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Did you know that God is waiting on you to step out on faith and do it afraid?
Overcoming fear requires fighting fear. And the way to fight fear and win is through the power of the Holy Spirit. Certain battles are just too strong for us. And we have to learn to tap into the strength and courage of the Spirit to push through.
So many of us are wanting to step into our destinies, accomplish large goals, and overcome fears that have been paralyzing us for years. But how do we push passed those fear, especially after years of allowing those fears to hold us back?
When I used to pray for my shyness and social anxiety to disappear, I was expecting God to snap a finger and to suddenly remove the struggle. I hoped I would suddenly go from being shy and timid to being a bold, outspoken social butterfly.
And if I’m being honest with myself, I was essentially expecting God to do all the work.
I didn’t want to work for it. I didn’t want to have to do the scary things; the things that would force me to face my fears.
But facing our fears is what makes us rely on God. It’s in those fearful moments that we should lean into the Holy Spirit and call on the strength and courage of the God within you.
Most of us want our destinies, but we want them handed to us on a golden platter. God promises us something, and we’re like great, where is it?
But God is waiting on you to take steps toward those promises and demonstrate your faith to Him.
The Reason You Still Let Fear Hold You Back
When we have a strong fear of what others will think, for example, the enemy has us right where he wants us. Paralyzed and too afraid to take any type of step forward. And if we’re paralyzed, we cannot reach our God-given destinies.
That’s essentially what shyness and social anxiety are symptoms of: caring way too much about what others will think of us. And what ends up happening is we allow that fear to dictate our lives. We place that fear in the driver’s seat as we wave goodbye to lost opportunities and relationships.
And that’s the harsh truth that I’ve come to realize in my life. I have spent so many years allowing the enemy to use that fear to keep me stuck.
Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is kept safe.
Proverbs 29: 25
To overcome this fear, we have to push through it with the help of the Holy Spirit. And the reason we often stay stuck is because we are not willing to do the very challenging work.
Overcoming any type of fear requires work and courage. You have to resist the devil daily. You have to take captive every thought. You have to cast those anxieties onto the Lord. And you have to take steps toward what God has promised you even when it’s scary, hard, or seems impossible.
Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
James 4:7
That is why we stay stuck and trapped behind our fears. Because we are too afraid to push down that wall. We want the wall to fall down all on its own. But God is waiting on you to push that wall down and trust in His strength while you do it.
It’s so hard sometimes to find that courage, to push away the fear, and to ignore what others might think of you. But if we want to step into God’s plan for our lives, it’s a necessary step of our faith.
Step out on Faith and Do it Afraid Like Gideon
I often think of Gideon and the great call that God placed on him to free the Israelites from the Midianites.
The Lord turned to him and said, “Go in the strength you have and deliver Israel from the power of Midan. Am I not sending you?”
He said to Him, “Please, Lord, how can I deliver Israel? Look, my family is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the youngest I my father’s house.”
“But I will be with you,” the Lord said to him. “You will strike Midian down as if it were one man.”
Judges 6:14-16
God placed a load of responsibility on Gideon’s shoulders, or at least that’s what Gideon felt. And Gideon’s response was as you’d expect; he was scared and lacked the confidence to do what God had called him to.
Gideon responded with fear because he mistakenly thought God was asking him to do this alone. And Gideon knew he and his family were the weakest of all the tribes. He knew he had no power.
And how did God respond? By telling Gideon that “…I will be with you”. Bam!
The story continues until God essentially gets Gideon’s army down to just 300 men. Just 300 men against what I’m presuming were thousands.
Gideon truly had to step out on faith and do it afraid. And if you continue to read the story, you clearly see that Gideon was afraid. But he ultimately relied on the Lord and took action.
Here is a really good article summarizing Gideon’s story and how he learned to rely on God through his journey. Click here to read the article from christianity.com.
Taking Courageous Action is Necessary
Ultimately, although God told Gideon He had given the Midianite camp into his hands, it still required Gideon to take action for God to use him.
That night the Lord said to him, “Get up and go into the camp, for I have given it into your hand.
Judges 7:9
Gideon still had to take action, step out on faith, and do it afraid in order for God to bring to past what He had declared.
So, what does that tell us? We must do the same!
We need to make the decision to courageously take steps toward the scary things and trust that the Holy Spirit will show up and help us carry the load and get us through.
6 Practical Ways You Can Do it Afraid
So, you might be thinking, this all sounds good and dandy. But, how in the world can I apply this practically, especially as it relates to shyness and social anxiety?
And if you’re someone who struggles with shyness and social anxiety, welcome to the club honey. I beat you to the door.
But what I’m continuing to learn is that fulfilling my God-given purpose will not happen unless I take courageous action. We cannot expect God to do all the work. He has already delivered us from fear. He is there in the future looking at the new you, free from fear, shyness, and social anxiety. But it’s up to us to step into that deliverance.
So, how can you do this practically? Here are 6 practical ways you can apply this “Step out on Faith and Do it Afraid” concept:
- Say a quiet prayer asking the Holy Spirit for His strength and courage. The next time you’re feeling nervous to do something that scares you, please remember that you have the Holy Spirit within you. You can tap into the strength and courage of God in those moments.
- Take courageous action. Do that scary thing! Even when it’s nerve-wracking. Even if your heart is beating fast in your chest, and you’re starting to sweat, and you feel too paralyzed to speak or act, do it anyway. Push past those fight or flight emotions.
- Remember that baby steps count. Sometimes it feels like we’re not making progress if we’re not making gigantic moves. But that’s simply not true. We have to start somewhere. Anything you master in life starts somewhere.
- Remember that God never promised it would be easy. Or that you wouldn’t be challenged. Something being too hard is not a sign you should quit. But if you trust in Him, you will fight through it and make it to the other side.
- Speak life into your deliverance. Praise and worship God for delivering you from your fears even before you’ve conquered them. Speak God’s promises over your situation.
- Don’t get discouraged when you mess up. God is a loving and compassionate Father who knows your struggle. Count your small wins, and don’t beat yourself up about the failures. Always keep pushing toward the promises God has for you.
Picture yourself on the other side of your fear, free from shyness and social anxiety, or whatever other fear you struggle with. Imagine the person you want to be, and the things you want to do. Bring that vision before God and pray and ask Him to help you take the steps necessary to get there.
You might also like:
The Key to Overcoming Shyness the Christian Way
7 Ways to Share Your Faith if You’re Shy
What Does it Mean to Fear God?
