http://ikissedsgmgoodbye.blogs.....-fear.html

As usual, you have expressed in (beautiful!) words, love, joy, peace, patience, courage…  TRUTH!! 

Juli…

your 3:27 is a masterpiece!

Love you, my friends!

They said, “We are afraid.”

He said, “Come to the edge.”

So they came.

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And he pushed.
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And they flew.

In order to be brave you must first start by being afraid, for true courage lies in the overcoming of fear not in it’s absence.
-Harry Solomon quoting the Blue Power Ranger on “3rd Rock From the Sun

Here’s a thought on that verse.  (And trust me, this comes from the queen of cowardly lions.)

…perfect love casts out fear…  I have prayed so many times, “God, i am scared.  I have your perfect love, you love me perfectly, so why am I so scared?”  I have gone round and round on this at times.  Why did I still fear?  Was I not aware of His love enough?  Who knows.  But for the first time, i just looked at that verse differently. Let me explain.

A long time ago I heard someone tell a story about when they were in high school and the school bully threatened them.  They hid in the locker room for weeks, until each day when the bully headed home.  Two years later, they were still the same coward.  But then his little brother got bullied by a few people.  This “coward” was so full of love for his brother, that that love cast out his fear.  Don’t get me wrong, he was still scared, but his love for his brother was greater than his fear, thus, was able to overcome it, stepping out in front of his brother, making sure, his brother would never be alone in facing the bullies.

Please dear brothers, stand strong in the face of wrongs when you see it.  If you are scared, allow your love of others to help you overcome your fears for self. 

You are stronger than you think.

The only problem you might have, is to not allow those doing wrong to convince you that it is none of your business.  Where would that younger brother be today if the bullies had been able to convince the older brother that he was in sin, by taking another’s offense?  Where would India be if Ghandi had never taken on another’s offense?  Where would African Americans be if Martin Luther had never taken on another’s offense?  Where would you be if Jesus had never taken on your offense?  Be like Christ who commands us to speak up for those without a voice and act on behalf of those who are not strong enough.

Be sure, someone will stand up.  And others won’t. 

At the end of history, which group will you have wished you had been a part of?

I’m praying for you, and I’d like to share some verses with you, and then my own terstimony of how the Lord helped me identify and overcome fear in my own life with regard to SGM. I think of Satan’s question to God about Job (before God took all things away from Job – “Does Job fear God for nothing?” got me thinking..

Fear (and it is fear of man we are talking about here, not fear of the Lord) is directly linked to our personal desires, wants, needs. Our fear is either tied to the things of the world and man, or to the Lord Himself. There is no middle ground. Either our stronghold is Him, or our stronghold(s) are in other things. When these other things are threatened, we have fear. It’s as simple as that. It is about identifying our strongholds first, then we are able to overcome our fear and begin fearing the Lord in ALL areas of our life.

Please hear my heart in this – I am NOT saying there is no responsibility on the part of SGM leadership by misleading, deceiving, manipulating, etc. They certainly will have to answer to God one day for all they have done. They have misled many, and are wrong.

But the fact is, they sold various products (strongholds) and WE bought them, some of us like me bought SEVERAL of them, and I’d run to different ones at different times. (I had strongholds of modest dress, homeschooling, knowledge, and more, each of which met my needs to fit in, feel holy, etc.)

Now we come to a point where we must ask ourselves – who are we going to serve? Are we going to run back to the strongholds sold to us by SGM, that we have found refuge in for a time, or are we going to turn to the Living God, who Himself desires to be our stronghold? Choose you this day whom you will serve…

here is what the Word of God has to say on the matter: (I underlined certain things)

“There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love.” 1 John 4:18

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and love and discipline.” 1 Tim 1:7

 Numbers 14: 9″Only do not rebel against the LORD; and do not fear the people of the land, for they will be our prey. Their protection has been removed from them, and the LORD is with us; do not fear them.” 

 Deut 8: 6″Therefore, you shall keep the commandments of the LORD your God, to walk in His ways and to fear Him. 

Josh 24: 14-15 “Now, therefore, fear the LORD and serve Him in sincerity and truth; and put away the gods which your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”

I sam 12: 24″Only fear the LORD and serve Him in truth with all your heart; for consider what great things He has done for you.”

Psalm 27:1″The LORD is my light and my salvation;
         Whom shall I fear?
         The LORD is the defense of my life;
         Whom shall I dread?”

Psalm 31:19 “How great is Your goodness,
         Which You have stored up for those who fear You,
         Which You have wrought for those who take refuge in You,
         Before the sons of men!”  

Psalm 33:18 “Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear Him,
         On those who hope for His lovingkindness”

Prov 14: 26 “In the fear of the LORD there is strong confidence,
         And his children will have refuge.

Psalm 34:9 “O fear the LORD, you His saints;
         For to those who fear Him there is no want.”

In light of these verses, and so many more that could have been posted, I agree with Jim brothers and sisters struggling with fear right now – Get over it! Our Father is more than enough to seek refuge in. You have nothing to fear. Make HIM your stronghold, not SGM or the teachings, thoughts they have peddled.

Maybe that’s why SGM has remained silent on these issues…  they feel they don’t have to answer to a bunch of women…  and that includes the emasculated men of SGM that act like women…

I understand the fear very well, I fight against it every single time I speak/write against the injustices and abuses, the false doctrines used to perpetuate the fear and control.  But guys, bros, I’m just a woman, a weaker vessel!  If I can stand up, then by God’s grace, so can all of you!