There were a lot of true things in the movie regarding fear and the power of our will. Fear is something that has the power to paralyze us, to keep us from action. When a person uses fear it can be a mighty controlling force to silence others or to move them to action to serve that person. Often when people try to avoid fear it is out of the need to have no fear at all. We look at fear as a weakness as if we are only strong if we have no fear. In the movie, the hero is challenged not to be fearless (which isn't realistic he comes to learn) but rather to overcome his fear and use it to move him to new action, an overcoming action-this was defined as courage! I know this idea of fear all too well. For a lot of my life I let fear silence me. The last few months have been so freeing as I've learned how much fear is a tool that the enemy uses against believers. Fear is not of the Lord. Jesus said he had not given us a spirit of fear but of sonship-of new identity in his Father. As I've quit listening to those thoughts of worry and fear I have found a new freedom. It doesn't mean that circumstances have changed. Bad, scary things still can happen and often do in our world. However, I don't have to be paralyzed from living a life of joyful worship to a goo God just because I'm afraid of hurt and pain. The movie contrasted the power of fear with the power of will. I actually think that is pretty accurate to us as believers! If we are living our lives by the power of the Holy Spirit, according to the will of the Father, then His will absolutely helps us overcome fear.
Being missionaries we often get asked "aren't you afraid going to dangerous and sometimes hostile places?" We have heard the stories. We know people who have been personally affected by very painful things because they went. And yet, if we are living in the will of our Father God then the answer is "no!" We are not afraid. Furthermore we are not going to let fear of what might happen silence us from going out into all the world. Bad things may happen. We may be hurt in the process and yet there is such freedom in going out in the power of a will greater than our own! I am trying to let this also lead my daily actions in between trips. I want courage-overcoming fear of what others think of me-to lead my conversations. I want to be bold in declaring the hope and truth of Jesus and
What power are you allowing in your life that may be silencing you or moving you to action?