In his inauguration speech in 1933, Franklin D. Roosevelt is known for his statement, “The only thing to fear is fear itself.” That is so true -- then and today! Every day I am around people who are experiencing very tough times. The unknowns of tomorrow seek to swallow them up.

Once we receive Jesus as our personal Savior and Lord, we are to look into our manual for success (the Bible) for promises to stand on when all around us seems so bleak and uncertain. Every promise in the Bible belongs to us. We need to find those that will help to remove fear from our life.

The apostle Paul tells us in For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7). Notice it says 1) God did not give and 2) fear is a spirit! God gave us power (miraculous ability), love, and a sound mind (safe thinking). Fear must leave if we choose to believe that God gives us miraculous ability, His mighty and wonderful love, and a mind that can understand Scripture.

Another way to stay out of fear is to know what our God does for us and it will cause us to shout -- Oh, clap your hands, all you peoples! Shout to God with the voice of triumph for the LORD Most High is awesome; He is a great King over all the earth. He will subdue the peoples under us, and the nations under our feet. He will choose our inheritance for us, the excellence of Jacob whom He loves. Selah (Psalm 47:1-4). (Selah means to pause and think about what you read). The devil wants to set an environment of fear and insecurity. But the Lord wants us to shout knowing that the Lord is awesome and will help us no matter what we are facing. So why fear?

Our God knows what is coming our way and how to handle it even when we do not. We are hearing and seeing so much happen with the weather and what those changes have done to our environment, but Psalm 46:1-3 tells us our God is A very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, even though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though its waters roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with its swelling. Selah (pause and think about this).

Present is right now, but present is also a gift which needs to be unwrapped! Sometimes we leave the gift of promise wrapped up by unbelief and lack of trust which will cause us to allow that spirit of fear to come on us. When we read Scripture and ponder His promises for us, no matter what today holds we are unwrapping and using His promises. Doing this will cause us to go from fear to faith; then we will have courage which will cause joy to spring forth from us. We must choose daily how we are going to live each day.