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Here's what you need to know about Fear:  (with Mrs Brittney Riley)

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SPEAKER_02 0:35

Good morning and welcome to the In Throne podcast. My name is Solomon Noellen, and I'm actually here with a special guest today, uh, Ms. Brittany. I'm really excited because instead of talking about our purpose within the wilderness, and instead of talking about uh worthiness, which I think is a really awesome topic, um, I want to really dive into something that I think a lot of believers really struggle, struggle with. Um, and that is fear. I know that a lot of people struggle with fear, not just uh fear of like the dark or anything like that, but we're talking like fear and finances, fear in their faith, fear in their life, what will happen to them, and you know, the cost of things, not just in terms of finances and the cost of living, but even just what it would cost them to be a believer in Christ. You know, and I think a lot of people are afraid of so many different things, and I I think a lot of it has to do with what a lot of social media pushes, uh, a lot of fear and a lot of emotional racing based things to where we are so afraid of everything. And so I want to talk about one of the most fearless people that I know, and that is Miss Brittany here.

SPEAKER_01 1:42

Hello, ma'am.

SPEAKER_02 1:43

Good morning, how are you?

SPEAKER_01 1:44

I'm doing great.

SPEAKER_02 1:46

Amen. It is great to see you this morning. Um, I'm very thankful that you're here, and I'm very thankful to talk about fear with you because it is even in my own life, it's something that I there are moments where I will wrestle with it um in different areas, and I notice a lot of people tend to wrestle with as well, but it's something that you seem to really wrestle with like that. You just kind of kind of go with it. And so I think that's pretty awesome. Before I dive into why, I kind of want to start with what. Um so that way people that are watching they kind of have an understanding of what fear actually is, because maybe they don't know what it is, or maybe they don't quite understand it. So, ma'am, is there a way that you could kind of explain what fear actually is?

SPEAKER_01 2:30

Uh sure. And you know, I know like the world teaches um its version of fear, but let's talk about spiritual fear because I feel like that's more relevant to um this conversation. Um, one of the biggest things the enemy does is he distorts our definitions of things.

SPEAKER_02 2:49

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 2:50

And then that that inadvertently makes us not understand what's actually going on. And I believe that cripples us as Christians in the body of Christ, and that's how he gets us a lot of times, and it makes us struggle to overcome these things. So, what is fear? To me, um, fear is something that you really make up in your own mind, and it can be so many, so many things. Um, so say um a situation, you are thinking up a situation and it's something that you don't, it's an outcome that you are not wanting.

SPEAKER_02 3:32

Right.

SPEAKER_01 3:33

Yeah. And so, like, you know, example, like I I am afraid that um I'm gonna lose all my money. I'm afraid to do this for the Lord because I don't like this or this or this or this could happen. I'm afraid to start this business because I only have this much money, and what if it doesn't work out? I'm afraid to go to this country because I heard it's dangerous, and what if I lose my life? I'm afraid to move across the country because I don't know anybody and I have children and I don't know how they're going to adapt to a new environment. You know, and it goes on and on and on. And a lot of times the enemy will use fear to get us to not follow God. And a really wise woman once told me that the safest place we could ever be is in the will of God.

SPEAKER_03 4:24

Amen.

SPEAKER_01 4:24

And she spoke that over me in in reverent in in like in reference to my children. Because as a mother, uh, one of the biggest things the enemy uses to get to get to us and is is our children. Um it's a it's a huge string, you know, atta tied to us, yeah. And it makes us kind of be like, hang on a second, am I making a good decision? Is this really God? And you know, it does make you kind of take a step back, and it and fear is a huge contributor to disobedience and rebellion in your heart. And you know, it's dangerous. Yeah, so that that would be my definition of fear.

SPEAKER_02 5:05

Wow, that's really awesome. I think uh something that really caught my attention with that was the fact that fear can not only be something that's like that we keep within us that has to do with us, sometimes it's with it's with other people or other things or other circumstances. And so I think what it seems like is that when we live in with when we live in a place where our sight is focused on a lot of what's in front of us and our circumstances, a lot of the times it seems like fear usually comes. But I know the word says something different about fear, it actually talks a lot about us ha not even having fear, which I think is very powerful. Um and it's something that I'm I'm learning to install in myself and in my kids now is that they don't have to be afraid of anything, really. Now, fear of course, there is a natural component to it, but they don't have to be afraid of anything. Right. Um, and that's one of the reasons why I love the fact that you and Brother Andrew, y'all encourage us to go and do stuff with them because a lot of stuff that I thought they would be afraid of or that I'm afraid of, or I'm learning to get over fear of, they're they don't they're not afraid of. So I learned that fear is taught a lot of stuff. Yes. Yeah, absolutely. And I think that's really heavy, especially where we are in today's society with everything that's happening. And so where did that start for you, man? Where did your overcoming of fear start?

SPEAKER_03 6:32

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 6:33

If if that's even something you can land on, or when did you start noticing, like, oh, I don't have to be afraid of this?

SPEAKER_01 6:38

Well, I mean, fear was is a progressive thing. It's a hundred percent a learned behavior. It's not something that you just one day are like, oh yeah, I it's this, I'm afraid now, you know. I've I I'm sure everybody can has moments uh throughout childhood where you can go back and say, Well, this is where I was, I I learned how to be afraid of this. This is where I learned how to be afraid of this, you know, different situations and circumstances. You know, people that just the idea, the the remember and like the memory of that that's coming into my head for some people, it's like, you know, maybe a dog bites them when they're a kid and now all of a sudden they're afraid of dogs for the rest of their life, you know, little bitty things. Um, and you know, Andrew and I, we go through this, we we raise up people and we see things that people are bothered by. They don't want, and it's silly things, you know, um different things that just bother them and they're they're full, full grown adults and they they're they've they're still carrying it and it's and it's so silly. And so we do things that seem silly to desensitize them. We put it in their face at like almost every day, and eventually it doesn't bother them anymore. Um, and so for me, um, there was a lot of fears that was instilled instilled inside of me um just growing up. Um, I actually dealt with a lot of fear um throughout childhood, throughout uh my teenage years and young adult. And um, I didn't know how to process those or deal with them. I was taught, oh, that's just a part of you. Um, you know, that's just life. That's just how it goes. And you know, that's what the world does. They they enable the fear instead of helping you conquer it, they they call it something like a disorder or whatever. You know, I had anxiety. I was just crippled by emotion. And I would have panic attacks and all kinds of stuff. And a lot of it was the root was fear. And I I was on medication, um, which caused a lot of other problems. Um, I was suicidal. I had so many issues, and the root was fear, and a lot of it was made-up circumstances in my head. And so I was in a really low place and I wasn't saved. Um, I didn't, I didn't find the Lord until my early 20s. So I had no coping mechanism, no understanding of, you know, who the source of life was. So what happened with me is um whenever I first found the Lord, I still walked through several years after that of reading the Bible, trying to discover not just who Jesus was, but who I was inside of him and who he was inside of me. Um I remember journaling early on and I drew this picture of a heart, and it was there was multiple hearts inside of a heart, and it was Jesus inside of me, but me inside of Jesus. Right. Because it's like this beautiful picture. It's like, yes, he's inside of us, but we're also inside of him. It doesn't make sense, but it's that's how it is.

SPEAKER_03 9:38

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 9:38

And it's so cool. And so I just started really exploring that with him throughout my prayer life and just building intimacy with him. Um, and you know, I had this situation come up, and it was in 2000 and like 18. And I was pretty far into my walk with the Lord when this happened, but I had somebody come into my life that presented themselves as um a Christian and someone that was walking with Jesus. And I had no clue, but they had um an ulterior motive, and they came in presenting themselves as as light, and they were actually dark, and um they instilled something in me that was that was very fearful. Um, and as quickly as they came, they departed, but they left something in me that was very dark and it was scary. And I dealt with night chairs after that for about five months, did not know how to get rid of them. I I was terrified. It was the most fear I've ever felt in my entire life. And it was a moment where Andrew was traveling internationally for like it was the first time he was really leaving us for a long time, like long periods of time. Um, the girls were very small. Um, our youngest was about a year old. Um, and we were living in a new city. It was our first leap of faith, leaving careers and leaving our home and you know, getting starting a whole new life. I was in ministry school and I didn't really know anybody around. And it was it was a scary moment. I had nobody. Uh it was me, our small children, and Andrew was gone. We were only together in maybe four to six days a month. And so I was by myself and we were in a big city, and I and the enemy was just coming and then whispering so many lies to me. Um, you know, all the fears of the world, you know, people gonna be breaking in and all this, and every little sound scared me. Um, I was just so fearful. And um, I I went I walked through that over and over again of just terrors and um all these scenarios in my head, and I don't know what exactly brought it on, but I just kept praying and just I was like, Lord, please, you know, begging at this point. Yeah, and I got to a point of just I was just really at the bottom of it, and I the realization of no one was going to get me out of this except for Jesus. And I came to this realization of that, and that's where I I had to dig in. I had to dig in and I dug in and I had a babysitter for the kids, and we had an amazing babysitter, like the Lord really provided in that season somebody that was a complete stranger that came in and we absolutely trusted and she's amazing. Yeah, and I was so blessed, and so she was watching the girls, and I got away, and um, we were we lived really close to Disney World, and I got away, and it was later at night. They had their little fireworks show, and I remember just it was dark, and all the fireworks started, and the Lord started speaking to me through all the fireworks and the darkness, and how there was a little bit of light. And I just got totally delivered all by myself in the dark with fireworks. And I it was so crazy how the Lord just totally delivered me from darkness in that moment, and and it was so wild how how you spoke to me about how much fear is a lie, and how how we create these situations and circumstances in our head, and how big God is, and how small fear is, and how the enemy can makes us it it's like it's so tiny, and we make it feel so big. We do, we make it feel so big, and it's not, it's so small. Wow, it's so small, but but it's like getting that realization inside of us that God is so big, God is so big, and if we can just grasp that, then then you really understand that you're you're just unstoppable because it's the Lord inside of you that gives you the power to do all things, and that was the beginning of really my faith journey and really understanding that through through Christ I can do all things, and He is the one who strengthens me.

SPEAKER_02 14:02

Yes, ma'am, that is powerful. And some like different parts of your testimony. I remember I remember hearing you talk about them, and I think they're very like moving to me because like if it's possible for you, and like it's possible for anyone, you know, and if it's possible for anyone, that means it's possible for me. That's right. That's pretty awesome. Um I you know, my but you know, I grew up within church, but you know, fear was just kind of a lot of times my driving factor of life. Like that was mainly what I was driven by, and that's the only way I was able to do a lot of stuff, I guess. Um, or if I liked it. And so it was just but fear was just always there, whether it was the fear of death or really there was there's a big fear that I had. I always had a fear that if I was doing something that I probably shouldn't have, that the that the Lord was gonna open the clouds up and come back, and then I would be doomed for help. So that was a lot of times that was my other fear as well. And so I kind of was really afraid of God, but not in like the reverence way. So I was less I was really afraid. But I um over time the Lord has shown me his voice and has directed me into who he actually is, and I and I think that's what kind of leads me to wondering that there are sometimes people that come in that do seem like light, like how you say, and there is this other place where you know we're trying to hear direction from the Lord, and it's like, Lord, is this where you want me to go? Or you want me to go here? And so I'm wondering like how can we understand fear that you know it's more like it's more of like the fear of the Lord versus a fear that we have that's from the enemy, so to speak, or from our our situations and circumstances.

SPEAKER_01 15:57

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 15:57

Uh what what would you say is uh how would how could we tell the difference?

SPEAKER_01 16:01

So fear of the Lord versus fear of the enemy.

SPEAKER_02 16:04

Yes, ma'am.

SPEAKER_01 16:05

Yeah, so um for me, fear of the Lord carries peace. Um and fear of the enemy carries chaos. And so fear of the enemy, there's total chaos. It does it's irrational, right? And it just brings destruction. Yes, ma'am. Uh fear of the Lord, there is a peace, there's a reverence, and it protects you, and it protects the will of God over your life. Okay. Does that make sense?

SPEAKER_02 16:37

To a certain degree, yes, ma'am. I mean, it does make sense to me, and I'm hoping it makes sense to the viewers, but I kind of want to dive into the chaotic versus the peace and will of God. So, for example, I I there are some people that their life is chaos, so that's all they know. So it just seems natural. Right. So when stuff's going on, it's like, yeah, this is naturally it. Then I'm going the right way because it's natural. You know, but what would you say? What's what do you mean when you say chaos? And what and and peace within the will of God. What would you say that those things mean, if that makes sense?

SPEAKER_01 17:10

Yeah, I'm trying to I'm gonna think of a good example. So um, okay, so say the Lord is coming to you and you've so okay, let's relate it to a dream. Okay. So you have a dream and um someone in your dream, someone in your dream, like something bad happens to them, and and you're like, you wake up and you're just freaking out over it, and it causes you to go into a panic, and then it causes you to think all these crazy scenarios, and like, and then now all of a sudden you're freaking out over them and you're trying to figure out how you can prevent it and all these things, okay. Um, I would say that would that would be chaos, like because it did not produce peace in your life, it produced you feeling like you had to do something about it, right?

SPEAKER_03 18:05

Right.

SPEAKER_01 18:06

So say you had the exact same dream, but you wake up and you feel like okay, but the Lord is the Lord, and regardless of the situation, he's gonna take care of it. I am going to pray for them, I'm gonna cover them, and the Lord showed me that to gird them and protect them and cover them in prayer. That would be like a fear of the Lord of him saying, Hey, do your job as an intercessor, pray and trust me, kind of thing. Yes, right. And there's probably a better example, but that's the first thing that comes to my mind of just that that maybe people could relate to. Yes. Um, because the enemy will always distort things, and you know, the I would feel like the Lord would give you the dream, um, but the enemy's always gonna be the one to distort it and try to get you off the trail. Oh, yeah, absolutely. And he's gonna be the one to try to make you feel like you need to do something in the natural for something. Yes, ma'am. And the and the Lord is gonna make you stand in peace and a reverence for who he is as Lord. And yeah, sometimes we he asks you to do things in the natural, you know. The gospel is the gospel of work. Yes, like it's not just you stand by.

SPEAKER_02 19:22

Yes, ma'am.

SPEAKER_01 19:23

Like you know this. Like we we do work around here, we hustle for the Lord, and and he respects that, he wants us to do that. Like, we don't build anything without working alongside the Lord.

SPEAKER_02 19:35

Oh, amen.

SPEAKER_01 19:36

Hand in hand. Um, but we do it in peace and a reverence for who he is. Like we are his soldiers, soldiers of the gospel. Paul worked, he said, he talked about it, you know, but we do it in peace. You know, the enemy will have you run in circles and working and slaving away for him, and you're making no sense, and it's chaotic, and you're you're building something with toothpicks, and the first first little bit of wind, it's gonna blow over.

SPEAKER_02 20:04

I've done it before. I um, you know, a fun story for me, there was a storm that was coming, and I remember just kind of I there was the storm was coming because I can I can recognize this. So there was a storm that was coming, and it was getting ready to uh hit the city that I was in, which is in Rome. And it ended up, it did end up hitting us, shut down to power. Um, there's a generator. I can just plug up the generator, turn it on, and get it set up and ready to go. Um and I am there's only a limited time that I have because I have somewhere that I have to be uh setting up at uh at church in a little while, so it's like about an hour to an hour and a half that I have left. Um the power is off, I don't know how long it'll be on. And so I'm like, well, I don't have much time, and I don't in my head I'm thinking, well, I don't want anybody to be upset that I didn't turn it on. I don't want anybody to be not taken care of because I didn't turn it on, and so I need to hurry up and do this, you know, and so I'm looking through as fast as I can. I'm you know, making sure all everything is plugged in or not plugged in or whatever, making sure everything is on. And so I'm just kind of going through it, and I'm starting to catch a sweat because I'm moving around so much, I can't find certain chords. I'm like, this chord's not in the video here because there's a video tutorial here, and this chord is not here, it's missing. Um, and so I'm I'm having a hard time, and so I'm just looking for stuff, and I'm just like, well, I'll just I I came up uh to one of the the rooms where I had to plug something in, and so I'm just unplugging stuff because I'm like, I can't find what I need, so I just need to unplug this stuff here and put it back. Well, later I you know, there was you know, there was a disciple moment where it's like you did not have to move in the way that you did because not only did you unplug Plug stuff, but you didn't plug them back, and so the everything has to kind of be restarted. And so I was like, Oh, interesting. But that reminds me of just kind of living in that chaos where yeah, I was doing something, you know, I'm saying I'm doing the right thing, but instead of moving in peace, I started moving in fear. I was moving in fear of other people, what their reactions were of me, and things like that. And so I think that's one really that that chaos thing for me, uh, because I've lived in a lot of chaos. So I I really recognize, like, oh yeah, absolutely, that's chaotic. You don't have to, you don't have to do half of that. So I was like, and that's what I'm starting to learn with my walk with Jesus is there's things that we do that I do, and she's like, you don't have to do all that.

SPEAKER_01 22:45

Yeah, you made it way more complicated, exactly, yeah, exactly.

SPEAKER_02 22:48

It ain't gotta be that complicated because I am a God of peace, right? And and and so I'm gonna move in peace, even if the situation might be heavy or difficult, he he gives us peace, and that's that's what I rely on so much is the peace of Christ. And um, you know, not to go in the whole spiel of my life, but because it's not about me, it's about Jesus. But man, she's gave me, and this is what I'm recognizing, is he showed me like his peace um before I before I even met him, if that makes sense. Like there was a moment before I tried to, you know, take my own life at some point where there was a piece that was I just did not recognize, did not know, and I knew that was peace of God. And since then I'm like, oh, his peace is different from what people call peace. Right, you know, and so um that always has moved my heart, and so just that whole portion right there, that's so helpful. And I'm I'm believing that's gonna be helpful to somebody, somebody needs to hear it. Put it be put on repeat because they need to know that difference, you know. Um, another question that somebody actually sent in as well was they were asking, is there a telling factor in being able to discern when the voice of fear is disguising itself as the voice of kingdom wisdom? So I guess what you know, from my understanding of that question, unless, you know, maybe is that the you know, we will walk in this life hearing and believing we're hearing the voice of God, but sometimes the enemy may disguise himself as that voice. So we're thinking, oh, God's telling me to, you know, sell on my sell all my stuff for the gospel, but maybe it's the enemy telling them, or maybe it was, I don't know. What would you say about that, ma'am?

SPEAKER_01 24:32

This is actually one of my favorite topics, yeah, yeah. Because it it's it really lines up with the need and necessity of authority.

SPEAKER_03 24:42

Amen.

SPEAKER_01 24:43

Yeah, because so whenever you are really walking deep with the Lord, come on, whenever you've chosen the life of full abandonment and surrender, um, and just I'm I'm all in with Jesus. Like there's nothing off limits for him. He can touch it all, he can take it all. I don't care. Um, you you need authority, you need somebody to walk with you, you need somebody in the natural flesh and blood along with Christ to help you. Um, because the enemy comes in so sweet and smooth, very deceptive. Um, he's very good at mimicking the Lord.

SPEAKER_02 25:24

Really?

SPEAKER_01 25:25

Very good, very good. I mean, it talks about it in First Peter like a lion, you know, walking around like a lamb, like a lion. Like a lion. And it's, you know, and you've got to be careful. Um, but yeah, so like, so say, like your example, you know, you hear something telling you to do something, it's very drastic. It's gonna affect your life drastically. You need to bring it to somebody that has been there, that has walked further down the trail than you, that can seek God on your behalf, and you and you say, Hey, this is what I feel like I'm hearing, would you please pray and let me know like, are you hearing this? What are you thinking? What are you feeling? And and see what they're hearing. Get some wisdom. And now, if you're in the beginning of your journey and you don't you don't have somebody that God has said, this is someone that this is your spiritual father, this is your spiritual mother, this is your apostle, this is, you know, if the Lord hasn't given you somebody that is walking in extreme faith, then it's gonna be a little bit more challenging, but it's not impossible.

SPEAKER_03 26:35

Amen.

SPEAKER_01 26:36

Because Andrew and I, our journey in the beginning, we didn't have somebody that was walking in extreme faith. Um, he did he did have people around us that we did, you know, use like their wisdom on. Um we had them, we tried to run things by them, but a lot of them weren't walking in the faith that we wanted to walk in.

SPEAKER_03 26:55

Wow.

SPEAKER_01 26:55

And it was it was hard because we would bring things to our pastor and he'd be like, I don't, I don't know about that, you know, and it's because it challenged him. And we would bring things to people, and you know, they would be like, you know, I don't think it takes all that. I I don't, I don't think that I don't know if that that's God. And but we would talk and be like, no, I I believe this is God. I we believe this is God, you know, and we we just had this this yearning in our heart. But if the Lord has placed you around people that have done, they've walked the walk and they are further down the trail. And in further down the trail is not time and service. It's who the right arm of the Lord has been revealed. It's that's scripture. That's good Bible right there. Um, it's who has walked the walk of faith that you're you're feeling like the Lord's wanting you to walk the walk of faith. Um, who, and it's not just, oh, they're they're pastoring a church, even though that is an amazing call of God on someone's life. It's who has who has walked this walk in the level that you feel like God is wanting you to walk the walk in. Um, and so you've got to figure out, um, and it's not like, oh, you're you're the one doing this measuring stick, it's what has God told you to submit to. And then you need to you need to follow the advice that they give you. You need to follow that that voice because God has given you not just intimacy with himself, but he's given you voices on on this earth to help you. That way you can bring things that you feel like the Lord's speaking to you to them, and they can help you discern the lion from the like a lion.

SPEAKER_03 28:35

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 28:36

Because it it's confusing. Like Andrew and I, we have a teenager and he's going around and he's hearing the Lord and he's learning this how to develop intimacy, and he's hearing things, and he feels like it's God, and we're showing him from the scriptures, like from the Bible, hey, this is why that's not God. And as soon as we we reveal it, it's like a light switch, and he's like, Oh, and he'll say, but it sounded like God. And we're then we explain to him, this is why it's not, and then we're we're teaching him the path of this is what it feels like whenever it's not God. And so he's he's learning, and it's almost like a muscle memory. He's learning what it feels like when it's not God, and then he's learning what it feels like when it is God, and so it's kind of cool. But the the more you develop that muscle, you learn what the like a lion feels and sounds like, and then you learn, excuse me, what the what the lion sounds like and feels like, and and you'll realize that the lion feels and sounds more like peace, and the other one feels and sounds more like confusion.

SPEAKER_02 29:44

Yeah, yes, man. And I think it's really awesome. It reminds me of the story that I've heard Brother Andrew tell uh quite a few times, and I don't think I need to run through the whole story, but pretty much there are maybe I do, I don't know. But cows will come in and they get put inside this bush gate to protect them, and there's thorns outside of the bush. On the other side, there's no thorns. So the cows are safe, lions are around, and they're trying to figure out how to get in because the thorns are really long. So the lions found out a way to do that is to get these cows afraid by roaring and by stomping. And so if a cow is too scared, he'll run out and then he'll get devoured by the lion. That's right. And so I think just really standing firm in that bush circle of what God has put us in, which is the word, and underneath, you know, authority in some way forming and some way form and place in our life, you know, will really keep us from trying to run out and do our own thing, and then end up getting devoured by the enemy. Yeah, you know, and so I um I just I love that example that I've heard, and I'll just love what you shared about that.

SPEAKER_01 30:53

And you know what's so powerful about that? So one of them div decides that fear is gonna make them break out, and guess what that does? It opens the channel for the the lions to come in and attack the rest. Wow, yeah, isn't that crazy? It is so one person allowing fear to infiltrate the camp makes all the rest get challenged.

SPEAKER_02 31:18

Yeah, yes, man.

SPEAKER_01 31:19

That's that's community, you know, it's like the power of everybody protecting their mind. And it's and the thing is, it's like the Lord will use everything for the good of those that love him.

SPEAKER_03 31:31

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 31:31

So it's like it's not that our our fight's not with flesh and blood. And so if somebody does allow fear to overcome them, and now all of a sudden other people are struggling because they're getting hit too, attacked, you know, then you have to be able to use and harness the attack as a weapon against the enemy. So you got to get stronger. Yes, you gotta choose to use it as weights. Yes, ma'am. Although it's not necessarily always fun to go to the gym, you gotta see it as I'm gonna produce fruit from this. I'm gonna get stronger and I'm gonna use it against him.

SPEAKER_02 32:09

Yes, ma'am. I think that's really awesome. People definitely need to know that. Um, one question that I also have as well, I might have maybe two more, but one question for me is just kind of understanding when it comes to fear, and if if I was a believer that it's like, okay, I don't want to be afraid anymore, what do I do? Because a lot of times I kind of make sure that I ask questions ask questions as well that kind of will help those that are stepping new into the faith or just hearing about true biblical believing for the first time. Um like how how do they grab a hold of the fearlessness that we can carry, as it says in the word. I wrote I wrote a scripture down somewhere in my notes, and it was in 1 John 4 18, and that there is no fear in love, but perfect love cast out fear, for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. And so that was really moving to me because I'm like, oh, that makes sense. But maybe, ma'am, if you could just kind of for that person that is maybe struggling with fear, how how can they break free today?

SPEAKER_01 33:22

Yeah, so read that scripture again, but change the word love to Jesus.

SPEAKER_02 33:27

There is no fear in Jesus, but perfect Jesus cast out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in Jesus.

SPEAKER_01 33:39

There's the answer. Come on, intimacy with Jesus.

SPEAKER_02 33:43

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 33:44

That's it. When you learn who Jesus is, when you learn how big God is, then you you aren't afraid. What is there to be afraid of when you know how big God is? There is no fear. That that's literally what has set me free. And it doesn't mean that fear doesn't come. It just means I don't entertain it anymore. I was talking to somebody about this the other day. It's like it's all the stuff that you've dealt with your entire life. The enemy is an enemy of repetition. He brings the lies back all the time. He brings the fears back all the time. He reminds you of the situations, the circumstances all the time. The same ones, all the stuff. It doesn't matter how how much you've how long ago it was, how how much you've overcome it, he'll he'll he'll bring it to your remembrance all the time. It's your job to bring up the blood of Jesus all the time, bring up the the sword of truth all the time. That's why it's so important to remain in the word. Because that is that is the weapon against all of it. Because whenever, if you are not girded up in your mind against this, like with the truth as your helmet, then you are not going to be able to combat all those lies. And that's what he hopes for. That's the rattling of to get the you know, you to break out like what you were just talking about. Um, and it's he comes with these little whispers and they get louder and louder and louder the more you entertain them. And so the fear becomes more real the more you listen to it, the more you entertain it. But when you know who Jesus is, you know who God is, when you're in relationship and intimacy through the Holy Spirit, and he's more alive inside of you, you don't care about the fear. Like, I don't fear death. I've already conquered it because Jesus has.

SPEAKER_02 35:47

Wow. Yes, ma'am.

SPEAKER_01 35:48

I'm not afraid. Like we're about to do an extended international mission, and the enemy, the the one thing he keeps bringing up to me is my kids. That's the big thing. It's like, what if this, what if this, what if this? And I just have to keep saying the safest place for my children to be is the will of God. The safest place for my children to be is the will of God. The safest place for my children to be is the will of God. That's my that's my that's my weapon. Yeah, that's what I was told about 10 years ago, and I'm gonna keep pulling it out. Yes, man, because that's the truth. I don't care what he tells me, that's the truth. They are more at in at risk and in jeopardy here on American soil, in their own home than they are on foreign soil in a third world country. Wow. Because God told me to go to a third world country and live for three months. So, in that three months, if I would choose to be in America where everybody else, the whole world, would tell me it's safer, they're more at risk because I would be outside of God's will. Yeah, and that's the way I view it. Wherever God's will is, I'm protected, regardless of what happens, it doesn't matter. And and the thing is, like, people know this. Like, I walk in sickness every single day, but that doesn't mean I'm not covered by the blood of Jesus. Right. I use it as weightlifting. Paul was sick, he didn't quit. He didn't quit, he kept going. And I can't allow a sickness to cause me to be so fearful that I step outside of the will of God, because that's what the that's what the enemy wants. He wants situation and circumstance to cause you to step into fear. If his screaming tactics, whispering tactics aren't working, he will try something else, whatever that looks like. And so the biggest weapon you have is intimacy with Jesus. If you're not praying, if you're not journaling, if you're not reading your word, you're at risk. That's it. People come to me all the time. I'm struggling with this, I'm struggling with this. I'm like, are you reading your Bible? No. I'm like, I can't help you. And they they act like I'm being mean. I'm like, He already gave you it. I don't care if you I don't have time. I'm I don't have time to help you. If you don't have time to read your Bible, I can't help you. It doesn't take that long. It is I it does not take that long. You not having time is the biggest lie, the biggest deception the enemy could ever sew into you. Don't listen to it. You have time. You have time. Everybody has time to read the Bible. Even if you just listen to it, you have time. But you always have time to read it. Reading is more powerful than just listening. You should do both. Um, I believe in reading, listening, and writing. That's how Andrew has taught me. Um, and so I I believe in all of that. But even if you just have a couple lines, a couple, a couple verses, read those, listen to the rest. Yeah, whatever it takes, like that is your weapon. If you don't do that, you're gonna be the enemy's gonna say all kinds of lies, and guess what? That's gonna do waste your time. Yes, that's all it's gonna do.

unknown 39:12

That's real.

SPEAKER_01 39:13

So, intimacy with Jesus. Yes, ma'am. That is how you overcome fear.

SPEAKER_02 39:17

I love that. Yes, ma'am. And it's it's this it's almost as if it's the simple gospel that you know makes it make sense. It does. So, and I'm and I think that that's very powerful to me because of how how simple Jesus is. Give or take. I like it. Because I know there's so much complexity, and well, where was he and all this kind of stuff? But his character is so simple, you know what I'm saying? So beautiful, so amazing. Um and so is it what do you think that there's anything else that you may have that's stirring inside of you for the people or kind of?

SPEAKER_01 39:57

I do, I have a scripture. Come on, yes, ma'am.

SPEAKER_02 40:00

Amen.

SPEAKER_01 40:01

Whenever whenever y'all told me I was gonna talk about fear, I had one. This is something that the Lord's had me meditate on for a while. Um, and it's in Philippians 1. And it's uh verse 12, starting verse 12. But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel, so that it has become evident to the whole palace guard and to all the rest that my chains are in Christ, and most of the brethren in the Lord, having become confident by my chains, are much more bold to speak the word without fear. So that's so powerful to me because, like I just mentioned, one of the biggest things the enemy will try to do is cause situation and circumstance to come upon our lives to produce a fear, to make us step outside the will of God. But Paul clearly tells us right there that he used his situation and circumstance to not create fear in his life, but actually pull others out of fear, and it's just so powerful because it's just a perfect representation of the love of Christ and how and how he used everything that came upon him to pull people straight out of hell, and that's what we're called to do to lay down our life for each other. Perfect love cast out all fear, and when we're walking in perfect love, perfect in union with Christ, we should our our our life should make people feel so bold. And our intimacy with Christ should produce just this fearlessness in others, not just ourselves. Because our goal isn't just to make ourselves be fearless, but to make others fearless because of our our own actions, and that's the goal of my life. It's not just for me to be brave, be bold, and do things for God. It's for me to be able to walk in pain, walk in sickness, walk through situation and circumstance, still do big bold and awesome things for God while looking like I'm still in love with Jesus. Putting my sub my intimacy on display and authenticity. Like I don't hide that I don't feel good, I don't hide that it's hard, but I believe that that shows people that it's possible and that it's attainable, and that's that's what we're supposed to do. And I love that Paul talks about that here, that everything that happened to me, I used it as a weapon against Satan. I threw it in his face. He tried to harm me, but I harmed him.

unknown 43:23

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 43:24

And that's the goal. But it's not for our furtherance of ourselves, it's for the furtherance of others. Yes, ma'am. And that's the gospel.

SPEAKER_02 43:32

That's really awesome. Yes, ma'am. Um, thank you so much, ma'am. Thank you so much for being here and sharing and just sharing some of your testimony and bringing your your wisdom. And I'm really believing that people will come back and listen to this and continue to listen to this if they if they don't know what to do, where they can start off. Um, and so uh if you're okay with it, I'll pray aside unless you want to. No, you're good. All right, I'll do it. So, Lord, I just thank you so much for every single listener in person that will tune in and wonder how do they overcome fear and they will leave being able to not over not only overcome fear, but have deeper intimacy with you. Lord God, I thank you so much for the authority just in your name alone and what you've done for us in order to have that. We had to do nothing, and you did it all for us. And so I'm so thankful, Lord God, that you released that power and gave it to us, Lord God Jesus. And I just thank you that you not only gave it to us, but you said we can have it. It's a free gift, and we don't have to earn it. You just gave it to us, and so I'm just thankful, Lord. So I I just rebuke any lies of the enemy right now that people are facing, even when trying to click on a video to watch or trying to find out um where they should go next. Lord God, I pray that you lead them exactly where they're supposed to be, and I pray that they are moved by who you are in your mighty precious name. I pray. Thank God and amen. Amen. Thank you so much, Miss Brittany. And thank you, everybody, for listening. You tune in next week. Um, we're excited for you, and we'll see you then in Jesus' name. Bless you.