A Peek Into My Quiet Time: He Makes Me Brave

I woke up yesterday morning with a scripture ringing in my heart…
“For God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind”
And as usual, when I wake up with scriptures in me, I dig into it.
Btw, can we all just thank God for His Word?
Thank God for always knowing what we need at each point in time and giving it to us.
Remember our Lord’s prayer? “Give us each day our daily bread?”
I am persuaded that it just doesn’t mean physical bread, it also means “rhema”.
The word that you need each day.

On monday I made the books I am working on officially known to the world, meaning I created no means of escape for myself to sit back and not “do it”.
Before I published the post, I had scriptures ringing in me to conquer fear and when I published it, all your encouraging words (thank you!) and “I can’t wait to read it” were making me scared again. Lol.
I was editing and getting the final work done but still thinking “hope this thing won’t fall people’s hands after all their expectations oh”
When I got home from work yesterday, I just dumped my phone in one corner and talked to God – just thanked Him really.
And then Tuesday morning, boom! He gives me my daily bread – “For God has not given you the Spirit of fear…”
NLT actually says “the spirit of fear and timidity…”
I let the words sink into me and then I started worshiping with Nathaniel Bassey’s – Imela.
I just started thanking God and I was simply overwhelmed with gratitude.
Gratitude for what you ask me?
Well, do I have anyone who went to secondary school with me reading this post? Or someone who knew me when I was in 100L or 200L?
Aren’t you amazed as to how that shy Frances grew into this “blazing for Christ Frances?”
Well, I am amazed about it all too, overwhelmed about it all – more than you are.
I am so overwhelmed, so much so that as “Imela” continued playing, I didn’t have words to say thank you anymore so I switched into tongues and tears.
And then as I worshiped, “Bethel Music-You make me brave” started playing.
And it just put into words the Word God had given me that morning.
“You make me brave, you call me out beyond the shores into the waves… no fear can hinder now the promises you make…”

Just let’s all stop there for a minute…
How that shy Frances became radical Frances, blazing through what God has put in her heart?

The answer?
“He makes me brave”
“He has not given me the spirit of fear but of power, love and a sound mind”

I was still overwhelmed as I worshiped and thanked God for the gift of speaking in tongues.
When words fail me, and tears become more than the prayers, I let the Spirit take over.
And when I stepped out of my quiet time into my day, I really felt like “yes, I can conquer the world.”
What made the difference?
The Spirit!

And after that, when I checked the comments on monday’s post and saw Yewi’s comment, I knew that I had to share this little bit of my personal time with God on this week’s study.
Btw, I love how God deals with me as regards our #OnlineBibleStudy.
I can have something on my mind on sunday and then on tuesday, the entire direction shifts unto something else… so we just go with the Spirit.

Yewi commented and I quote – “I wish I had the courage like you have to go all out with what I want to do…”

Errm, you guys know I like bursting my bubbles on this blog.
I don’t have the courage to do all God has placed in my heart to do.
And the truth is, left for me, God Himself knows that I would bowl over in fear and cower inside my room, not stepping out to do anything – that’s why He gives me His word everyday and every time He sees me faltering.
When He sees that something’s drawing my attention, He taps me in the morning(or afternoon or nighttime) and then reminds me “for God has not given you the Spirit of fear…”
And He is saying that same thing to all of us.
Any thought that pulls you back from functioning in what God has laid in your heart to do is not of God.

I have been trying to study the book of Acts and the change in Peter after he received the Holy Spirit was so alarming.
I wrote in my Bible – “the transformation! The Spirit! The boldness in the Spirit!”
And that’s what God has given to each and everyone of us.
Remember our last study? Remaining in Jesus?
You by yourself will fail ten times over.
You in the Spirit will win and scale through mountains and deep waters.
You don’t do anything.
You simply let the Spirit shine through.
And what Spirit again?
The Spirit of power, love and a sound mind”.

Here’s what the AMP version says –
2Timothy 1:7
“For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (of cowardice, of craven and cringing and fawning fear), but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self-control.”

That fear, timidity and shyness that threatens to overwhelm you is not of God.
The Spirit that God has given us makes us take steps and reach out into the calling that He has for us.
And if we are not reaching out, then it’s time to retrace our steps and start functioning in the Spirit that God has given us.

I shared a bit of my quiet time with God today just to make us understand this truth…
Frances by herself is as weak as they come. It’s the reason why I keep running to the throne.
Any slight unbalance in my mind with stress or fear or whatever, I’m switching off my internet/distractions and running into the secret place just to talk with Daddy.
And Daddy always delivers with His Word.
He calms me and reminds me of things that I may have forgotten.
And He reminds me of how I used to be all weak and weighed down under the weight of fear. And He makes me see that He has given me His Spirit that has taken me off all that.
The Spirit He has given me is one that will help me scale over every mountain that may be on my way.
And I want us to know that it’s that same Spirit that God has given to us.
Do not fret my brothers and sisters.
Run to Daddy.
Daddy will remind you of the Spirit He has put in you and He will empower you to walk in the might of that Spirit.

I pray that we all will yield and follow through whatever waves the Spirit wants to take us through, certain in the fact that He has got us.

Further reading:
Isaiah 43.1-7
“But now, O Jacob, listen to the lord who created you.O Israel, the one who formed you says,“Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you.I have called you by name; you are mine. When you go through deep waters,I will be with you.When you go through rivers of difficulty,you will not drown.When you walk through the fire of oppression,you will not be burned up;the flames will not consume you. For I am the lord, your God,the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.I gave Egypt as a ransom for your freedom;I gave Ethiopia and Seba in your place. Others were given in exchange for you.I traded their lives for yours because you are precious to me.You are honored, and I love you.”

Confession:
2Timothy 1:7
“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”
(Personalize the words, replace “us” and the names in the passages above with “me”)

As always, do share with us on anything that was laid in your heart as you read today’s study in the comment section below.. Let us glean wisdom and encouragement from each other.
Till next time on our #OnlineBibleStudy,
Stay walking in the Spirit,
Love,
Frances.

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This week’s study will be sent soon.

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