"It is so easy to think that when you are in the dark, when no one is looking, you are alone in your bedroom, or you find yourself in any situation where your might think no one is around, that you can get away with sin. This is what I thought as well. Alone, at night, in my bedroom, on my laptop, I thought I could get away with my sin. "It's just a little thing. Besides, everyone else does it too!" These were some of the lies of Satan that I believed. None of them were true. The sin I was involved in was wrong media choices. Music I had been taught my whole life was wrong, I was now embracing. Yes, I knew it was wrong, but who was going to find out anyways! The truth is my sin brought me no joy, instead it brought emptiness. I knew I was not right with God, so I was trying to block out my conscience by listening to music. Needless to say, it had the opposite effect. How thankful I am, that God, in His mercy and goodness, did not leave me to myself or give up on me. His blessings are everlasting, even when we are not doing what we are supposed to be doing. Praise the Lord that He does not treat us the way we treat Him. God sent me a friend to ask me how I was doing spiritually. I was honest with her, and told her about my sinful choices. She immediately challenged me to tell my parents and get things right with them. Fear, which is never of the Lord, came over me. "What would my parents think? Would they still trust me? Would they think differently?" My fear was paralyzing me. My friend kept asking me how things were going. I told her I was afraid. She told me, and she was right, that fear is like a prison. I realized that I needed to trust the Lord, and do what was right. So, by faith, I stepped out. Once I came forward and confessed my sin, a huge weight came off my chest. I felt freedom and joy. My parents were forgiving and gave me counsel in how to get over my wrong media choices. When I took the first step, God met me and gave me the grace and strength to do what was right."
~ A Testimony from a dear friend
What is fear anyways? According the dictionary fear is a distressing emotion aroused by impending danger, evil, pain, etc., whether the threat is real or imagined; the feeling or condition of being afraid. Fear can cause us to imprison our minds. Where does this fear come from? I believe that fear is one of the devil's strongest hold in millions of people's lives world wide. In 2 Timothy 1:7 it says, "For God hath not given us a spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." According to this verse fear is not of God. Then if fear is not of God why do we as Christians fear so much? Well, if Satan knows what can slow us down, or even stop us from serving God, he is going to do some hindering if possible. Satan also knows that fear can cause us to doubt God's faithfulness and sovereignty. This is something that I believe we all deal with at some point or another. Why does fear cripple some people? According to 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 it says,"For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;" If we are not walking in the Spirit, and heeding to everything God says, then it is easy to take things into our own hands and that spells out trouble. Walking in the Spirit is a daily process that we need to do. But it is a hard thing to do if we are in sin. We cannot be in a right relationship with God while we are still enjoying sin. We too often don't want to take care of the littlest of sin, which later we will regret. Fear can hinder us from getting things right with our authorities, our piers, and our family. John 8:32 Says, "Then you will know the truth, and the truth shall set you free." This verse has come to mind so many times when I have been tempted to lie or hide things from my parents. I have heard many people say "Oh that's only a little thing", or "your sin won't affect those that don't know." But the truth is sin affects everyone. Satan oh so often loves to twist the truth and tries to make it appealing to our flesh. Growing up I had a fear of telling the truth, because I knew what the consequences would be and thought I could get away with it. God graciously gave me parents that could read me like a "book." This used to make me frustrated. Some of the things that would go through my mind which caused me to fear were: "What will mom and dad think of me," or "They will think differently of me if I tell them the truth." God later convicted me of my sin of pride, and the sin of imagining what was not true. As it says in 2 Corinthians 10:5 "Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;" God has allowed my since to start bringing my fears and temptations to Christ. Yes the temptation to fall back into my old ways is still there and probably will always be there. God has promised to always give a way of escape to those that simply ask. Praise God for this promise! 