Mood: amorous
Topic: Psalm 27:1-3
1 The LORD is my light and my salvation?
whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the stronghold of my life?
of whom shall I be afraid?
2 When evil men advance against me
to devour my flesh,
when my enemies and my foes attack me,
they will stumble and fall.
3 Though an army besiege me,
my heart will not fear;
though war break out against me,
even then will I be confident.
Dr. Stanley has walked with the Lord for more than six decades. He's read the Bible cover to cover many times, preached thousands of sermons, and written pages and pages of study material. But here's something that may surprise you. In spite of all that, sometimes he's afraid. And Dr. Stanley thinks you probably have similar experiences with fear. We live in a scary world!
You may feel frightened by failure, ridicule, loneliness, or something else entirely. Dr. Stanley says, sometimes out of nowhere, he begins to fear not being ready to preach an upcoming service. Early in the week, he may get a nagging feeling that he's unprepared to deliver Sunday's message. He says that uneasiness can continue throughout the week.
In response, he prays harder, studies longer, and reads his Bible more closely. Dr. Stanley is driven to do absolutely everything he can to succeed whenever he stands to proclaim God's Word. Long ago, he decided not to let worry stop him from doing God's will. But, before he takes his stand against fear, Dr. Stanley has to admit it's there. That's the key to conquering feelings of anxiety.
There's no shame in admitting your fear. In Psalms, King David makes this confession several times (Psalm 34:4; 55:4-5). But, his confession is wrapped in prayer, acknowledging the Lord's power over his fears and his enemies.
That same power is available to you today. God wants to cast out the fear and doubt in your life. Are you willing to go before Him today and admit your greatest fears?
Charles Stanley