Trusting God With Your Fear # 8

In part 8 of our continuing Bible Study from Beautiful Things Happen When Women Trust in God from Shelia Walsh, we pick up at study 8, Trusting God With Your Fear.



One of the most transforming truths I have embraced on my journey thus far is that whatever God calls me to do, he has already equipped me to do it. That sounds so obvious, so simple, and yet I believe we struggle to live that way.

We live in a culture that quantifies giftedness, beauty, leadership by its own set of rules. In the kingdom of God our culture's rules don't apply. Our culture looks at what appears to be true but God sees what is true.

When God looks at a man or woman he sees who we are to becoming in Him. So God looks at Gideon cowering in the wine press and called him a mighty warrior. Jesus looked at Peter and said, "And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build me church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it".(Matthew 16:18 ESV).

This was before Peter denied even knowing Christ. This was before Peter disappeared into the night and left Christ to die. When Jesus looks into the heart of a man or woman he sees all of who we are and all of who we will become in him by trusting and taking the next step. So if God says move, I move. I trust who He knows me more than who I see myself as.

FIND ~ One day the angel of God came and sat down under the oak in Oprah that belong to Joash the Abiezrite, whose son Gideon was threshing wheat in the winepress, out of sight of the Midianites. The angel of God appeared to him and said, "God is with you, O mighty warrior!" Gideon replied, "With me, my master? If God is with us, why has all this happened to us?" ~ Judges 6:11-13 MSG

Read Judges 6:7-10.

7-10 One time when the People of Israel had cried out to God because of Midian, God sent them a prophet with this message: "God, the God of Israel, says,
I delivered you from Egypt,
I freed you from a life of slavery;
I rescued you from Egypt's brutality
and then from every oppressor;
I pushed them out of your way
and gave you their land.

"And I said to you, 'I am God, your God. Don't for a minute be afraid of the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living.' But you didn't listen to me."

God reminded the Israelites of his goodness to them. If that passage had been written to you, what are some of the things God has done that he would have called for you to remember?

Oh this one really hit home for me and is a constant reminder even now whenever fear creeps us. I am reminded how childish my fears are when God has been present in so many situations and brought me through it all. Remember when you had pain no one could diagnose and I led you to a perfect doctor who would listen. Remember when you thought you would have to live with that pain forever yet, I have brought you through a surgery to eliminate that pain; Remember when you thought you would lose everything because your husband lost his job and when you turned everything over to me and became faithful to my ways once more, I not only brought you through it all but I restored it all to you once more.

The Israelites had seen God do some incredible things, yet they still rebelled against Him and failed to trust Him. Describe a time when you have been rebellious against God or refused to trust Him. Why did you respond the way you did?

When Steve had to go out on disability due to a work injury and then subsequently got laid off when he returned, I couldn't believe that God would allow that to happen to us. We were faithful in attending church and trying to live up to His ways for a Godly life, but I think I rebelled because when we prayed, it seemed like nothing happened. Like God was too busy to help us. We wanted answers in our time and not in His.

Read Proverbs 3:5-7.(MSG)

5-12 Trust God from the bottom of your heart;
don't try to figure out everything on your own.
Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go;
he's the one who will keep you on track.
Don't assume that you know it all.
Run to God! Run from evil!
Your body will glow with health,
your very bones will vibrate with life!
Honor God with everything you own;
give him the first and the best.
Your barns will burst,
your wine vats will brim over.
But don't, dear friend, resent God's discipline;
don't sulk under his loving correction.
It's the child he loves that God corrects;
a father's delight is behind all this.
Rewrite these verses in your own words and then commit these verses to memory.

The only thing I would changed because these still ring true would be to add my name in there throughout and offer this up as a prayer when I find myself doubting again.

FEEL ~ You are going about your daily routine and you are greeted by an angel saying, "God is with you, O mighty warrior." How would that make you feel?

I would have to say pretty surprised that God would see such value in me. I have trouble sometimes seeing the positives in me that others see. This would be a huge Ah Ha! moment in my life.

We don't have experiences like that very often, so how do you know God is with you?

By faith, and looking back at His promises and what He has already done for me. He loves me that much that He promised to always be with me, not only when I need Him but always. That is sufficient for me. I just need to remind myself when I doubt.

Gideon said, "If God is with us, why has all of this happened to us?" How did Gideon's view of the situation compare to God's perspective?

God already knew the outcome and had put His faith and trust in Gideon, He just needed him to trust and put his faith in God. Gideon had doubts because it's human nature at times to have self doubts or low self esteem. Sometimes we need that push!

How does God's perspective of your life compare to your perspective of the things you are experiencing?

God always sees the very best in us and the end result if we are willing to get up and try things His way. Too often we are prone to listen to the enemy and join in his pity party for us. I say, if the devil invites you to a pity party, refuse to go!

FOLLOW ~ In verse 14, God asks Gideon, "Haven't I just sent you?" God's sending always includes his power because God never asks us to do something he doesn't equip us to do. In what areas of life do you need to accept God's commission and depend on His power?

In my recovery. I have come across too many people that have told me I should be back up and feeling fine by now, and therefore feel lazy like I'm not doing enough to make myself better despite my prayers. Then God brings someone in my life that has gone through something similar that lets me off the hook and reminds me that I need to heal more. I am doing to much. I need to trust Him more and back myself out of the equation for now.

What keeps you from trusting God to empower you to do those things he asks you to do?

I lack the trust in my ability to do it. However after reading this, if God calls me, I need to remind myself that He will provide me with all I need to get through it all.

Gideon recognized that God is peace. Is this a truth that is evident in your life? Explain your response.

Yes this is because the more I turn things over to God and learn to rely on faith in Him for what He has brought me through in the past and what His words promise me for my present and future, the only thing standing in the way is me. I need to learn to TRUST in Him everyday without a doubt and let go but be ready to move if He says MOVE!

God uses external circumstances to get our attention. What is God using right now to get your attention?

He is using others right now to reinforce the need I have to spend more time resting and less time pretending I am at 100% when I know I am not.

The key to this transformation is found in Judges 6:34:'God's Spirit came over Gideon' What will happen in your life when God's Spirit comes over you?

I will have peace and assurance that I am following in the path that God has directed me to follow in my life at this time.

Gideon expressed victory because he did what God told him to do. If you want victory in your life, what are some things you must do?

I must rest more and let others help. I must spend more time reading God's words and His promises of restoration and faith. I must put all my faith and trust in Him to bring me through this final leg of my recovery as long as it takes.

Summarize the instructions of Proverbs 3:5-7 by completing the following statement:

Because the Bible says to trust, listen and honor God I will trust, listen and honor God because He is the one that will bring me through whatever life has to offer.

Now write a prayer expressing your desire to trust God more every day. Use this prayer as part of your daily time with God and as an expression of your desire to give God the honor and trust He deserves.

Abba Father, Lord, you are truly my father who has the very best interests in mind for me from the very beginnings of my life until I breathe my last breath here. I need to trust in the promises that Your words have to share with me as reminders in Proverbs of the things you require of me. In doing so, Lord, I will have that peace that passes all understanding and in doing so, will honor and glorify You in all that I do. In Jesus name, AMEN!