Regular Girl Devos Retro-edition: God vs Fear

This Regular Girl Devos Retro-edition: God vs Fear was originally published in July 2021.

How long have you been fighting for yourself?

At the time I wrote this, I felt like I had been climbing into the ring every day for a very long time:

Hello fight fans! This is the title bout. This is the ultimate battle for inner-peace supremacy. God vs. Fear. Are you ready to rumble!

This is how it feels to fight thoughts of fear and anxiety. Most days we are hopping around the ring, bobbing and weaving those anxious tendencies. Some days, we are on the ropes, trying to protect ourselves from a barrage of fearful worry. Then there are days when we are bouncing off the canvas, struggling to stand up and re-enter the fight to win peace of mind.

I was pretty exhausted from doing my fighting, and then I realized I wasn’t alone or unequipped to win my battles:

Jesus is our example of victory. He fought evil in the wilderness for 40 days, armed only with the powerful Words of God. The same powerful Words we have access to today.

It’s God vs Fear! If we will train ourselves to fight using the Words of God, fear and anxiety will be down for the count!

I don’t want to make this too simplistic or easy. Saying God’s words to kick buts, fighting inner voices that want to yell negative stuff in our heads, is hard. Choosing to listen to the calm, loving voice of our Father, God continues daily. But just like a boxer trains to get faster and stronger, we too can train our minds to believe what God says about us to make us faster and stronger.

God’s words have power!

Read the account of Jesus in the wilderness in Matthew Chapter 4. These verses are from The Message Bible:

Matthew 4:4 says, “Jesus answered by quoting Deuteronomy: It takes more than bread to stay alive. It takes a steady stream of words from God’s mouth.”

Ephesians 6:13 says, “Be prepared. You’re up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it’s all over but the shouting you’ll still be on your feet. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You’ll need them throughout your life. God’s Word is an indispensable weapon.”

You are not alone in the ring. Train yourself with God’s words and you will be ready to rumble, kick those buts, and win your mental health battles!

Need more motivation? Read about two-time 2024 Olympic gold medal winner Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone. In this article from Guideposts, she shares how she overcame her fear of being labeled a failure with faith!