The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again
Romans 8:15a
My name is Jeff and I have lived afraid.
But not in the way of being afraid of the boogie man, ghosts or Michael Jackson in the Thriller video.
No, fear has been a constant companion. Fear has been my shotgun rider in the beat up Buick of life. Fear has convinced me he was a friend.
But truthfully, fear is a punk. As writer, blogger and queso eater Jon Acuff writes, “Regardless of what you want to do or who you are, fear will always see you as wholly unqualified for anything you ever dream or attempt.” And in moments of life when everything seemed to be moving along swimmingly, fear would invite itself to the party and interrupt life. And I would panic with “not again”.
Fear becomes an emotional handicap. It paralyzes decision making. It cripples relationships. It damages dreams. And you don’t even get special parking for the restrictions it creates.
The Apostle Paul, missionary, church planter, author and I want to believe queso eater penned these words to the church at Rome:
The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again
God’s Holy Spirit is the life encountering daily presence of God in our lives. Paul let’s us know that when we come to Christ we are given the Spirit and the Holy Spirit is a our William Wallace from the bondage of fear.
There is this reminder tucked in the letter to the church at Rome. That the Spirit who has freed you from the slavery of fear did so that you would not go back.
Again is a strong word. Again means you have before. Again means it was built into the fabric of your life. Again means it was what you were identified with, what you did, how you lived.
But we have the opportunity by power of God’s Holy Spirit to say “not again” to the punk named Fear. Not again to let that fool ruin a dream. Not again to the whispered lies in mind that says you will never overcome. Not again to the insecurity that fear decorates the mind with. NOT AGAIN.
If fear has kept you captive you don’t have to remain in the cave of your life. You can walk out into the freedom and not go back. You can live with a “not again” belief that is given by the Spirit.
My name is Jeff and not again.
