and rewrites its story. This is our God! As you pray today, ask God boldly to transform the thing inside you that you want to see changed forever!

What Is Fear?

Imagine … being asked to do something you know you can’t do. Like Gideon, rather than attempting to meet the challenge, you find yourself responding, “Thanks—but no thanks. You’ve got the w…r…o…n…g person.”  However, the angel announces that you are to lead the battle against your greatest enemy—an enemy that vastly outnumbers your army—one greatly feared by everyone … and feared for good reason! The mammoth Midianites have been ravaging and ransacking your people at will, leaving death and destruction in their wake.

How?  “Whenever the Israelites planted their crops, the Midianites [and other enemies] invaded the country. They … ruined the crops all the way to Gaza and did not spare a living thing for Israel, neither sheep nor cattle nor donkeys”  (Judges 6:3–4). Understandably, your heart is terrorized with fear.

• Fear is a strong emotional reaction to a perceived imminent danger characterized by a fight, flight, or freeze response.
• Fear can be real or imagined, rational or irrational, normal or abnormal.
• Fear acts as a protective reaction, placed in us by our Creator to activate all of our physical defense systems when we face real danger. Fear triggers the release of adrenaline in the body that both prepares and propels us to action often called “fight or flight.”
• Fear is a natural emotion designed by God. However, fearfulness is not designed by God, for fearfulness suggests living in a state of fear.
• Fear is a translation of the Hebrew word yare, which means “to be afraid, stand in awe or fear.” When Gideon was trying to thresh wheat in the winepress and the angel of the Lord appeared to him, “He was afraid.” (Judges 6:27)

What Is Anxiety?

After the heavenly messenger delivers his initial instructions, Gideon quickly questions: “If the Lord is really with us, why has all this evil happened?” And Gideon makes it most clear—if God wants a deliverer, I am definitely not the man for the job! After all, he is the least in the family … belonging to the weakest clan … in the small tribe of Manasseh. Gideon exclaims, “How can I save Israel?” cowering with the angst of anxiety.

Gideon knows that the monstrous Midianites have a new weapon enabling them to make swift, long-range attacks against the Hebrews—rendering them virtually powerless. This terrible weapon is nothing other than … the camel!

Without food or water and with heavy loads, they cover 300 miles in 3 or 4 days. At harvest time, the Midianites simply ascend from the desert and quickly cover the land “like swarms of locusts.” The Midianite troops and camels, both “impossible to count,” strip Israel bare of everything edible. Then, loaded with their plunder, they return to the desert until the next harvest is ripe. 

Existing like this for 7 years reduces Gideon and all the people to threshing meager amounts of grain in winepresses—hiding food and themselves in mountain dens and caves. No wonder Gideon is fearfully anxious and fully persuaded that “The Lord has abandoned us and put us into the hand of Midian” (Judges 6:13).

Gideon’s continual fear has a “close cousin” called anxiety.

• Anxiety in the psychological/psychiatric world is the “umbrella” word covering varying degrees of worry and fear, ranging from mild to extreme.
• Anxiety is an uneasiness or distress over a threat or something unknown and is characterized by extreme worry or brooding fear.
• Anxiety stems from uncertainty—hoping something will happen and having no guarantee that it will … or fearing something will happen, but having no control over whether it will or not.
• Anxiety can lead to “catastrophic thinking” overestimating the likelihood of danger or a negative outcome.
• Anxiety becomes a “disorder” when it becomes so intense that it dominates a person’s thoughts, feelings, and actions, preventing the person from living a normal life.

Anxiety Disorders

• Phobias
• Panic disorders
• Obsessive-compulsive disorders
• Anxiety due to a medical condition
• Post-traumatic stress disorder
• Acute stress disorder
• Generalized anxiety disorder
• Substance-induced anxiety

How to Counter Your Fears with Facts

Like Gideon, if you grew up in an environment where fear reigned, you could easily have developed a fear-based mentality as a child and then grown into an adult who is now controlled by the fear. At times, you feel helpless and powerless to confront or to match someone strength-for-strength. Gideon had been at the mercy of those around him who, as “master manipulators,” had a whole arsenal of fear tactics. Unless you, like Gideon, come to recognize the bondage you are in and accept the fact that Christ came to free the oppressed, you will remain in bondage. Yes, Christ came to set you free—just as He set Gideon free centuries before.

“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed.”

(Luke 4:18)

Fear: “I can’t help this feeling of intense fear!”

Fact: “This feeling is a bluff to my mind and body. It is not grounded in truth.”

“Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then will I be confident.”

(Psalm 27:3)

Fear: “I have this feeling of doom—a feeling that I am going to die.”

Fact: “The time of death is in God’s hands. I will choose to trust Him.”

“Man’s days are determined; you have decreed the number of his months and have set limits he cannot exceed.”

(Job 14:5)

Fear: “I’m afraid of what others are thinking about me.”

Fact: “My peace comes from pleasing God, not in pleasing man.”

“We make it our goal to please him.”

(2 Corinthians 5:9)

Fear: “I am hopeless and can never change.”

Fact: “In Christ, I am a new person. Nothing is hopeless.”

“If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!”

(2 Corinthians 5:17)

Fear: “I am so nervous, I can’t think clearly.”

Fact: “God will guard my mind and give me peace.”

“The peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

(Philippians 4:7)

Fear: “To be safe, I have to be in control.”

Fact: “God is in control of my life, and He is with me step-by-step.”

“The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”

(Deuteronomy 31:8)

Fear: “I feel trapped with no way of escape.”

Fact: “God always makes a way of escape.”

“No temptation has seized you except what is common to man.  And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.”

(1 Corinthians 10:13)

“I want to conquer my fears … what do I need to do first?”

Answer: In reality, God is actually the One who does what He calls Gideon to do because He is the One who enables Gideon to do it. All God requires is that Gideon refuses to focus on the fear he feels and chooses to step forward in the faith he possesses. Of course, Gideon’s faith increases as he faces each new fear-producing situation. He goes from fearfully tearing down his father’s altar and Asherah pole under the cover of darkness to boldly pursuing the Midianites in the bright light of day!

“The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.”

(1 Thessalonians 5:24)

Certain general things to consider when dealing with fears are often overlooked just because they are quite simple and too “obvious” to be seen. It’s like looking at the forest but missing the trees. These suggestions may seem simplistic, but they can be the foundation on which to build an effective plan for overcoming unwanted fear and anxiety.

“He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built.”

(Luke 6:48)

• Get a thorough medical checkup—ask if any condition could be causing anxiety.
• Ask your doctor to evaluate all medications.
• Get adequate sleep.
• Get regular exercise.
• Plan to get sufficient laughter, fun, and recreation.
• Be around encouraging people—remove yourself from negative people.
• Get on a healthy diet by eating healthful foods—avoid alcohol and drugs.
• Develop the habit of living one day at a time.
• Listen to inspirational Christian and/or classical music.
• Ask a trusted friend to help you; then imagine the worst and consider why it wouldn’t be so bad after all.

“To him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.”

(Ephesians 3:20)

Helping You ... To Help Others

God desires to give you hope as you face life challenges, problems and difficult trials.  The good news for us, God specializes in redemption and transformation. He takes that which was lost and restores it. He takes that which was dead and gives it life. He takes that which had no hope and rewrites its story. This is our God!  As you pray today, ask God boldly to transform the thing inside you that you want to see changed forever!  

Do you have a heart for people who are hurting and feeling broken? Maybe you’re looking to grow as an individual,  caregiver, counselor or leader – or you just want to learn some practical tools to better help people in your life.

The Women of Faith resources were created to help you … and help you, help others. They are great for personal study and growth, small group studies, and for teaching and training purposes. Go deeper in your understanding and practical application of Biblical truth.

Key Verse to Learn

“Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

 (Isaiah 41:10)

Key Passage to Read

Psalm 23

Grace Filled Words

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” 

2 Timothy 1:7 

“My peace comes from pleasing God, not in pleasing man.” “We make it our goal to please him.” 

2 Corinthians 5:9

Additional Scriptures

Mark 4:19

Luke 21:34

Proverbs 16:24

 LIVE IN VICTORY!

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Want to learn more about our other 100+ topics?  Check out the Women of Faith Resources, to discover biblical hope and practical help on these topics. The Women of Faith Resources are designed to help you – and help you help others – overcome difficulties, grow in maturity, and move forward in life.

God desires to give you hope as you face life challenges, problems and difficult trials. The good news for us, God specializes in redemption and transformation. He takes that which was lost and restores it. He takes that which was dead and gives it life. He takes that which had no hope and rewrites its story. This is our God! As you pray today, ask God boldly to transform the thing inside you that you want to see changed forever!

Thank you for your interest and support in Women of Faith. We pray God will encourage, equip, and empower you with His life-changing truth.

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God will never leave you.

No matter what.

Let’s hold on to God’s promise of joy!