12 Steps to Living Without Fear

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 12 Steps to Living Without Fear-  Lloyd Ogilivie

----When I lived in North Dakota and served the Reformed Presbyterian Church there in a small town,  I remember seeing him on the television in his sermon and Church broadcast.

  He had a wonderful way of connecting with people , and preached with no notes! I have taught some of the below in various churches to help understand how fear can cripple us, and make us unable to do what we should be doing for God and His Kingdom.

No, they are not perfect, and each point in his book listed above has a chapter dedicated to it.  They are worth reading about in the actual book still available. I will say that no. 12 has been one of the most helpful to me personally....but the others too are quite helpful especially no. 7 in dealing with people and how they affect us.

Blessings to you as you meditate on them , and the Scripture for each one. They are worth looking at and seeing how they fit the thought that is introduced. 

1- " My fear is really loneliness for God. Therefore, I will claim His promise to never leave me or forsake me. "

 " Hebrews 13 :5  " Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee"

2- " I will overcome my crippling fears with a creative fear of God expressed with awe and wonder, adoration and faithful obedience.  He is the only Person I have to please."

." Ps 25:14 " The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant"

3-"I will face my fears, retrace them to their source in my heart,displace them by making my heart Christ's home,and erase them with His perfect love."

" 1 John 4:18 " There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love"

4-" I will let go of my hurting memories of the past. I will not anticipate the repetition of the past pain;I will accept forgiveness from the Lord and will forgive everything and everyone in the past---including myself."

" Ps 103:1-2  " Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits"

5." Fear is estrangement from myself. What I fear in others I first fear in myself. Therefore, in response to God's unqualified acceptance, I will embrace myself as worthy of my own affirmation and encouragement."

" I Cor.15:10 " But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me"

6." I will admit I am inadequate to meet life's opportunities ,but I will conquer my fear by becoming a riverbed for the flow of God's guidance, love, and power."

" 2 Tim.1:7 "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."

7." Secure in God's love, I will not surrender my self-worth to the opinions and judgments of of others. When I am rejected, I will not retaliate;when I am hurt, I will allow God to heal me. And knowing the pain of rejection, I will seek to love those who suffer from its anguish."

"Ps.27:1 " The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?"

8." Today I will turn over the control of my life to the Lord. I will trust His control over what I was never meant to control. With His guidance I will take responsibility for what He has given me to do for His glory and by His power."

" Luke 19:26 "  For I say unto you, That unto every one which hath shall be given; and from him that hath not, even that he hath shall be taken away from him."

9." I confess my fearful imagination and today I ask the Lord through HIs Spirit to make my imagination a channel of His vision and not a breeding place of fear."

" Eph 3:17-19 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,

may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;

 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God."

10." I will face my eventual physical death and claim that I am alive eternally. Therefore, I can live abundantly without panic for the rest of my time on earth." 

"John 11:25-6 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live

 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?"

11." Today , I commit myself to motivating people with love rather than manipulating them with fear"

." Romans 12:9-21 Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.

 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;

 Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;

 Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;

 Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality.

 Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.

 Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.

 Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.

 Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.

 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.

 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.

 Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.

 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good."

12." I will give up the vague idea that given time, things work out. I will boldly face the future unafraid with the sure confidence that God will work all things together for my ultimate good and His glory."

." Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose."

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