Often our fears are based on feelings of unworthiness which takes the form of that little voice in our heads that the majority of us hear quite often: “Who do you think you are? You aren’t capable of doing that. You are so conceited, there are people far more qualified who can do that”

Self-rejection is also a form of fear – fear of accepting ourselves for who we are. We often don’t attempt something because of fear of failure.

A vast majority of us are not living the lives that God ordained for us because of fear.  Fear of failure and fear that if we do take God at His word and trust Him to fulfill our heart’s desires, He will fail us.

In His word, God repeatedly tells us:

Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand. (Isaiah 41:10)

God has given us the most amazing weapons to combat the fears we have – the Bible, prayer and each other!

One of my biggest fears is public speaking.  I have subsequently learnt that this fear is known as Glossophobia and that, according to the Wall Street Journal, public speaking is the number one fear in America.  Believe it or not, the fear of death is ranked as number two!

Many years ago, it was prophesied over my life that God would use me as a public speaker.   You have no idea what dread struck my heart when I received that prophesy! I actually checked behind me to see if the person wasn’t speaking to someone else.

I have subsequently come to realise that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.  I also trust that when I mess up He will be able to fix it.

God will never allow you to embarrass yourself or be humiliated when you are doing what He has called you to do.

I am living proof that if we submit ourselves to God, He is quite capable of equipping us and using us wherever He places us.

I overcame my fear of public speaking by spending time in prayer and meditating on His word. I researched my topic well and wrote down what I was going to speak on. I then spent hours in front of the mirror practicing my talk. My family had to repeatedly hear my talk as well, and if a member of the family wasn’t around, our poor dog had to listen to it!

In fact, before one of my talks, one of our daughters very dryly commented: “You don’t have to worry if you get run over on the way to the venue because any one of us will be able to give the talk for you!”  She had had to listen to it so many times she knew it off by heart!

I also send a SOS prayer request out to a group of prayer ‘warriors’ asking them to keep me in their prayers.

It is through God’s grace that I can stand before an audience and speak, and if He can use me to speak in public, He can use anyone to do so much more. He does not call the qualified, but He definitely qualifies and equips the called!

My prayer for each one of us is that we will recognize and face our fears, and start to live the lives God has created us to live.

When you find yourself overwhelmed by fear, repeat these words to yourself:

“Despite what I may feel, I have God’s anointing on my life.  His grace covers my inadequacies. I am God’s workmanship and He will equip me to do the work He has planned in advance for me to do”.

So, go out boldly and conquer your fears!