Top Ten Fears: How Do You Face Them Down?

Here is a list of the Top Ten Fears:
10. Water and storms
9. Public Transportation
8. Flying
7. Crowds
6. Tunnels and bridges
5. Spiders
4. Heights
3. Confined Spaces
2. Snakes
1. Public Speaking.

How do you face your fears down? Pretend they don't exist, and act as if you are brave? Take tranquilizers? Or, avoid doing things that scare the bejeebers out of you?

When I was a young mother I became afraid of something not on the above list: mental illness. My daddy had spent some time in a mental hospital, and we'd seen a popular movie that depicted a horrible scene from a psyche ward. I was terrified I'd end up like that.

Even though I was a Christian, I didn't know what to do to face my fears down and break their power over me. I lived in torment for two years. I was a nervous wreck. Then one day I called a prayer counselor at the 700 Club, explaining my fear to him.

He said, "I am going to give you a list of bible verses that talk about overcoming fear. I want you to sit down and list them, then when we hang up, look up each one and read them aloud to the devil--the author of fear--and tell him to get lost. You are a child of God, and Satan has no right to torment you with his lies." Then he prayed for me before we hung up, after he'd given me the list of Scriptures, which ranged from Genesis to Revelation.

I followed his instructions, reading those verse to the devil and commanding in Jesus' name that he skedaddle. And... it worked! The fear left, and I was free!

This is the best way I know to face down fear and conquer it. The Word of God is powerful and sharp, to slice through the devil's lies. Because that's what fears are: lies that God won't protect you and care for you. Satan is the father of lies, so we know that fear comes from him.

Please join me today in using the Bible, the Word of God, to face down your fears and make the devil sorry he ever messed with you! Here are a few to start with:

I John 4: 4
Isaiah 54:17
Psalm 103: 17
I Peter 5:7
Psalm 23

Bad Advice on Love, Relationships, and Health: How Can We Best Respond?

Bad Advice. We've all received it.

"Marry the first man or lady you fall in love with. You'll save time. And if it doesn't work out, you can always get a divorce."

"It's better to say what you think than to stuff your feelings, even if you hurt someone. It's just as bad of a sin to think something than it is to say it."

"You only live once. You may as well eat whatever you like. You have to go sometime; why not go happy?"

What is the secret to sorting out the bad advice? How do you respond to tacky, even harmful suggestions by well-meaning or misguided people?

First. pray and seek God's will in his word, the Bible. Of course, the Scriptures aren't going to have detail about what color car to purchase or what town to move to. But they contain God's life, so reading them will prime your mind to think His thoughts.

Second, ask someone who's had more experience in life than you have, especially if the matter involves a relationship or the outcome of your future. The more input we receive from godly, wise sources the more likely we are to make excellent choices.

Third and last, read as much as you can about the topic at hand. With the plethora of information available to us at a keystroke, there's no reason to not inform ourselves of all the knowledge we can.

Have you ever received Bad Advice on Love, Relationships, and/or Health? How did you respond?