Casting Down Imaginations

If you didn't read yesterday's post "Peace that Passes Understanding" it would be a good idea to do that now, otherwise today's post may not make a lot of sense.

Yesterday's post was mostly the facts, what happened Monday afternoon. But let me tell you what has gone on since then. I have fought the biggest battle of fear that I have ever faced in my life. Obviously, Monday I was a mess. I didn't sleep much Monday night, heard every creak of our house. Tuesday, I got up and ran, but kept replaying all the "what ifs" in my mind. All day, I heard every creak. Starting at about 3:00 I paced back and forth, checking out front, watching. I'm telling you, it was bad! The police officer returned with photos and I was unable to identify any of the suspects. Fear was literally making me sick - I had a headache that would not quit.

Les had a meeting in San Diego on Tuesday. He usually gets home from those meetings around 7:30 or 8:00. I got an email from him letting me know he would be late. Once it was dark, I turned all my outside lights on. He called at 9:15 to let me know he was about an hour and half away. Since we are "early birds", I'm usually in bed by 9:30 or so. I made my way upstairs, leaving a hall light on, and prepared for bed. As I tried to go to sleep, I heard every creak (real and imagined). My heart was racing as I imagined someone trying to get in our house. I was a mess!

Wednesday morning while out running (it's not like I was going to sleep anyway) I asked God for peace. I asked for the peace that passes understanding. Throughout the day, peace began to replace fear. I was calmer and not nearly as frightened. My headache finally went away.

Thursday morning while I was running, I was thinking about the verse "Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ" (2 Corinthians 10:5) While thinking of that verse, I knew that I was fearing things that DID NOT HAPPEN. The things I feared were only in my imagination.

But the real revelation came when I realized that since Monday, the only things I had prayed about were my fears. I had prayed for protection. I had prayed that they wouldn't come back. BUT, I had not prayed for one other person in need! I know of people who are in dire need of healing, but I had not prayed for them a single time. Our friend with a brain tumor, who was in church with us Sunday morning? I hadn't given him and his wife a single thought! I was praying for things I imagined!!

This literally stopped me in my tracks. I said, "God, forgive me." This was ridiculous! I kicked fear to the curb and ran on! I was a little angry at myself and a lot angry at the devil. What a trick! He knows I've been praying for serious needs. I've been praying with faith, believing. God has been moving and answering. So the devil tried to take control of my mind by putting so much fear there I couldn't even move.

I cannot imagine living a life of fear. What an existence. If you are fearful, please turn to God and His Word. There is deliverance from fear. God does not want you to live like that. If you fear every pain or lump is cancerous, if you fear every mistake will get you fired, if you fear every sound is a burglar, ask God to remove those fears! Yes, troubles will come in life, but fearing those things that are only imagined is not the will of God. I could give a ton of verses about fear and peace, but if you are living that life, it would do you a lot more good to find those verses on your own. Study them, memorize them, write them on post-it notes, pray them. God can and wants to deliver you from fear.

Am I talking about being careless? Of course not! It's not wise to walk down a dark alley in Watts at 1:00 in the morning. God wants us to be aware, not fearful. Our doors were locked, but our alarms were not activated on Monday. We have reactivated the alarms. Does that make me fearful? No, it means I am doing what I can to avoid dangerous situations and trusting God to protect me. I am resisting the spirit of fear and casting down imaginations.